A Reading by CallumOutdoor & Water-Repellent Cushions
Gray geometric outdoor cushions on a curved teak sofa, and a windy-patio project
Three cushions on a three-part curve, under a roof, beside a stone wall. A fair-weather photo. The project below was built for the other kind.
SaveThe quick answer
Outdoor bench cushions for a windy patio need three things: one cushion per frame section, ties sewn into the seams, and a covered spot or indoor storage when storms come. Water-repellent outdoor fabric sheds a shower but is not waterproof, so bring cushions in before snow and hard rain.
The 33 x 30 x 4 in seat, cut open
Outdoor cover. A UV-resistant, water-repellent outdoor weave, zipped and removable. Water-repellent, not waterproof.
Piping. A fabric-covered cord sewn into the seams. It sits on the seam line, so it does not change the size.
Fiber wrap. Polyester fiber (Dacron) batting around the foam: it fills the cover out and softens the edges.
Foam core. A standard foam core, not a quick-dry outdoor foam. Keep the cushion under a roof in heavy rain and indoors off-season.
Zipper. Along the back band, as hidden as possible. The zipper side faces down or toward the wall.
Base panel. The underside of the cover. A non-slip fabric backing can cover the whole of it instead.
One curve, three cushions
The sofa is teak, bent into a shallow arc from three separate frames. The cushions follow the frames, not the arc, as outdoor cushions for any sectional should. Three pieces, three joints. Each lifts out alone, and each is light enough to carry inside when the sky turns.
The fabric is a small cube pattern in gray, white and taupe. From across the patio it reads as texture. Up close it hides pollen, leaf litter and the odd wet footprint. A plain pale seat would show all three by Tuesday.
The colors came off the wall. That stacked stone runs gray to tan, and the cushions borrow both. Four plain taupe and oatmeal pillows sit in pairs at the ends, so the pattern stays on the seats. Round wood side tables, succulents and tropical plants soften the stone. The glass hurricane is for dusk, when candlelight warms a cool gray palette better than any cloth.
A roof overhead and a gray woven rug underfoot. Rain doesn't negotiate, friend, but this set-up rarely has to.
Pinned by Callum
Five marks on the photo, from the stone wall to the rug.
- Cube-pattern seat
A small geometric repeat hides pollen and leaf marks and reads as texture from afar.
- Joint between frames
One cushion per frame section, so each lifts out on its own.
- Paired end pillows
Plain taupe keeps pattern on the seats only.
- Hurricane candle
Warm light at dusk against the cool gray palette.
- Stacked-stone wall
Its gray and tan tones are the source of the cushion colors.
- Cube-pattern seatA small geometric repeat hides pollen and leaf marks and reads as texture from afar.
- Joint between framesOne cushion per frame section, so each lifts out on its own.
- Paired end pillowsPlain taupe keeps pattern on the seats only.
- Hurricane candleWarm light at dusk against the cool gray palette.
- Stacked-stone wallIts gray and tan tones are the source of the cushion colors.
What went on the order note
- Two seat cushions, 33 x 30 x 4 in (84 x 76 x 10 cm)
- Two back cushions, 32 x 13 in (81 x 33 cm), thicker at the bottom like a wedge
- Ties sewn into the seams where the frame can hold them
- An outdoor fabric: UV-resistant and water-repellent
- Each seat and each back ordered as its own item, in its own size
The windy patio
A buyer in the US wrote from a windy spot. The bench needed two seat cushions at 33 x 30 x 4 in and two back cushions at 32 x 13 in, made thicker at the bottom, like a wedge, so they would lean into the frame instead of tipping forward. And something to hold the lot down: ties or straps.
They asked for one particular brand-name outdoor fabric. The workshop doesn't carry it, said so plainly, and offered its own outdoor range instead. Then it quoted the set of four.
That is a well-thought order. A wedge back carries its weight low. Ties keep a gust from turning a seat cushion into a kite.
- Sizes
- Seats 2 x 33 x 30 x 4 in; wedge backs 2 x 32 x 13 in
- Fabric
- Outdoor fabric (a brand name was requested)
The lesson: Wedge backs and tie-downs keep outdoor seating comfortable and in place when the wind picks up.
On a curved outdoor sofa made of three frames, order three cushions, not one long arc. Each piece lifts out alone and comes indoors before a storm.
Callum
Three questions about the outdoor range
- A common question
Do you carry the big-name outdoor canvas, with a fast-drying mesh bottom or quick-dry foam? Our summers are hot and our winters bring snow.
The workshop's answerNo to all three. The workshop's outdoor fabric is its own UV-resistant, water-repellent weave; there is no mesh bottom, and the foam is not quick-dry. The cushions do very well on a covered porch or stored for winter, but they are not made to sit uncovered in rain and snow.
- A common question
Can the back cushion be a couple of inches narrower than the seat?
The workshop's answerYes. For a converted bus seat, the back was made 46.5 in wide and the seat 48 in wide by 16.5 in deep, with the backrest's thickness subtracted from the back height.
- A common question
Does the photo price include both the seat and the back cushion?
The workshop's answerNo, it covers one cushion. For a set like the photo, add two items to the cart in their own sizes, one seat and one backrest, and write the color code in the personalization note.
On the cutting table
| Cushions | Three seat cushions, one per frame section |
|---|---|
| Cloth | Outdoor weave in a small gray, white and taupe cube pattern |
| Finish | UV-resistant and water-repellent, not waterproof |
| Piping | Self piping |
| Thickness | 4 in (10 cm), the outdoor standard |
| Fastening | Ties on request, placed as you sketch them |
| Care | Zippered covers, 86°F (30°C) gentle wash; store indoors off-season |
| Best for | Covered patios and porches |
Have it made
Have this made — ask Callum’s workshop
Tell them where it lives. Porch, deck or boat: the weather picks the fabric and the foam before anyone else does. — Callum
Leave your details and the workshop will call you to confirm measurements, fabric, foam and piping. No prices, dates or payment on this page: it is a request, not an order.
Questions buyers ask next
Should a curved outdoor sofa get one long cushion or several?
Several, one per frame section. Separate pieces follow the joints, lift out one at a time, and can be turned or replaced alone. Ask for the pattern to be centered on each piece.
Can tufted cushions go outdoors?
It is not recommended. Tufting lets water in even when the cushion is made in outdoor fabric. Outdoors, choose plain foam cushions with zippered covers.
How should outdoor cushions be stored over winter?
Indoors, clean and dry. Bring them in for the off-season, and consider a fabric protectant spray when they go back out in spring. There is more in the winter storage pattern.
Fair winds — Callum
Other patios, other weather
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