---
title: "Outdoor Bench Cushion Measuring: Coral, Slate and Gray Stack"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/readings/coral-slate-gray-outdoor-cushion-stack-lavender-2/"
section: "Readings"
author: "Callum Reid, The Weather Man of Casco Bay"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/callum/"
published: "2026-09-17"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "outdoor bench cushion, outdoor cushions, waterproof outdoor cushions, patio cushion, striped bench cushion, custom size cushion, made to measure cushion"
---

# Three outdoor bench cushions in coral, slate and gray, and the three numbers each one needs

*Three cushions, three colors, one lesson. Every piece in a stack like this carries its own length, depth and thickness, and the trouble starts when somebody writes down only two.*

> **The quick answer:** An outdoor bench cushion is measured as three numbers: length along the front, depth from front to back, and thickness, written separately for every piece. Most mistakes come from sets: one thickness assumed for all, seat and back lumped together, or pieces left unlabeled. For a covers-only order, measure the foam you already own, not the frame.

![Three stacked outdoor box cushions in coral and white stripe, slate blue and dove gray on sandstone beside lavender](https://cushionguide.com/media/outdoor-cushions/coral-slate-gray-outdoor-cushion-stack-lavender-2-1600.webp "Three water-repellent cushions stacked to compare stripe, slate and gray, with each fabric shown flat alongside.")

## Pinned by Callum on the sandstone

Five pins, from the coral stripe riding on top down to the flat fabric strips laid out in the same order as the stack.

1. **Coral stripe cushion**: The patterned accent sits on top as the eye-catcher.
2. **Slate blue cushion**: A dark plain that works on seats and hides wear.
3. **Dove gray cushion**: The lightest plain, calm next to stone.
4. **Lavender border**: Planting behind shows the fabrics in real garden light.
5. **Three fabric strips**: Flat strips in stack order make the comparison easy.

## What a stack of three is really showing

Three box cushions sit on warm sandstone: coral stripe on top, slate blue in the middle, dove gray at the bottom. Nobody will sit on them like this. The stack is a measuring lesson dressed up as a still life.

Look at the side walls first. Each cushion has a straight box edge finished in [self piping](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#self-piping), and that wall is the number people forget. On an [outdoor bench cushion](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/outdoor-cushions/), the side wall is the thickness, and thickness is the third measurement, not an afterthought.

The order of colors is deliberate. Coral stripe rides on top as the accent. Slate below is the dark plain that hides wear on a seat. Dove gray at the base is the quietest of the three and sits calm against the stone. Lavender behind puts all of it in hard summer sun, which is harsher and warmer than any screen.

To the right, three flat strips of the same cloth lie in stack order. That's the honest comparison: finished cushion beside raw fabric, same light, same minute. The cloth is a [water-repellent membrane](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/water-repellent-membrane/), made for a patio that sees weather. Rain doesn't negotiate, so neither should your tape measure. How many pieces are on your list?

## Five ways a patio set gets measured wrong

- ✗ One thickness written for the whole set. A 4 in (10 cm) seat and a 2 3/4 in (7 cm) chair pad are different cushions.
- ✗ Seat and back lumped into one line. A daybed seat and its backrest each need their own thickness in the order notes.
- ✗ Pieces left unlabeled. Ten gray cushions that look alike on the lawn look very different on the cutting table.
- ✗ Measuring the frame for a covers-only order. A new cover has to fit the foam you already have, so measure the foam.
- ✗ Length and depth swapped. Length runs along the front edge; depth runs from the front to the back.

## Ten gray covers for a wet, windy garden

One buyer wrote in needing ten outdoor covers, covers only, in a light to medium gray. Their garden furniture sits out in damp, windy weather most of the year.

The list came in clean. One cover at 71 x 26 3/4 x 4 in (180 x 68 x 10 cm). One at 46 1/2 x 26 x 4 in (118 x 66 x 10 cm). One at 56 3/4 x 24 3/4 x 4 in (144 x 63 x 10 cm). Then seven small ones at 22 1/2 x 17 3/4 x 2 3/4 in (57 x 45 x 7 cm).

Read the thickness column. Three at 4 in, seven at 2 3/4 in. Had one number been written for the lot, seven covers would have hung loose. The workshop quoted every cover on its own line, all in water-repellent, UV-resistant outdoor fabric, and priced the ten pieces as one order. Itemize, and you'll catch your own mistakes before the cutting table does. The method for the foam you already own is in [covers for existing foam](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-covers-for-existing-foam/).

## Three outdoor questions

**A common question:** Can you make seat and back cushions for an outdoor daybed and have them arrive by a set date?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. For a daybed with an 88 1/2 x 25 1/2 in (225 x 65 cm) seat base and an 88 1/2 x 25 1/4 in (225 x 64 cm) high back, confirming the order the same day meant production and prompt shipping made the deadline. Order through the outdoor listing and write the thickness for the seat and for the backrest separately in the notes.

**A common question:** Is there a bulk discount if I order a big set of outdoor cushions?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Large sets get an extra discount on top of the regular store discount. Sixteen 3 1/2 in (9 cm) outdoor cushions, a 13-piece patio set of seats and backs, and an outdoor sofa set of six seats and six backs were all quoted lower as sets, and the sofa set got a seventh back cushion free. Ordering in pairs doesn't lower the cost.

**A common question:** Can I send you my own fabric, or ask for Sunbrella?

**The workshop's answer:** No. Cushions are made only from the workshop's own fabric charts, customer-supplied fabric isn't accepted, and Sunbrella isn't used. There are close to 200 outdoor fabrics to choose from, so there's usually a close match for what you have in mind.

## On the cutting table: the patio stack

|   |   |
|---|---|
| Cushions | Three rectangular box cushions, stacked to compare |
| Fabrics | Coral-and-white stripe, slate blue, dove gray |
| Fabric family | Water-repellent outdoor membrane |
| Piping | Self piping, each cushion in its own cloth |
| Edge | Box edge with straight side walls |
| Measure | Length x depth x thickness, for every piece |
| Covers only | Measure the foam you already own |
| Set orders | Itemized per cover; multi-cover sets earn a discount |
| Best for | Patio benches, garden seats, mixed outdoor sets |

> On a set of outdoor cushions, write length, depth and thickness for every piece; three 4 in seats and seven 2 3/4 in pads need two thicknesses.
>
> — Callum

> **Tailor's margin:** Lay outdoor fabric samples on your own paving and check them at noon, then again in the evening, when the patio actually gets used.

## Questions buyers ask next

### How do I measure an outdoor bench cushion?

Measure length along the front edge, depth from front to back, and the thickness you want, in inches. Write all three numbers for every piece in the set, and label each one so seat, back and side cushions never get mixed up.

### Why compare outdoor fabrics as a stack of finished cushions?

A finished stack shows color, piping and side-wall height together, the way the cushions will look on the furniture. Loose swatches show only the face. Lay a flat strip of each fabric beside the stack to compare cloth and edge in the same light.

### Which color belongs on an outdoor seat cushion?

A darker plain such as slate blue hides everyday wear on seats. Save a bold stripe like coral for the accent piece or the backrest, and keep the lightest gray where it can sit calm against stone paving.

### Do covers-only orders use the same three measurements?

Yes: length, depth and thickness. Take them from the foam you already have rather than from the frame, because the cover is cut to fit that foam. A guessed thickness shows up as a loose or overstuffed cover.

## Related at the atelier

- [Outdoor Bench Cushions in Coral Stripe: Ties, Grips and Zippers](https://cushionguide.com/readings/coral-slate-gray-outdoor-cushion-stack-lavender/): Fasten an outdoor bench cushion according to what it sits against: ties for back cushions that lean on a frame, a non-slip base for seat pads on stone or built-ins with nothing to wrap around, and…
- [Outdoor Bench Cushion Patterns That Read From Ten Feet Away](https://cushionguide.com/readings/blue-stripe-check-gray-outdoor-cushion-stack/): On an outdoor bench cushion, pattern scale decides what reads at a distance: a wide awning stripe stays a stripe from ten feet, while a micro check blends into a solid color.
- [Outdoor bench cushions in sage green, stacked to show the edge](https://cushionguide.com/readings/sage-green-outdoor-cushion-stack-olive-garden/): For outdoor bench cushions, a box edge with self piping keeps the same height right to the front, so the seat reads square and flat; a knife edge thins toward the seam and reads like a pillow.
- [Waterproof outdoor cushions, honestly: fabric, seams, zippers and foam](https://cushionguide.com/guides/water-repellent-vs-waterproof-cushions/): Most outdoor cushions are water-repellent, not waterproof: the fabric beads rain and sheds a shower, but water still gets in through needle holes, zippers and tufting.
- [How long do outdoor cushions last before they need replacing?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/how-long-do-outdoor-cushions-last/): Outdoor cushions typically last about 2 to 5 years, by makers' published estimates.
- [Measuring wicker and patio furniture for replacement cushions](https://cushionguide.com/guides/patio-furniture-replacement-cushions/): To order patio furniture replacement cushions, measure the frame's seat opening and back rather than the tired old cushion, then check whether the inserts still spring back.

*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/coral-slate-gray-outdoor-cushion-stack-lavender-2/