Best outdoor furniture cushions

Cushions are the fastest-aging component of any patio set and the cheapest to replace well. Replacing cushions on a sound frame is one of the highest-value purchases in outdoor furniture, and one of the most commonly skipped in favor of replacing the whole set.

The fabric decision

The same distinction that governs umbrella canopies governs cushions: is the color in the fiber, or on it?

Solution-dyed acrylic has pigment added to the liquid polymer before the fiber is extruded. Color runs through every fiber, so weathering exposes identical color underneath and fading is uniform and slow. Sunbrella publishes five years on its upholstery and sling lines, which is a specific commitment rather than a marketing adjective.

Printed polyester carries color on the surface. It fades from the top down, goes patchy where the sun is strongest, and shows sharp lines where a cushion edge or a chair arm shaded part of it. Two to three summers of full sun is realistic.

The foam decision

The other half of a cushion, and the one nobody reads about. Outdoor cushions get wet; what happens next is the foam's job.

Quick-dry foam is the feature worth paying for if the cushions live outside. On a covered porch it matters much less, and standard fill is a reasonable economy.

Sizing replacements

The most common reason a cushion replacement goes wrong is fit, and it is entirely avoidable.

• Measure the seat platform, not the old cushion. An old cushion has compressed and may have shrunk, so it is a poor reference.
• Measure width, depth and desired thickness separately. Thickness changes seat height, which changes how the chair feels at a table.
• Check tie positions. Cushions that tie to a frame need the ties in the right places, and generic replacements often put them elsewhere.
• Deep-seat sets use standard sizes. Most deep-seating frames take one of a small number of common cushion dimensions, which is why generic replacements work more often than you would expect.
• Buy removable covers if you can. A zippered cover can be washed, and when it finally fails you replace the cover rather than the whole cushion.

Making them last

1. Bring them in for winter. Free, and it is the single biggest factor in cushion life. A deck box works if indoor space is short — and note that covering them is not the same thing, because a cover creates a humid unventilated space for months.
2. Stand them on edge after rain. Airflow around both faces halves drying time, and drying time is what decides whether mildew establishes.
3. Brush off organic matter. Mildew grows on pollen, leaf dust and body oils sitting on fabric, not on the fabric itself. That is why regular brushing does more than an occasional deep clean.
4. Shade them. An umbrella over a seating group extends cushion life more than any product you can apply to them.
5. Wash covers, do not soak cushions. If covers come off, wash them. A soaked foam core takes days to dry and may never fully recover.

The full cleaning sequence, including what to do about mildew that has already taken hold, is on our cleaning guide.