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Best Outdoor Cushions
If you want to turn your outdoor space into an enjoyable place to be, then you need comfortable furniture. This means choosing furniture that people actually want to sit in.
Adding outdoor pillows and cushions gives your furniture the upgrade it needs. From large floor poufs to throw pillows and cushions designed specifically for different furniture pieces, the right cushions are what make you and your guests stay outside longer.
So outfit your patio with the best outdoor cushions, and upgrade the seating on your patio.
Contents
Top Picks
Best Overall: Sand & Stable 2 Piece Sunbrella Seat and Back Cushion
Specs:
Seat Type: Seat and back
Material: Sunbrella
Reversible: Yes
Attachment: None
The modern styling of this chair cushion makes it versatile enough to use on various chairs. The Sunbrella fabric is a beautiful neutral gray that helps it blend in with various design styles. What makes this cushion stand out, though, is the extra thickness. It creates the effect of it being a custom cushion for your outdoor chairs.
If gray isn’t your color, there are over 20 others to choose from. There are a wide range of neutrals and a few bright colors like red and orange.
The quality of the cushioning fill is impressive as it isn’t your standard run-of-the-mill fiber fill. It has a 1.5-pound density and a compression rating of 36. This makes it soft and supportive and strong enough to retain its shape.
Unfortunately, there are no attachments for this cushion. With no way to secure the cushions to chairs, this can cause them to slip around.
Check PriceBest Budget Pick: Pillow Perfect Basalto Navy Bench Cushion
Specs:
Seat Type: Bench
Material: 100% Polyester
Reversible: Yes
Attachment: Ties
No one enjoys sitting on a hard bench. This affordable cushion is the perfect accent to turn your boring metal or wood bench into a place where people actually want to sit. Not only is it a comfortable cushion, but it’s also stylish with a dark blue and white damask pattern.
The fill is 100 percent recycled polyester fiber that’s soft yet supportive. The fabric is 100 percent polyester that is durable, water and fade-resistant.
What’s nice about this cushion is that it’s reversible, and the cover is removable. This makes it simple and easy to keep your cushion looking new. In addition, the two 14-inch ties make it simple to attach to your bench or swing.
Unfortunately, this cushion is on the thin side. As a result, it can feel like it compresses down flat when you sit on it. The fill also takes a long time to dry, which can be frustrating.
Check PriceBest Chaise Lounge Pick: Home Decorators Collection Sunbrella Cabana Cushion
Specs:
Seat Type: Chaise Lounge
Material: Sunbrella
Reversible: Yes
Attachment: Ties
Laying back on a hard chaise lounge isn’t very comfortable for anyone. It’s like laying on the floor, hard, flat, and no support. Adding this chaise lounge cushion to your chairs will give them the extra cushion needed to make your chairs more comfortable. This cushion’s black and white stripe will create a chic metropolitan feel reminiscent of a high-quality outdoor living space.
What’s nice about this cushion is that it comes as part of a complete set. You can outfit all of your patio furniture and classic accessories in stripes or solid black or white cushions. This makes it easy to create a coordinated look throughout your patio furniture.
Elegant details, such as the double welted seams, create a more polished look. The Sunbrella fabric is designed to be UV resistant to prevent fading and breaking down in the sun.
One potential drawback of this cushion is that it takes a long time to dry. So you’ll need to be vigilant about bringing them in at night, or you risk not being able to use them after it rains or there is heavy dew.
Check PriceBest Premium Pick: Bolé Road Variegated Stripe Indoor/Outdoor Floor Cushion
Specs:
Seat Type: Floor
Material: 100% recycled polyester
Reversible: No
Attachment: N/A
Give your outdoor patio space an exotic vibe with this brightly colored floor pillow. It’s perfect for small spaces where adding full-sized furniture isn’t possible. The high-quality construction of this floor pillow will elevate the look of your small patio. The fabric is handwoven by skilled artisans in a Fair Trade
Certified facility in Ethiopia and then constructed in India. When using this floor pillow on your patio, use more than one. Arrange them in a circle or semi-circle shape. You could have a fire pit in the middle of a low table where you can serve food and drinks. Hang Moroccan lanterns with fairy lights or candles in them to create a warm glow over your patio space.
Unfortunately, the cover isn’t removable, making caring for your floor cushion difficult. The thick size of the cushion also means it’s bulky, so it will take up quite a bit of space in storage.
Check PriceBest Modern Pick: allen + roth Madera Linen Patio Chair Cushion
Specs:
Seat Type: Seat and back
Material: Acrylic
Reversible: No
Attachment: None
Upgrade the worn-out cushions on your outdoor chairs with this seat and back cushion combo. There are four colors to choose from, dark blue, beige, red, and light gray.
What makes this cushion stand out is the combination of firm and plush. The seat cushion is a crisp square cushion that’s firm and supportive for sitting on. The back is plush and soft, allowing you to sink back and relax into the cushion.
The rich coloring of the acrylic fabric is protected with fade and UV resistance. Because it’s an acrylic fabric, it’s solution-dyed, helping the color stay fast in the fabric and not bleed. The everLUXE polyfill stands out for its ability to retain its shape over time.
One potential drawback of this cushion is that it doesn’t have any method of securing the cushion to the chair. This can cause them to slip around as people sit down and stand up from the chair.
Check PriceBest Bench Pick: Blazing Needles Bench Cushion
Specs:
Seat Type: Bench
Material: Polyester
Reversible: Yes
Attachment: Ties
Dress up your bench or porch swing with this brightly colored cushion. Choose from 14 solid colors for your cushion. Each cushion is a slim design with not too much cushioning.
Two ties secure the cushion to your bench or swing that hold the cushion in place. The vibrant and bright colors of this will add life and warmth to your outdoor space.
The fabric is spun polyester wrapped around a bonded polyester fiber pad. A zippered closure secures the cover to the pad and allows you to remove the pad when it needs washing.
The plain color of this cushion can be a bit boring, but it can also look contemporary. In addition, the plain cushion gives you a solid base for adding patterned throw pillows on it.
Check PriceBest Floral Pick: Greendale Home Fashions Marlow High Back Patio Chair Cushion
Specs:
Seat Type: Seat and back
Material: Polyester
Reversible: Yes
Attachment: Ties
Make a bold statement with your outdoor furniture cushions. This bright cushion features a bold yellow and red stripe pattern.
You do not have to worry about the color fading, thanks to the fabric being 100 percent UV resistant outdoor polyester fabric. This cushion has an extra-plush feel thanks to the poly fiberfill made from 100 percent recycled post consumer plastic bottles. Y
ou’ll appreciate the extra comfort it brings you and how long it lasts. Circle tacks in the cushioning help hold the fill in place so that the cushion doesn’t become mishaped.
The fabric is also stain and mildew resistant, making it easier to keep your cushions clean. Finally, there are two sets of ties to ensure your cushion stays in place.
One drawback of this cushion is that the top tie is located at the top of the cushion. This can make it difficult to attach to some chairs.
Check PriceBest Floor Pick: Decor Therapy Outdoor Natural Knit Woven Floor Cushion
Specs:
Seat Type: Floor
Material: Natural knit
Reversible: Yes
Attachment: N/A
Create a relaxed lounging area with this large floor cushion. Place several of these large cushions around on the floor. Spread out a large area rug underneath for a bohemian style. Mix in some large toss pillows designed for outdoor use, and you have the perfect outdoor lounge spot. The neutral coloring of this pillow allows you to get creative with your other pillows in terms of color and pattern.
There’s a large handle on one side to make moving the pillow around easier. Inside the pillow, polystyrene beads will ensure your complete comfort as they conform to your body. To ensure your pillow stays looking new, it has a UV treatment to prevent fading.
One drawback of this cushion is that it goes on the floor. You may not want your guests sitting on the floor. The neutral coloring can also be a bit bland.
Check PriceBest Tie-On Pick: Comfort Classics Inc. Outdoor Sunbrella
Specs:
Seat Type: Seat
Material: Sunbrella
Reversible: No
Attachment: Ties
If you have a dining set, this simple seat cushion is just what you need to make your dining chair more comfortable. The outer Sunbrella fabric is a vibrant red that is weather, UV, mildew, and fade resistant. To secure the cushion to your seat, there are two discreet ties located on the backside of the cushion.
The outdoor fabric of this cushion is durable, so you don’t have to worry about bringing them inside each night. Thanks to the quick-dry comfort technology, the cushions will dry quickly and be ready for use again. Try pairing these plain cushions with patterned ones on your other furniture or patterned placemats.
One potential drawback of this outdoor patio cushion is that it only secures the back, putting undue stress on the ties. You also can’t reverse the cushion or remove the cover, limiting their use more than others.
Check PriceBest High Backed Pick: Style Selections Portia Floral High Back Patio Chair Cushion
Specs:
Seat Type: Seat and back
Material: Recycled polyester
Reversible: Yes
Attachment: Ties
If you have patio chairs with high backs, you will want an outdoor chair cushion like this one that can extend the entire length. This colorful cushion comes in six bold floral patterns. This is a perfect outdoor cushion for making a bold statement.
The cushion fabric is made from 100 percent recycled materials with a polyester fill. If you bought your patio furniture from Lowe’s, this cushion should fit. The fabric is fade, water, and UV resistant, so your cushions will look vibrant and colorful for a long time.
A nice feature of this cushion is the two sets of ties that secure the seat and the back to the chair to keep the cushion securely in place.
One potential drawback of this cushion is that the cushion is on the thin side. While it might be enough for some, it can be too thin for others.
Check PriceHow to Choose the Perfect Outdoor Cushions?
Size and Shape
The size and shape of your patio furniture will dictate the size and shape of the seat cushion that you buy. If you’re buying a replacement cushion, you can measure the dimensions of the old cushion. If you’re buying new cushions, you need to measure the seat and back of your furniture. There are a few standard shapes, such as a chair, bench, and chaise lounge.
Material
The material of your outdoor cushions needs to be sturdy and durable to withstand being outside. Look at both the internal foam and the fabric that the cushion is constructed out of. Foam is the standard outdoor cushion material for fill because it’s durable and weather resistant. For the outer material, you have various durable options, including cotton canvas, duck cloth, polyester, and acrylic fabric. These are all going to dry quickly and be durable to the elements.
Style
Consider the style of your garden furniture when picking out the cushions that will go on it. Just like you coordinate your wall decor and furniture inside your house, you need to do the same outside your home. For example, if you paint your patio chair a bright Caribbean blue, you may want to add throw pillows that are white, yellow, orange, or shades of teal.
Design
Once you know the size and shape of the cushions you need, consider the design of the cushion. Some attach with ties that you use to tie the cushion to the furniture. Finally, there are cushions that you place under a slipcover to create an all-in-one effect. Foldable cushions are nice because they neatly tuck away when not in use. Reversible cushion covers have different designs on the front and back. This is nice if you want to change up the look of your patio furniture.
Durability
The more durable the cushions are, the longer they will look like new and the longer you can use them before they need replacing. Performance fabric is the best fabric because it’s been treated to be more durable. Look for outdoor seat cushions that have water and fade-resistant treatments. It’s also good if the fabric resists mold or mildew growth. The inside fill material should be one that won’t break down when exposed to the elements.
Conclusion
My top pick for the best outdoor cushion is the Sand & Stable 2 Piece Sunbrella Seat and Back Cushion because it has a timeless modern appeal. In addition, the extra thick cushion will give your furniture a plush and high-end feel.
For a more affordable option, the Pillow Perfect Basalto Navy Bench Cushion is perfect for adding a bit of comfort to your bench or swing.
FAQs on Outdoor Cushions
The thickness of the furniture cushion you use will depend on the size of the furniture and your seating preference. If you prefer very little cushioning, then aim for patio cushions that are around 2.5 inches thick. If you prefer a lot of cushioning, you’ll want to be on the other end of the spectrum at around four inches thick.
Start by replacing the old cushions with new ones. Over time, the cushions flatten, and the internal foam breaks down, making the cushion thinner and less supportive. Next, add lumbar support to the furniture so that it has a more ergonomic shape to the cushioning so that your spine is better supported.
Ideally, it’s best to bring them in at night to reduce the wear and tear they experience. However, if you have water-resistant outdoor cushions designed for outdoor use, it won’t hurt them to be left out overnight occasionally. Try to avoid leaving them out when you know it will rain, frost, or have heavy morning dew.