---
title: "Porch Swing Cushions in Kentucky: Horse Country and Bluegrass"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-kentucky/"
section: "Across the Map"
author: "Rosa Delgado, The Porch Keeper of Savannah"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/rosa/"
published: "2026-02-26"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "porch swing cushions kentucky, outdoor cushions kentucky, swing bed cushion, louisville window seat cushion, custom cushions kentucky"
---

# Porch swing cushions for Kentucky porches, from Louisville to the Bluegrass

*Only one state searches harder for porch swing cushions than Kentucky, and I am not a bit surprised. A swing is where a Kentucky evening gets decided, so its cushion had better fit, stay put and outlast the season.*

> **The quick answer:** Porch swing cushions for Kentucky porches should be measured between the swing's arms, tied to the back rail and made in water-repellent, UV-resistant outdoor fabric with zip-off covers. Four inches suits everyday swinging and swing beds. Lexington averages 133 wet days and 93 freezing nights a year, so stand wet cushions on edge to dry and store them indoors, dry, from late fall to spring.

![Taupe, gray and ivory herringbone stripe seat and back cushions on a white rope-hung porch swing](https://cushionguide.com/media/porch-swing-cushions/neutral-herringbone-stripe-rope-porch-swing-cushions-1600.webp "A white porch swing hung on thick rope gets a full seat and two back cushions in a neutral herringbone stripe.")

## Second in the nation for porch swings, and it shows

Five years of search data put Kentucky second in the country for porch swing cushions, behind only West Virginia, and fourth for outdoor cushions. In the census division that takes in Kentucky, 81% of new homes started in 2024 had a porch, the highest share in the nation.

So this page is about porch swing cushions in Kentucky, and the custom cushions its swing beds need. Rockers have their own story on our [Tennessee and Kentucky page](https://cushionguide.com/places/tennessee-kentucky-cushions/), and every swing size lives in the [porch swing cushion hub](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/porch-swing-cushions/).

## 133 wet days and 93 freezing nights: the Bluegrass year on a cushion

Lexington gets about 50 in (127 cm) of rain over 133 days a year, with mornings at 81% humidity. Louisville adds 38 days at 90°F (32°C) or above and a July noon UV Index near 9.1, very high on the EPA scale. Then winter: 83 freezing nights in Louisville, 93 in Lexington.

Outdoor fabric sheds a shower, but rain finds the seams, and standard foam then stays wet 24 to 48 hours, the EPA's window before mold starts. In winter that water freezes and thaws.

Kentucky's outdoor cushion searches peak in May and fade to almost nothing by winter. My calendar is simpler: swing cushions go out before Derby Day, the first Saturday in May, and come in before the first hard freeze.

## Horse-farm porches, Old Louisville turrets and shotgun rows

In the Bluegrass, the birthplace and home of the Thoroughbred, farmhouse porches look over pastures edged with dry-laid limestone fences. Measure a swing there between the arms, not by its label: stock pads for 4 ft and 5 ft swings run about 45 and 55 in (114 and 140 cm) long, and yours may differ.

Old Louisville, about 48 blocks, is the largest preservation district built almost entirely in Victorian styles, with Richardsonian Romanesque turrets and bay windows. A Louisville window seat cushion in a turret bay is a trapezoid; check it in the [bay window calculator](https://cushionguide.com/studio/bay-window-calculator/).

Germantown and Schnitzelburg hold one of the country's largest collections of shotgun houses, some of them camelbacks with a partial second floor at the rear. Narrow house, narrow porch: often a 4 ft swing, about 48 in (122 cm) wide. Bourbon-country porches farther out run wider and hold swing beds.

What does your swing measure between the arms, neighbor?

## Swing beds: a mattress that hangs from ropes

A swing bed cushion is a mattress cut to the platform, wood to wood. One real platform, 51 x 82 in (130 x 208 cm) with a backrest, was quoted at 4 in (10 cm), the thickness most buyers prefer, and at 8 in (20 cm). Backs are separate pieces, and several short ones sit better than one long one. [Porch swing cushion sizes](https://cushionguide.com/guides/porch-swing-cushion-sizes/) covers every measurement, and the [bench cushion builder](https://cushionguide.com/studio/bench-cushion-builder/) draws the set.

A swing cushion should never slide when you laugh. Ask for ties in writing, two on the back edge or four at the corners; the [tie placement guide](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-tie-placement-chairs-swings/) marks the spots.

## Swing, swing bed and parlor bay: what to cut

| Seat | Fabric | Build | Why it suits Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft farmhouse porch swing | Outdoor fabric: woven polyester, water-repellent, UV-resistant | 3 to 4 in (7.5 to 10 cm) seat between the arms; back as its own piece; ties | Humid summers, wind-blown rain |
| 4 ft shotgun-porch swing | Outdoor fabric in a mid-tone stripe | Seat measured at the slats, about 48 in (122 cm) swing | No room on a narrow porch for overhang |
| Rope-hung swing bed | Outdoor fabric, self piping | 4 in (10 cm) mattress cut to the platform; 6 or 8 in (15 or 20 cm) on request | Zip-off covers wash after a humid summer |
| Old Louisville bay window seat | Velvet or linen, indoors only | Trapezoid, 3 to 4 in (7.5 to 10 cm), from a measured drawing | Victorian bays are rarely square |

Ties and non-slip bases are added only when requested in the order note. The standard foam is not quick-dry. Covers wash at 86°F (30°C), gentle cycle; air dry.

## A whole porch room, finished before the party

A buyer in the US started with one cushion for an oval wicker loveseat on a covered patio, rounded corners and all. Then a 17 x 20 in chair cushion beside the 37 x 19 in loveseat. Then the whole outdoor couch, six pieces plus three pillows, in a green-and-white outdoor stripe with piping.

The workshop quoted it as one set, and it arrived before her party. She wrote back that she cried, they looked so beautiful.

Here every porch party has a date, and Derby Day is the big one. Write that date on the order, and order the whole porch at once so every piece comes from one dye lot.

## The Kentucky swing calendar

- ✓ March: check zippers and ties, and order new covers before the May peak.
- ✓ Before Derby Day: hang the swing cushions and knot every tie.
- ✓ After a summer storm: stand cushions on edge under the roof for 24 to 48 hours.
- ✓ Midsummer: wash covers at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle and air dry them.
- ✓ Before the first hard freeze: store cushions indoors, dry to the core, never sealed in plastic.

> Measure a porch swing between the arms, not by the length on the box, and ask for ties. Kentucky swings move.
>
> — Rosa

> **Tailor's margin:** On a swing bed, measure the platform wood to wood and let the mattress sit just proud of the frame, so the ropes never rub the fabric.

## Buyer questions: swings, swing beds and ties

**A common question:** My porch swing foam is still good. Can you make zippered covers to fit it?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Send the foam's exact size. One buyer in the US had a 55.25 x 27.75 x 4 in (140 x 70.5 x 10 cm) seat and a 50 x 13 x 4 in (127 x 33 x 10 cm) back pad, quoted as covers only with extra-strong zippers.

**A common question:** Is 4 inches thick enough for a swing bed on a hard wooden platform?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. 4 in (10 cm) is what most buyers choose and find comfortable. A 51 x 82 in (130 x 208 cm) swing platform with a backrest was quoted at 4 in and at 8 in (20 cm); thicker costs more.

**A common question:** Does the outdoor cushion listing include both the seat and the back?

**The workshop's answer:** No. Each purchase is one cushion, so a swing seat plus a back is two items. The workshop then sends a measurement diagram to confirm before production.

**A common question:** Can you use Velcro instead of ties to keep the cushion on the frame?

**The workshop's answer:** Velcro isn't offered at the moment. Ties can go wherever you want them, so mark the spots on a photo, and a non-slip bottom is the other way to stop a cushion moving.

**A common question:** Can I use the linen or velvet cushions outside on my porch?

**The workshop's answer:** No. Those indoor fabrics aren't suitable outdoors; outdoor cushions and backrests come from the outdoor charts. One buyer's indoor-fabric order for outdoor seats was cancelled and refunded so it could be placed again correctly.

## Kentucky porch questions

### When should Kentucky porch swing cushions come inside?

Before the first hard freeze. Louisville averages 83 days a year at or below 32°F (0°C) and Lexington 93. Water left in standard foam freezes and thaws, so store cushions clean, dry and on edge, never sealed in plastic.

### Is a covered Kentucky porch dry enough for indoor fabric?

Only a fully enclosed porch that rain and direct sun never reach. Lexington mornings average 81% humidity and there are about 133 wet days a year, so on an open or screened porch choose outdoor fabric: water-repellent and UV-resistant.

### Will a porch swing cushion fade in a Kentucky summer?

Sun is strongest in midsummer: Louisville's July noon UV Index averages about 9.1, very high on the EPA scale. Outdoor fabric has a UV-resistant finish. Indoor fabrics have limited UV resistance and can fade in strong, prolonged sun.

### How are the back cushions on a swing bed ordered?

As separate items. Measure the platform for the mattress, then each back cushion from the top of the mattress up. Several shorter backs usually sit better and stay put than one full-length piece.

## Related at the atelier

- [Porch swing cushion sizes: measuring a 4, 5 or 6 ft swing](https://cushionguide.com/guides/porch-swing-cushion-sizes/): Size a porch swing cushion from inside the arms; the label length is the frame, not the seat.
- [Custom cushions for Missouri brick houses, porches and lake houses](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-missouri/): Custom cushions in Missouri should be split by seat: water-repellent, UV-resistant outdoor fabric for Ozarks porch swings and Lake of the Ozarks decks, and velvet or corduroy for window seats in St.
- [Porch swing cushions for Kansas porches, patios and limestone farmhouses](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-kansas/): Porch swing cushions for Kansas porches need ties at the back corners, outdoor fabric and a plan to carry them in fast.
- [Custom cushions for Virginia colonials, porches and Tidewater homes](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-virginia/): Custom cushions for Virginia homes come down to three seats: the colonial window seat, the rowhouse banquette and the Tidewater porch.
- [Swing beds and daybed swings: the four-piece set](https://cushionguide.com/concepts/swing-bed-cushions/): A swing bed cushion is usually a four-piece set: a mattress cut to the platform, a back cushion and two cylinder bolsters, ordered together so all four come from one fabric batch.
- [Periwinkle Stripe Window Seat Cushion: Porch Ideas Indoors](https://cushionguide.com/readings/periwinkle-stripe-window-seat-cushion-closeup/): A striped window seat cushion should borrow the porch's best ideas, the stripe, a washable cover and a wipe-first habit, and keep the indoor ones: a soft hand, pattern-matched edges and a measured…
- [Sunroom and three-season room cushions: fabric for sun, heat and damp](https://cushionguide.com/guides/sunroom-cushion-fabric-humidity/)

*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-kentucky/