How to Pick the Best Seat Cushions when Shopping Online
Your perfect outdoor seat cushions are out there, waiting for you. In the dark ages–when we couldn’t do our shopping online–we had to rely on serendipity and local stores’ selections to unite us with our perfect seat cushions. But because we can shop online today, finding them is as easy as a couple of internet searches.
We’ll start by eliminating all indoor options. Indoor seat cushions are filled with different material and have covers made of different things too. They’re great inside, but they’re a mold trap on the patio. We’re looking for outdoor seat cushions.
Next, let’s keep our search trained on seat cushions that have the dimensions to work with covers from Fig Leaf Cushion Covers; see this size chart for help.
Finally, there are several options when it comes to outdoor seat cushion fillings. A simple polyester fiberfill is the most popular, but for a little bit more money, you can increase the seat cushions’ lifespan and cleanliness.
Outdoor Seat Cushions
We’ve all had the experience of ordering something from the internet, having it arrive and finding out we didn’t read the item description closely enough. There are important differences between indoor and outdoor seat cushions, but it’s easy to miss them while you’re shopping.
Always look for the word “outdoor” in the item descriptions; if you can’t find it, abandon that seat cushion. If you really love it, contact the seller. Many seat cushions say “indoor/outdoor”, which is acceptable. Just don’t accidentally order an indoor-only seat cushion for use on your patio furniture.
The most important reason to ensure you end up with outdoor seat cushions for outdoor use is moisture absorption and drainage. Indoor pillows can afford to absorb more moisture because they’re simply not exposed to as much of it. More on this below.
Seat Cushion Dimensions
Another easy mistake to make when shopping online for outdoor seat cushions is to get the wrong size. At Fig Leaf Cushion Covers, we have three standard sizes: 21×21; 36×36; 42×42. They can be up to five inches deep. If you need a cover that’s any other shape, send us an email before you order.
It’s always easier to stick to the path of least resistance so, if you can, keep the size and shape of your seat cushions standard.
But how to pick which size? It all depends on what seats the seat cushions will cushion (if a seat cushion could cushion seats?). That means your online search for the perfect seat cushions starts with taking a tape measure to those chairs, benches, and whatever other furniture you have around your patio table.
Put the most simply, just make sure the seats will be big enough to hold the cushions, and small enough to fit them snugly.
Seat Cushion Filling
Filling may be the most important detail to get right. If you find yourself on an outdoor seat cushion that’s filled with indoor foam, you’re probably sitting on mold; you may also stand up to discover embarrassingly and unpleasantly wet pants.
Polyester fiberfill is the most common material for filling outdoor seat cushions. If you want superior comfort, resiliency and, most importantly, drainage, do some research before making your selection. If you discover a fill you love but can’t find a seat cushion that uses that fill, consider contacting a company like Designer Custom Source. They even have a page on their website that provides a very useful rundown of what’s available and how to choose.
Your Best Seat Cushions
A new set of seat cushions–whether indoor or outdoor–can be a bit of an investment. It’s a purchase, anyway, that you don’t want to have to make often (though it can be fun to add to your collection!). Ideally, you hope to be able to change covers, not cushions.
The first mistake to avoid is buying indoor pillows. Get eyes on the word “outdoor”! If you can’t find it, forget the pillow or start making some phone calls to find out what you’d be getting yourself into by making that purchase. Putting indoor pillows outside is the best and fastest way to render them too gross to keep any longer.
Next, you’ll want to make sure to get the right size. How frustrating to have to make two purchases just because the first one was the wrong shape. This starts with ascertaining the dimensions of the seats that your seat cushions are destined for.
Finally, make sure the filling resists the formation of mold and drains moisture easily and quickly. This is what separates the really good outdoor seat cushions from the merely acceptable ones. The drier your seat cushions can stay–in any weather–the better.
