---
title: "Porch Swing Cushion in Charcoal with White Piping and Ties"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/readings/charcoal-porch-swing-cushions-white-piping-tie-detail/"
section: "Readings"
author: "Callum Reid, The Weather Man of Casco Bay"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/callum/"
published: "2026-07-21"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "porch swing cushion, chair cushion with ties, outdoor cushions, water-repellent outdoor cushions, custom size cushion, made to measure cushion"
---

# Charcoal porch swing cushions, tied on and sized to the swing

*A swing moves, so proportion matters more here than on any bench. Seat, back, ties and chains all have to agree before the first good evening.*

> **The quick answer:** A porch swing cushion set works best as a full-width seat plus separate back cushions tied to the slats, sized so every piece clears the chains. Seat thickness adds to seat height, and back thickness takes from seat depth, so check both. Splitting a 71 5/8 in (182 cm) back into four pieces makes each one easier to carry and dry.

![Charcoal porch swing seat and back cushions with white piping, a hand tying the fabric tie to a weathered white swing](https://cushionguide.com/media/porch-swing-cushions/charcoal-porch-swing-cushions-white-piping-tie-detail-848.webp "Charcoal seat and back cushions piped in white, with a hand fastening the tie to a weathered swing slat.")

## Pinned by Callum: five points on the swing

Five pins, from the white piping at the seat edge to the chain clearance that lets the cushions lift out.

1. **Charcoal seat cushion**: The seat runs the full swing width in one piece, piped in white along the edge.
2. **Tied back cushion**: A separate back cushion rests on the slats and is tied on, so it never slumps.
3. **Tie being knotted**: Ties sewn into the seam wrap one slat; a simple bow holds on a moving swing.
4. **White piping edge**: White piping picks up the swing's paint and outlines the dark cushion.
5. **Swing chain clearance**: The cushions clear the chains, so they lift off easily before bad weather.

## Seat, back and chains, in proportion

Late-afternoon light on a cedar-shingle porch, a weathered white swing on its chains, and charcoal cushions piped in white. A hand is knotting one fabric tie around a slat. That is the whole story of a swing cushion in one frame: a seat, a back, and something that stops them walking off.

The seat runs the full swing width in one piece. The back is separate, resting on the slats and tied on so it can't slump when the swing moves. Watch the proportion. Every inch of seat cushion lifts you about an inch higher, and every inch of back cushion pushes you about an inch forward. On a swing the seat depth is fixed by the frame, so a fat back cushion steals room fast. Run both numbers through the [seat height calculator](https://cushionguide.com/studio/seat-height-calculator/) before you settle on thickness.

Then the chains. These cushions clear them on both sides, so they lift straight off when the weather turns. Bring them in before the first frost and they'll forgive you everything.

Color does practical work too. Charcoal hides the dust and pollen that settle on porch seating, and white piping picks up the swing's paint and draws the outline. The fern, the geraniums in terracotta and the carriage lantern are warm against the cool gray. How many slats does your swing have, friend? Count them before you order. Sizes are in [porch swing cushion sizes](https://cushionguide.com/guides/porch-swing-cushion-sizes/), and the cloth is [outdoor acrylic](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/outdoor-acrylic/).

## Four backs or one long back on a 71 5/8 in swing

| Point | One long back | Four backs |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 71 5/8 in (182 cm) in one piece | Four at 17 7/8 x 21 5/8 in (45.5 x 55 cm) |
| Carrying in before rain | One long, floppy piece | Four light pieces |
| Drying after a storm | One big panel to lay out | Each piece stands on end |
| Quote in this case | Same | Same |

## Seat only, unless you ask

One buyer wrote in about a 71 5/8 in (182 cm) swing with a fair question: did the listing include back cushions? It didn't. That listing is seat only, and it is worth checking on any swing order before the box shows up with half a set.

So the buyer priced the backs two ways: one long backrest the full width, or four back cushions, each 17 7/8 in (45.5 cm) wide and 21 5/8 in (55 cm) tall. Four times 18 in (45.5 cm) is exactly 71¾ in (182 cm), the full swing. The workshop quoted the same either way for that swing, foam inserts and shipping included.

Same money, different life. Four pieces are easier to handle, easier to carry in when a squall rolls up the street, and easier to stand on end to dry. I would take the four. Tie placement is covered in [cushion ties for chairs and swings](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-tie-placement-chairs-swings/), more swings are in [porch swing cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/porch-swing-cushions/) and [cushions that stay put](https://cushionguide.com/concepts/porch-swing-cushions-that-stay-put/), and the wider porch is in [patio and porch cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/patio-and-porch-cushions/).

## Buyer questions: horseshoe chairs, a matching ottoman, a chair from a sofa

**A common question:** Do you make cushions for horseshoe or U-shaped chairs?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Send a photo of each chair, a simple sketch with measurements or a template if you have one, the thickness you want, and your fabric and color. Photos of the actual chairs help the workshop get the curved cut-outs right, and then it prepares a quote with production time.

**A common question:** If I order an ottoman later, will it match my sofa's color?

**The workshop's answer:** Not guaranteed. In one case a velvet ottoman bought separately came out a warmer brown than the sofa. The workshop sent several replacement covers, asked for photos with each cover fitted on the foam because velvet sheen shifts color, and then refunded the cover cost.

**A common question:** Is there a single-seat chair version of the modular floor sofa?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. An ottoman with a backrest works as a lounge chair. Its layers are connected, so it lays flat or folds back into a chair, and you give the color in the order note.

## On the cutting table: the charcoal swing set

|   |   |
|---|---|
| Product | Porch swing seat cushion plus separate back cushion |
| Fabric | Charcoal outdoor acrylic |
| Piping | White contrast piping |
| Edge | Box edge |
| Fastening | Fabric ties sewn into the seam, one bow around one slat |
| Seat | One piece, full swing width |
| Clearance | Cushions clear the chains and lift off quickly |
| Proportion check | Seat thickness adds to height; back thickness takes from depth |
| Best for | Covered porch swings that move every evening |

> **Tailor's margin:** When ordering porch swing cushions, count the slats and name the ones the ties should wrap, so the ties get sewn exactly there.

> Four 17 7/8 in back cushions cover a 71 5/8 in porch swing as well as one long back, and each piece is easier to carry in and dry after rain.
>
> — Callum

## Questions buyers ask next

### Do porch swing cushions need ties to stay in place?

Yes, on a swing that moves. Ties sewn into the seam wrap a slat and hold the back cushion upright, and a simple bow is enough. Tell the maker which slats to wrap so the ties land in the right place.

### How do I choose the thickness of a porch swing seat cushion?

Balance comfort against height and depth. Seat thickness adds to seat height, and a back cushion takes the same inches from the seat depth, so check both numbers with a seat height calculator before you decide.

### Why pick charcoal for porch swing cushions?

Charcoal hides the dust and pollen that settle on porch seating, and white piping keeps a dark cushion from looking heavy. On a white-painted swing, the piping repeats the frame color and makes the set look tailored.

### Does a swing cushion listing include the back cushions?

Check before ordering. On one 71 5/8 in (182 cm) swing order, the listing covered the seat only, and the backs were quoted separately. Ask for back cushions by size and count if you want a full set.

## Related at the atelier

- [Porch Swing Cushion in a Blue and Sand Stripe for an A-Frame](https://cushionguide.com/readings/blue-sand-striped-a-frame-garden-swing-cushions/): A porch swing cushion for a free-standing A-frame swing should be a boxed seat that fits between the arms at seat level, plus a back split into sections that sit inside the chain line.
- [Porch Swing Cushion in Blue Ticking: Firm Foam, Waterfall Front](https://cushionguide.com/readings/blue-ticking-stripe-garden-porch-swing-cushions/): A porch swing cushion should be firm: standard seat foam of about 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³), 4 in (10 cm) thick, wrapped in polyester fiber.
- [Porch Swing Cushion in Herringbone Stripe: 10 ft vs Up Close](https://cushionguide.com/readings/neutral-herringbone-stripe-rope-porch-swing-cushions/): From ten feet away, a herringbone stripe porch swing cushion reads as a calm neutral stripe; up close it shows a woven texture that hides dust.
- [Porch swing cushion ties that hold, from the chains down](https://cushionguide.com/concepts/porch-swing-cushions-that-stay-put/): A porch swing cushion set is a seat plus an optional back pillow that rests on the seat, sized to your swing: roughly 48 in (122 cm) wide for a two-seater and 60 in (152 cm) for a three-seater.
- [Cushions for Carolina and Georgia porches](https://cushionguide.com/places/carolinas-georgia-cushions/): Porch swing cushions in the Carolinas and Georgia should be cut in outdoor-rated, water-repellent fabric with zippered covers and ties at the back corners so they never slide.
- [Outdoor cushions for Mississippi porches, galleries and Gulf Coast cottages](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-mississippi/): Outdoor cushions in Mississippi should be made for damp air first: outdoor-rated, water-repellent fabric, plain rather than tufted, with zippered covers that come off to dry.
- [Porch swing cushion sizes: measuring a 4, 5 or 6 ft swing](https://cushionguide.com/guides/porch-swing-cushion-sizes/)
- [Can indoor cushions go on a covered or screened porch?](https://cushionguide.com/guides/indoor-cushions-covered-porch/)

*Fair winds — Callum*

---

Written by Callum Reid (https://cushionguide.com/masters/callum/) 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/readings/charcoal-porch-swing-cushions-white-piping-tie-detail/