Sew Your Own Outdoor Cushions

I left this same comment on the post of the actual furniture. I didn't see this post when I left it there. So ignore the duplication, just wanted to make sure it was in the right place.

A couple comments on the cushions. There are different types of foam - make sure if your sectional is going to be outside (not inside a screen porch) that you buy OUTDOOR foam. It cost more, but it will dry quicker and will not mold or rot after repeated times getting wet and air drying. Same with the fabrics. If it will be outside, invest in outdoor fabric. Regular "indoor" fabric will mold rather quickly and will fade and wear out from sun, wet, dry, weather.

The cheapest place to buy foam is from ebay. Do a search for it and you will find many places that sell it. I bought 2 types of foam (harder foam and memory foam) off ebay and made my own tempurapedic mattress last year. The whole thing cost me about $200 as opposed to a $1200 tempurpedic mattress.

Also, if you make cushions, make sure you add zippers. They do take an extra step, and there is the cost of the zipper, but when your cushions get dirty and you want to wash them you will be happy! Otherwise you will have to take them apart to get them off and then when you wash them that edge you had to take apart will probably fray and you will have a hard time putting them back together (I am telling you this from experience!!!).

Love the plan though and can't wait to see a finished project.

I love this plan! When looking at the sectional without the cushion on it I realized that the back is completely open. What are the chances that the cushion will fold and fall through?

TIP: You can use vinyl tablecloths to cover the cushions to keep them waterproof!

I'm in agreement about waterproof cushions. In my experience, the water-proofing sprays help the fabric shed the water a bit better, but don't actually prevent penetration in a big downpour...and regular foam is basically a sponge. Even two days after a rain, the cushion may still be full of rain, and an unsuspecting person could sit down squeezing that sponge of water all over them.

The outdoor foam is EXPENSIVE, and I've been thinking about this. I was also thinking about a vinyl covering, but cushions need to "breathe"...the air will squeeze out and find its way out of the cushion, but then have a hard time fluffing back up. (I ran into this recently when I cut up pieces of foam to refill a vinyl beanbag, hoping it would feel more like a LoveSac, but it just goes flat, and I have to unzip it to get the foam to fluff back up.)

So I'm thinking something along the lines of using a cheap foam, and covering it with a heavy-duty vinyl (like a table cloth), on the top sides, and half or so of the bottom.. (On a 24 inch cushion, I could see covering it about 4 inches all along the bottom.) Then covering the cushion in an outdoor fabric like Sunbrella, although I think one of the coatings on another fabric could be okay. Then, the cushion would be waterproof, as long as it isn't used upside down....plus, it could still "breathe", the air would squeeze out the bottom and be able to come back into it when the person using it got up...but water wouldn't be able to flow straight into the cushion, absorbing into a heavy mass like a regular upholstery cushion would.

I'm planning to experiment with this in the next couple of days, so if anyone is interested in how it turns out, I'll be glad to let you know if I think it's going to work.

Also, www.overstock.com has pretty good prices on pre-made outdoor cushions, although I haven't looked specifically for these sizes...but if there was a way to get the cheap cushions to work out, it would be SO MUCH CHEAPER.....more inconvenient in that it wouldn't be "reversible", but an inconvenience that seems worth saving hundreds over buying outdoor foam for a sectional that large.

Hi, I just wanted to share what another woman shared with me. She gave me this link to another way of sewing the box cushion that seems pretty easy for someone like me who's never sewn before. (I need lots of pictures, lol)
http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4322/sew-the-new-box-pillow

Thank You Ana,
It doesn't matter which of your sites I view - they are all fabulous.
You do the things I'd like to do. . . and now that I have a Slide Arm Mitre Saw, I will do more of these projects. I got one as a gift over the holidays.

I have a particular interest in a childs table and chairs with Drawers (especially a table drawer)

I was also thinking of a drawer for under neath the seat of the chair (it would have to pull out to the side of course).

I bought a small child's table at a second hand store - it was in excellent condition, so I bought it for $4.00. But I had in mind that it needed a drawer for papers, coloring books and crayons and such, so I made one.

I do not own a router (yet) so I made the best I could without that. The table has a drawer (not exactly the way I wanted it but it works> I also made 2 chairs using 2x2's for most of the frame (chair legs included) and I painted it Pink - That's my granddaughter's favorite color. She loves it_ I just would have liked to have done a more perfect job... I made this set before I had my new saw, and my husband used a hand saw to cut the parts - those saws seldom cut a straight edge.

If you can conjure up a pattern like that and share it with us - that would be execllent. You're a girl after my own heart Ana.
Thank you.

I just thought of this idea, similiar in theory to using vinyl tablecloths with non-waterproof cushions to save $. What about using waterproof bed covers? I have some left from my kids (don't we all? Oh wait, maybe i'm the only one that has kept them? LOL I've seen them at thrift stores too...).  I like the idea of the elastic around the edges for ease. I will probably even use two, one from the bottom up, topped with one top down to ensure water doesn't get in thru the bottom of the cushion.

I haven't priced new ones from the store, so i'm sorry i don't know if this is a good alternative to wrapping with tablecloths.  Anyone elsse have thoughts? I will update if needed.

As always, THANK YOU ANA!

Most of the stores in the springtime sell chair and table covers.  If you cover your outdoor furniture when not in use, it will be cleaner - no dust that turns to mud from dew.  Additionally, you will also protect your finish and fabric from the UV rays of the sun.  Build a storage box to toss the covers in when the furniture is in use!  Or build a waterproof storage box to toss the cushions in....

While piping is pretty- it is NOT just decorative.  It functions to protect the edges of your cushions from wear.  When your piping is worn and beginning to fray,  you can trim it carefully off, or even deconstruct your cushions, and replace just the piping.  That's why I use plain, inexpensive, contrasting piping. iI saves my more expensive cushion fabric, and my cushions last longer!

I'm new to sewing & I got some fabric to change my window seat cushions..... can you use velcro for closure instead of a zipper

You can use velcro if you'd like. You can use snaps or buttons or zippers or hook & eye or ribbon/ties/lacing...anything you want! You just need to consider your skills & abilities and the use of the fabric/cushions!!!

I was reading the plans and comments on how to make these cushions and treating them to make them weather resistant. I work at The Home Depot and we just got a new product called "Never Wet" and can be used on lots of different materials, including fabric. It's a two step kit and it sells for around $20. It's areosol and seems easy to use. We just got it in our store and I have'nt had a chance to try it out but I will this weekend and post my findings, unless someone has already tried it and can comment on it.