---
title: "Colorado Cushions: High-Altitude Sun, Dry Air and Ski Boots"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/places/colorado-cushions/"
section: "Across the Map"
author: "Harlan Pruitt, The Elder of High Point"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/harlan/"
published: "2026-01-12"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "colorado outdoor cushions, denver window seat cushion, colorado mudroom bench cushion, hail season patio cushions, high altitude UV fading, denver square window seat, ski condo cushions"
---

# Cushions for Colorado homes, decks and mudrooms

*Up here the sun comes through thinner air and the hail comes without asking. A Colorado cushion has to be ready for both, and light enough to carry indoors when the sky turns.*

> **The quick answer:** Colorado outdoor cushions need UV-resistant outdoor fabric and a plan to bring them in, because Denver's July noon UV averages 10.4 and the state ranked second in US hail loss claims for 2017 to 2019. Indoors, pick mid-tones for sunny windows, velvet or a performance weave for dogs and ski boots, and a non-slip base on painted or lift-up benches.

![Ivory textured window seat cushion with chocolate brown piping on a white storage chest, brown lumbar and terracotta vase](https://cushionguide.com/media/window-seat-cushions/ivory-window-seat-cushion-chocolate-piping-1536.webp "A pale ivory seat on a white chest gets its edge from chocolate piping, matched to a single textured lumbar pillow.")

## Thin air, strong sun, and a sky that changes its mind

Denver's July sun is stronger than Philadelphia's, though the two cities sit at almost the same latitude. The average noon UV Index in July runs 10.4 in Denver and 8.6 in Philadelphia. The World Health Organization gives the reason: UV climbs about 10 percent for every 3,281 ft (1,000 m) of altitude, and fresh snow almost doubles what reaches you.

That is why Colorado outdoor cushions start with UV-resistant [outdoor fabric](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/outdoor-acrylic/), and why a window seat in Boulder or Colorado Springs deserves [fade-aware color](https://cushionguide.com/guides/window-seat-cushion-fading-sun/) even though it never leaves the house. In winter, snow in the yard throws more light at the glass. The [sunroom color notes](https://cushionguide.com/concepts/sunroom-cushions-colors-that-last/) apply to any bright west window.

The air is dry. Denver's afternoon humidity averages 43 percent, and about 35 in July. Mildew is rarely the trouble here. Dust and static are, and foam has to hold its shape through 47 days a year at 90°F (32°C) or hotter and 156 nights at 32°F (0°C) or colder.

Then the hail. Colorado ranked second in the country for hail loss claims from 2017 to 2019, with 380,066 of them. The workshop's outdoor fabric is water-repellent and UV-resistant, but the foam inside isn't quick-dry and there's no mesh drain bottom. On an open deck, that means a cushion you carry in before the storm and put away for [winter](https://cushionguide.com/guides/outdoor-cushion-care-winter-storage/). [Callum](https://cushionguide.com/masters/callum/) says build it for the worst day of the season, and here that day comes with ice.

You'll hear that Denver gets 300 days of sunshine. That line began as railroad advertising in the 1870s. NOAA counts about 115 clear days a year, 130 partly cloudy and 120 cloudy. Plenty of sun, my friend. Not a promise.

## Denver Squares, bungalows and ski condos: the seats they ask for

The Denver Square is the local name for the American Foursquare: two stories, a hipped roof with a center dormer, a full-width porch, often yellow brick. Most went up between about 1890 and 1915, and rows of them still stand in Highlands and Washington Park. Around them sit Craftsman bungalows with bay windows, Victorians, mid-century ranches with back decks, and up the mountain, the condos, chalets and cabins of Vail, Breckenridge and Steamboat Springs.

Those houses ask for five seats:
- **Mudroom benches** that take ski boots, snowmelt and a wet dog, often with a lift-up lid and a [non-slip base](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#non-slip-base). See [mudroom bench cushions](https://cushionguide.com/concepts/mudroom-bench-cushions/) and check the finished height with the [seat height calculator](https://cushionguide.com/studio/seat-height-calculator/).
- **Window seats facing the Rockies**, many turned west into the afternoon. See [window seat cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/window-seat-cushions/).
- **Deck benches and sectionals**, where hail and UV arrive in the same season. See [outdoor cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/outdoor-cushions/).
- **Bay windows** in older Denver houses, rarely a true trapezoid.
- **Floor seating** in condos where the living room doubles as the guest room; the [mountain cabin notes](https://cushionguide.com/places/mountain-west-cabin-cushions/) cover that.

Two buyers in the US show how these seats get planned. One wanted window bench cushions for three rooms of a new home, six in all: a pair at 78 x 26.5 in (198 x 67 cm) in mustard, a pair at 64 x 18.75 in (163 x 48 cm) in oil green, a pair at 63 x 19 in (160 x 48 cm) in navy. They ordered the living room pair first and kept the color plan for later. Another wanted one [white](https://cushionguide.com/concepts/cloud-dancer-off-white-cushions/) tufted velvet cushion, 111.5 x 34 in (283 x 86 cm), under a long window, in a single piece at the standard 4 in (10 cm).

What does the bench by your back door carry on a February morning?

## What to sew for each Colorado seat

| Seat | Fabric | Foam and thickness | Holding it in place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck bench or sectional | Outdoor fabric: woven, water-, UV- and fade-resistant | 3-4 in (7.5-10 cm); 2 in (5 cm) for a slim bench pad | Non-slip base or ties; carry in before hail |
| Mudroom bench | Performance weave or velvet in a mid-tone that hides grit | 3 in (7.5 cm) for a lower, neater profile | Non-slip base; one piece per lift-up lid |
| West- or south-facing window seat | Velvet or soft performance fabric in a fade-aware color | 4 in (10 cm) standard | Non-slip base on painted wood |
| Bay seat the dogs claim | Velvet or the pet-friendly performance chart | 4 in (10 cm) of about 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) medium-firm foam | A sketch that includes front-to-back depth |
| Lift-up storage chest | Linen, velvet or corduroy | Cut to the inside of the lid bevel | Ties on the hinge side only |

## A bay seat, the dogs, and the measurement nobody writes down

One buyer wrote in about a bay window seat that wasn't a true trapezoid, and dogs that jump on it. The workshop sent the [pet-friendly fabric](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/performance-and-pet-friendly/) chart first. Then it looked hard at the sketch.

Every edge length was there. The front-to-back depth was not. Without that number nobody can cut a bay cushion, however handsome the drawing. The buyer measured it, chose the size range by that depth and the 91 in (231 cm) longest edge, and found the fabric in a review photo: olive green [velvet](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/velvet/) 123 with taupe 106 piping. The workshop told them straight that the velvet wears as well as the pet-friendly performance weave. More on that in [pet-friendly bench cushions](https://cushionguide.com/concepts/pet-friendly-banquette-and-bench-cushions/).

Velvet remembers. Brush the pile back with your palm after the dogs have had their nap, and it forgives them.

If you have a bay like that in a Denver bungalow, draw it, write the depth in the middle, and measure it twice. The [bench cushion builder](https://cushionguide.com/studio/bench-cushion-builder/) is a good place to rough out the rest.

> Colorado deck cushions take a July noon UV Index of 10.4 in Denver and hail in the same season. When a storm is forecast, carry them in.
>
> — Harlan

## Colorado cushion care, season by season

- ✓ Spring: May is Denver's wettest month, at 2.29 in (58 mm). Clear a dry closet or bin that fits every deck cushion before the storms come.
- ✓ Summer: carry deck cushions in whenever hail is in the forecast, and turn window seat cushions end to end now and then so one side doesn't take all the afternoon sun.
- ✓ Fall: unzip the covers and wash them at 86°F (30°C) before the first freeze, then let covers and foam dry all the way through.
- ✓ Winter storage: keep outdoor cushions dry, off concrete, in something that breathes, never a sealed bag with damp inside. Long cushions fold or roll without harm.
- ✓ Winter indoors: snow in the yard sends extra light through west- and south-facing glass. Draw the sheers on bright afternoons.
- ✓ Ski season, every week: brush grit off the mudroom bench and wipe snowmelt with a damp cloth and a little mild soap.

> **Tailor's margin:** On a lift-up storage bench, a non-slip base holds the cushion while someone sits, not while the lid opens. Ask for ties on the hinge side.

## Buyer questions: sun, dogs and lift-up lids

**A common question:** Our window seat gets direct afternoon sun. Is the cushion color going to fade?

**The workshop's answer:** The workshop's answer was that its fabric holds up well in sunlight and resists fading, and that it keeps clean with gentle hand cleaning.

**A common question:** You have several outdoor fabric charts. Is one of them better quality than the others?

**The workshop's answer:** No. The outdoor range runs to close to 200 fabrics on four or five charts, all woven cloth rather than vinyl, all water-resistant and UV- and fade-resistant, and all the same quality. The charts differ only in texture, color tone and pattern. The workshop's own pick is the HM range, and it sends close-up photos of any code.

**A common question:** What exactly is a non-slip base? Is it a mat that goes under the cushion?

**The workshop's answer:** It isn't a separate mat. The bottom panel of the cover is sewn from a grippy anti-skid fabric across the whole underside. It holds by friction, not glue, so it leaves nothing on a painted or wooden bench, and you can't see it once the cushion is down. You select it in personalization, and it works on covers-only orders and on linen or corduroy.

**A common question:** My bench is an old chest with a lid that lifts. How do I keep the cushion from sliding off when I open it?

**The workshop's answer:** Ask for ties on the hinge side only, and send each hinge's position measured from one end, its width and a photo so the ties line up. If ties won't work with the hinges, the cushion can be sized to sit inside the lid's bevel, for example 42 x 18 in (107 x 46 cm), with a non-slip base. That holds it in normal use, but no base keeps a cushion on a lid that's lifting.

**A common question:** Can a really long outdoor bench cushion be made in one piece?

**The workshop's answer:** Often it's better in sections, because very long pieces can pass the maximum single-piece length; a bay cushion about 160 in (406 cm) long was suggested in two. You choose where the joins fall, and a long bench can even be one cushion per seat. The foam is flexible, so a long cushion folds or rolls for storage without damage.

## Colorado questions, answered plainly

### Why do cushions fade faster in Colorado than back East?

Altitude. The World Health Organization estimates UV rises about 10 percent per 3,281 ft (1,000 m) of elevation. Denver's average noon UV Index in July is 10.4, against 8.6 in Philadelphia at nearly the same latitude, and snow on the ground reflects more light in winter.

### Should deck cushions stay out through Colorado hail season?

No. Colorado ranked second in the US for hail loss claims from 2017 to 2019. The workshop's outdoor fabric is water-repellent and UV-resistant, but the foam isn't quick-dry and a mesh drain bottom isn't standard, so these cushions belong on a covered deck or indoors when storms are forecast.

### Can I get a thin outdoor pad for a narrow deck bench?

Yes. Outdoor cushions come in 2, 3, 4 and 5 in thicknesses. A buyer in the US ordered a black outdoor pad 16 x 74 x 2 in (41 x 188 x 5 cm) with a non-slip base, then came back for an identical one for the other bench.

### Is Colorado's dry air hard on foam and fabric?

Mostly it's kind. Denver's afternoon humidity averages 43 percent, so mildew is rare. Dry air brings dust, static and big day-to-night swings instead. Firm foam, about 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) as standard, holds its shape, and zippered covers wash at 86°F (30°C).

## Related at the atelier

- [Navy window seat cushion in a white kitchen, season by season](https://cushionguide.com/readings/navy-window-seat-cushion-white-kitchen-built-in/): A navy performance-weave window seat cushion suits a busy kitchen all year, because the dark weave hides spills and pet hair.
- [Window Seat Cushion in Charcoal for a Green Library Nook](https://cushionguide.com/readings/charcoal-window-seat-cushion-green-library-nook/): A window seat cushion for a built-in nook should fill the whole recess and use a box edge, so the front stays square and the seat looks built in.
- [Chocolate Brown Window Seat Cushion: Foam for a Reading Nook](https://cushionguide.com/readings/chocolate-brown-window-seat-cushion-walnut-library/): A window seat cushion for long reading sessions needs high-density foam that holds its shape, usually about 3 in (7.5 cm) or more on the seat.
- [Bullnose and waterfall-front cushions, explained by the edge](https://cushionguide.com/guides/bullnose-cushion-rounded-front-edge/): A bullnose cushion has its top, front and bottom cut from one continuous piece of fabric, so the front edge rolls over with no seam.
- [Custom cushions for Montana cabins, lodges and ranch houses](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-montana/): Custom cushions in Montana should be built for a long indoor winter: firm, about 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) foam, hard-wearing corduroy or a nubby bouclé on window seats, and fireside floor cushions kept…
- [Custom cushions for Maltese balconies, roof terraces and townhouses](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-malta/): Custom cushions in Malta do three jobs: a slim window seat inside the enclosed wooden gallarija, sun-safe cushions for the flat roof terrace, and courtyard seats in old limestone farmhouses.
- [Cushions for lift-up storage benches: where to split and how to hold them](https://cushionguide.com/guides/storage-bench-cushion-hinged-lid/)

*Sit well. — Harlan*

---

Written by Harlan Pruitt (https://cushionguide.com/masters/harlan/) for CushionGuide (https://cushionguide.com/about/). The site explains made-to-measure cushions and the partner workshop makes them; measurements are in inches first. This Markdown mirrors the page at https://cushionguide.com/places/colorado-cushions/