---
title: "Porch Swing Cushions in Arkansas: Ozark Porches, Lake Cabins"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-arkansas/"
section: "Across the Map"
author: "Rosa Delgado, The Porch Keeper of Savannah"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/rosa/"
published: "2026-03-03"
updated: "2026-03-03"
keywords: "porch swing cushions arkansas, outdoor cushions arkansas, rocking chair cushions arkansas, lake cabin cushions, custom cushions arkansas"
---

# Porch swing cushions for Arkansas porches, cabins and lake houses

*Arkansas ties for third in the country for porch swing cushion searches and sits near the bottom for window seats, which tells you exactly where folks here sit. These are my notes for swings, rockers and lake-cabin benches, from the Ozarks down to Little Rock.*

> **The quick answer:** Porch swing cushions in Arkansas should be made in water-repellent, UV-resistant outdoor fabric with ties at the back corners, because spring brings the state's worst storms and most of its tornadoes. A 4 in seat with two filled back pillows suits most swings. Store swing, rocker and lake-cabin cushions dry for winter, especially in the Ozarks, where the most snow falls.

![Cream and rust pinstripe porch swing cushion on a white wooden swing with black chains, lantern and fern on a porch](https://cushionguide.com/media/porch-swing-cushions/cream-pinstripe-porch-swing-cushion-white-porch-1600.webp "A thick pinstripe pad on a white porch swing, framed by black chains and a lantern; the stripe is quiet enough for a traditional porch.")

## Fifty inches of rain, 26 tornadoes a year and an Ozark winter

An Arkansas porch swing has seen some weather. Little Rock averages 50.42 in (128 cm) of rain a year, and April is the wettest month at 5.59 in. The Encyclopedia of Arkansas names floods and severe thunderstorms as the main threats from March to May, counts an average of 26 tornadoes a year, and says most of them come in spring.

Summer is thick. Little Rock mornings average 84% humidity, with 75 days a year at 90°F (32°C) or above, and Fort Smith has 78. That's mildew weather for any cushion left damp.

Winter is real, and more so up high. Fort Smith averages 70 days at or below freezing and Little Rock 54. Harrison, on the Ozark Plateau, averages 34.9°F in January, and the Ozarks get more snow than any other part of the state. Major ice storms come every five to ten years.

So an Arkansas swing cushion has three jobs: shrug off a spring storm, dry out in August, and spend January somewhere dry.

## Dogtrots, giraffe houses and bungalows with the swing already hung

Folks here have built porches since the log-cabin days. The Ozark dogtrot put two rooms under one roof with an open, floored hall between them, and later owners added porches. In the early 1900s, Ozark builders split native sandstone into slabs and set them in wide mortar joints, and many of those "giraffe houses" across northern Arkansas still have their original front porches.

In town, Little Rock's Hillcrest is mostly early-1900s Arts and Crafts and bungalow homes. Hot Springs' Quapaw-Prospect district mixes Craftsman and Colonial Revival houses with a particularly fine run of Queen Anne Victorians, porches and all.

Then the lakes. Beaver Lake has about 483 miles of shoreline and Greers Ferry more than 340, and the cabins along them live on the screened porch and the dock bench. Start with [porch swing cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/porch-swing-cushions/), [rocking chair cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/rocking-chair-cushions/) and, for the dock, [outdoor cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/outdoor-cushions/). The [Tennessee and Kentucky page](https://cushionguide.com/places/tennessee-kentucky-cushions/) covers rocker templates in detail.

How long is your swing, neighbor? Get the tape out before you read the table below.

## Swing, rocker, lake bench: fabric and build for Arkansas porches

Everything that sees weather takes outdoor fabric. The real choices are thickness and how the cushion is held down.

| Seat | Fabric | Thickness and foam | Piping and fastening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Porch swing, seat plus back | Outdoor fabric, water-repellent and UV-resistant | 4 in (10 cm) seat; two filled back pillows about 4 in | Self piping; ties at both back corners |
| Swing bed on a wooden platform | Outdoor fabric | 4 in (10 cm) standard; 8 in (20 cm) on request | Oversized, so confirm the approved drawing first |
| Rocker on an open porch | Outdoor fabric | 2 to 3 in (5 to 7.5 cm) pad from a traced template | Ties at the back posts, requested in writing |
| Screened lake-cabin porch bench | Outdoor fabric; damp air comes through screens | 3 or 4 in (7.5 or 10 cm) | Non-slip base on smooth boards |
| Cabin entry bench with muddy dogs | Outdoor fabric, the rugged choice | 2 to 3 in (5 to 7.5 cm) | Zippered cover that washes at 86°F (30°C) |

## One long seat, two back pillows and the math that makes them match

A buyer in the US had a long outdoor bench, the kind that lives on a porch or at the end of a dock: a 64.75 x 23 in (164 x 58 cm) seat, plus two back cushions of 32.375 x 17 in (82 x 43 cm) each, all in one outdoor color.

The workshop checked the arithmetic first. Two backs at 32.375 in make 64.75 in, the full seat length, so the pillows meet in the middle and finish flush with the seat ends. It recommended the standard 4 in (10 cm) seat and explained that back pillows are filled pillows about 4 in thick, so only their width and height were needed.

That's exactly how I tell folks to order a swing. Split the back into two pillows that add up to the seat length. Two pieces are easier to carry in ahead of a storm and easier to wash, and they don't sag in the middle the way one very long back pillow can.

Write the sizes in one list, seat first and each back after it, and check the drawing the workshop sends back.

## Cream, rust and river-stone gray on an Arkansas porch

The swing in our photo wears a cream-and-rust pinstripe on white-painted wood, hung on black chains, with a lantern and a fern beside it. That's an Arkansas porch in one picture. Cream and rust forgive summer dust, the pinstripe hides a little wear, and the white swing keeps both looking fresh.

On a giraffe house, pick up the sandstone with rust, terracotta or mustard. On a Hot Springs Victorian, the paint is already busy, so a solid seat with a stripe only on the back pillows keeps the peace. At the lake, river-stone gray, navy or olive hide wet paw prints between washes.

Kids and dogs are the real quality control on a lake-cabin porch. Choose [outdoor fabric](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/outdoor-acrylic/) there even under a roof, and read [indoor cushions on a covered porch](https://cushionguide.com/guides/indoor-cushions-covered-porch/) before you set linen out. The [tie placement guide](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-tie-placement-chairs-swings/) shows where the ties go on a swing.

## The Arkansas porch calendar

- ✓ March: hang the swing cushions back up, and keep an eye on the sky. March to May is storm season.
- ✓ Before a severe-weather watch: bring swing and rocker cushions inside. Two back pillows go through a door easier than one long one.
- ✓ April and May: after a soaking storm, stand cushions on edge under the roof and get them dry within 24 to 48 hours.
- ✓ Summer: wash the covers at 86°F (30°C) on gentle, air dry them, and zip them back on only when they're bone dry.
- ✓ Lake season: rinse dock-bench cushions after a day on the water and let them drain on edge in the shade.
- ✓ Late fall in the Ozarks: bring cushions in before the first hard freeze. Store them clean, dry, off concrete and out of sealed plastic.
- ✓ Ice-storm winters: check the stored cushions once for damp and air them on a dry day.

> An Arkansas swing cushion needs two things: outdoor fabric that sheds a spring storm, and ties at the back corners so it stays put when the swing moves.
>
> — Rosa

> **Tailor's margin:** Split a swing back into two pillows that add up to the seat: 32.375 + 32.375 = 64.75 in. Easier to carry, wash and dry.

## Buyer questions: swing sizes, ties and four seasons

**A common question:** Can you confirm my swing cushion will be made at the right size before production starts?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. The workshop sends a drawing or layout image of the agreed dimensions for you to check, and makes the cushion exactly to that approved layout.

**A common question:** Can you add ties so the cushion stays on my bench? Is there an extra charge?

**The workshop's answer:** Ties are added free of charge. Mention them in the personalization note and say where you want them, for example 6 in (15 cm) in from each short end.

**A common question:** Do you carry quick-dry foam or a mesh bottom for a place with hot summers and snowy winters?

**The workshop's answer:** No. The outdoor fabric is UV-resistant and water-repellent, but there's no fast-drying mesh bottom and the foam isn't a quick-dry outdoor foam. The cushions work very well on a covered porch or when stored over winter, and the workshop says plainly they aren't meant to be left uncovered in rain and snow.

**A common question:** Is 4 inches thick enough for sitting and napping on a hard wooden or wicker base?

**The workshop's answer:** The workshop recommends 4 in (10 cm), which most buyers prefer and find comfortable. For a 51 x 82 in (130 x 208 cm) wooden swing platform with a backrest, it quoted both a 4 in and an 8 in (20 cm) version.

**A common question:** My cushions sit too high on the chairs. Can I reorder them thinner?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Place the same order again and choose the thinner option on the product page, for example 2 in (5 cm) instead of 4 in (10 cm).

## More Arkansas porch questions

### Should porch swing cushions come inside during Arkansas storm season?

When a severe thunderstorm or tornado watch is posted, yes. Outdoor fabric sheds rain, but wind can throw a cushion, and the foam is not quick-dry. A swing with one seat and two back pillows comes in fastest, so keep a closet shelf clear from March to May.

### Where do I measure an Arkansas porch swing for a new cushion?

Measure the seat between the arms and front to back at the deepest point, then the back from the seat up to where you want the pillows to stop. Write every number on a sketch; the workshop sends a drawing back to confirm before cutting.

### Is outdoor fabric needed on a screened lake-cabin porch?

Yes. Screens stop bugs, not humid air, and Little Rock mornings average 84% humidity. Outdoor fabric resists moisture and mildew better than linen, velvet or chenille, and it wipes clean after wet dogs and wet swimsuits.

### Do Ozark porch cushions need winter storage?

Yes. The Ozarks get more snow than the rest of Arkansas, and Harrison averages 34.9°F in January. Bring cushions in before the first hard freeze and store them dry, since water left in the foam freezes and thaws all winter.

## Related at the atelier

- [Custom cushions for Saskatchewan farmhouses, cabins and prairie homes](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-saskatchewan/): Custom cushions in Saskatchewan have to handle strong sun, steady wind and a long, dry winter.
- [Porch swing cushions for West Virginia porches and mountain cabins](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-west-virginia/): Porch swing cushions for West Virginia porches should be measured inside the swing's arms, sewn in water-repellent outdoor fabric with zip-off covers, and tied on with ties named in your order note.
- [Custom cushions for Georgia porches, from Savannah squares to Atlanta bungalows](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-georgia/): Custom cushions in Georgia should be cut in water-repellent, UV-resistant outdoor fabric for any porch that rain or sun can reach, with zip-off covers you wash after the spring pollen and again…
- [Rocking Chair Cushion Set in Dusty Rose for a White Porch](https://cushionguide.com/readings/dusty-rose-rocking-chair-cushion-set-porch/): A rocking chair cushion set should be two tie-on pieces: a boxed seat that sits inside the arms and a separate back pad tied at the posts, so neither slides while the chair rocks.
- [Window Seat Cushion in Mustard Corduroy: Porch Habits Indoors](https://cushionguide.com/readings/mustard-corduroy-window-seat-teal-nook-rooftops/): A mustard corduroy window seat cushion makes a narrow teal nook feel like a destination, because warm mustard jumps forward from deep teal paint.
- [Are your cushion prices in US dollars or my local currency?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/cushion-prices-usd-or-local-currency/): Every cushion price and custom quote is set in US dollars, and if your marketplace account uses another currency, the marketplace converts the price at checkout at its own daily rate, which the shop…
- [Cushion tie placement for chairs, porch swings and benches](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-tie-placement-chairs-swings/)
- [Standard cushion sizes, and when yours isn't one of them](https://cushionguide.com/guides/standard-cushion-sizes-chart/)

*Porch light's on — Rosa*

---

Written by Rosa Delgado (https://cushionguide.com/masters/rosa/) 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/custom-cushions-arkansas/