A Reading by CallumOutdoor & Water-Repellent Cushions
Sand beige outdoor bench cushions on a teak loveseat, read prop by prop
Four things stand around this bench: roses, brick, gravel and a watering can. Each one has a job.
SaveThe quick answer
Sand beige outdoor bench cushions suit a teak loveseat against brick because the color sits between the wood and the pale roses, so the bench blends in instead of standing apart. Use a 4 in (10 cm) seat and two filled back pillows whose widths add up to the seat length. A fine check hides gravel dust better than flat cream.
The cushion, cut open
Cover fabric. A removable, zippered cover. Machine wash at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle and air dry.
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. About 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) high-resilience foam, firm to medium-firm, cut to the ordered size.
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 seat, two backs, one old wall
You can tell a working garden from a showroom by the watering can.
This teak loveseat stands on pea gravel against an old red brick wall, white roses climbing above it. The cushions are sand beige in a fine micro-check: one seat, two backs, both fairly deep. They turn an upright garden bench into a real two-seater.
Look at the backs. They sit inside the arms and stop just below the top rail, so the teak still frames them. Two pieces, not one. After a shower you can turn them or dry them one at a time. Rain doesn't negotiate, and a back cushion that dries in halves is back in service sooner.
The color sits halfway between honey teak and the white rose petals. That is why the bench melts into the brick instead of shouting from it. Warm evening sun turns everything amber, and the sand holds steady. The self piping keeps the box edge neat without adding a line. Browse more outdoor bench cushions or the water-repellent membrane family this cloth belongs to.
Pinned by Callum: from the micro-check seat to the watering can
Five pins, from the micro-check seat to the watering can at the bench's feet.
- Sand micro-check seat
A fine beige check disguises gravel dust better than a flat cream would.
- Left back cushion
Back cushions are cut to sit inside the arms and stop just below the top rail.
- Right back cushion
Two separate backs can be turned or dried one at a time.
- Climbing white roses
The creamy rose heads tie back to the pale sand fabric.
- Galvanised watering can
Gray metal adds a cool note so the warm brick and beige do not blur together.
- Sand micro-check seatA fine beige check disguises gravel dust better than a flat cream would.
- Left back cushionBack cushions are cut to sit inside the arms and stop just below the top rail.
- Right back cushionTwo separate backs can be turned or dried one at a time.
- Climbing white rosesThe creamy rose heads tie back to the pale sand fabric.
- Galvanised watering canGray metal adds a cool note so the warm brick and beige do not blur together.
Four props beside a teak garden bench, and each one's job
Friend, what's leaning against your bench right now? It may already be the prop that finishes it.
| Prop | Why it's there | How to copy it |
|---|---|---|
| Climbing white roses | Creamy heads tie back to the pale sand fabric | Pick a cushion that echoes your palest bloom |
| Old red brick | A warm backdrop the neutral blends into | Against brick or stone, go a warm neutral a shade lighter than the wood |
| Galvanized watering can | Cool gray keeps warm brick and beige from blurring | Add one gray metal or stone piece near a warm set |
| Pea gravel | Keeps it a working garden | Choose a small check or fleck that hides dust |
A 64 3/4 inch seat and two backs that add up
A buyer in the US wrote to the workshop about an outdoor bench: a seat of 64 3/4 x 23 in (164.5 x 58.5 cm) and two back cushions of 32 3/8 x 17 in (82 x 43 cm) each, all in one outdoor fabric. The workshop checked the math first. Two backs of 32 3/8 in make 64 3/4 in, the seat length exactly.
It recommended the standard 4 in (10 cm) seat. It also explained that back cushions are filled pillows about 4 in thick, so only width and height are needed for them. Production ran about 10 days, with 3 to 5 business days of delivery.
Split a backrest into pillows that together equal the seat, and the joins line up every time. For heights, see back cushion height.
- Sizes
- Seat 64 3/4 x 23 x 4 in (164.5 x 58.5 x 10 cm); two backs 32 3/8 x 17 in (82 x 43 cm)
The lesson: Split the backrest into pillows that together equal the seat length.
Buyer questions: odd shapes and outdoor asks
- A common question
Can the tufted cushion with a carry handle be made in outdoor fabric?
The workshop's answerYes. It has been quoted in outdoor fabric in sizes such as 24 x 48 in (61 x 122 cm) and 24 x 52 in (61 x 132 cm).
- A common question
Can you re-cover my outdoor loveseat cushions, with angled sides and a curved back, and keep my foam?
The workshop's answerThe workshop asked for photos, a drawing of each shape with the sizes written on it, and the depth from the short edge to the long edge. In that case it decided it couldn't make those curved covers.
- A common question
Can you make cushions for a bus conversion sofa that pulls out into a double bed?
The workshop's answerYes. Two cushions of 75 x 26.5 in (190.5 x 67.5 cm) were quoted, and the price was the same in linen or velvet.
On the cutting table: the sand beige loveseat cushions
| Cushions | One seat, two back cushions |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Sand micro-check, water-repellent outdoor cloth |
| Piping | Self piping |
| Edge | Box edge on the seat |
| Seat thickness | 4 in (10 cm), the standard |
| Backs | Filled pillows about 4 in (10 cm) thick; width and height only |
| Back fit | Inside the arms, just below the top rail |
| Best for | Teak garden benches and loveseats |
Have it made
Have this made — ask Callum’s workshop
Sun, rain, salt. Say which of them your cushion will meet, and the workshop will plan around it. — 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.
Split a garden bench backrest into two pillows that add up to the seat length: a 64 3/4 in seat takes two 32 3/8 in backs.
Callum
Questions buyers ask next
What cushion color goes with a teak bench against red brick?
A warm neutral a shade lighter than the wood. Sand beige sits between honey teak and pale flowers, so the bench blends into brick instead of standing apart. One cool gray object nearby keeps the warm tones from blurring.
Is a garden loveseat better with one back cushion or two?
Two separate backs are easier to turn and to dry one at a time, and they can be cut to sit inside the arms. Make their widths add up to the seat length so the joins line up.
Why does a small check suit a bench that stands on gravel?
Gravel throws up fine dust. On a flat cream it shows right away; a fine beige check breaks it up, so the cushion looks clean for longer between washes.
Fair winds — Callum
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