Of all the components of a chair, the chair cushions are, no doubt, the most affected – in terms of wear and tear. In case you have a sofa that has already lost its shape and visual appeal, one of the best things you can do is to replace the cushion cover with a new one. By doing just that, you will be able to save a few bucks for other projects.

When it comes to changing your chair cushion’s cover, the first thing you need is to understand the amount of fabric necessary to get the job done. Here’s where the need to measure the fabric for the chair cushions comes into play.

The best way to measure fabric for chair cushions is by starting from the back seam to the front seam. Multiply the figure by 2 and add 1 inch to it to get the length of the fabric. As for the width of the fabric, you’ll get that by measuring the cushion from one side seam to another and then adding 1 inch.

How much fabric do you need for chair cushions? What is the best way to measure fabric for chair cushions? How do you calculate how much fabric you need for a cushion? These are the burning questions that I’ll be addressing in the rest of this article.

How Much Fabric Do You Need For Chair Cushions?

As earlier mentioned, understanding how much fabric you need is essential for you to be able to change your chair cushions successfully. Unfortunately, doing just that is not an easy guess. It takes an accurate measurement to determine the amount of fabric needed to cover your chair.

One of the best ways to determine how much fabric you need for chair cushions is by asking the person doing the upholstery about it. However, for you to get an accurate figure, it’s important to let the upholsterer see the piece of chair you’re looking to fix.

Furthermore, there are a couple of things to consider when determining the amount of fabric needed to cover your chair cushions. For instance, you need to consider the pattern repeat of the fabric. Here’s the thing; when you opt for fabric with solid colors, you’ll certainly need less material. On the other hand, if there are many patterns on the fabric you’re planning to use for the chair cushion, then you’ll need more material.

As previously stated, for you to determine how much fabric you need for your chair cover, one of the best things you can do is to contact an upholsterer. However, before going ensure to take the accurate measurement of the existing cushion that came with the chair.

For the measurement, you’ll need to perform it from seam to seam, noting the width, height, thickness, and depth of the cushion. With the information, your upholstered should be able to give you the exact amount of fabric needed to cover your chair cushions.

How Do You Measure Fabric For Chair Cushions?

Here’s what you need to know; to measure the fabric for your chair cushion, you need to get the accurate figure for its width, length, and seam allowance. 

Measuring The Length Of The Fabric

• To begin, you need to pick the existing chair cushion. After that, you’ll have to proceed by measuring it from seam to seam to achieve the length of the fabric. The best way to do that accurately is by measuring the chair cushion from the back seam to the front seam.
• Next, note down the number. For instance, let’s say after taking the chair cushion measurement from the back seam to the seam at the front, you have 5 inches. For you to get the length of the fabric, you need to double the number.
• So, the length of the fabric needed to cover the top and bottom of the cushion, based on our assumption, will be 10 inches (5 inches multiplied by 2).

Add Seam Allowance

For you to achieve the best results, it’s essential to add seam allowance to the measured length of the fabric. To do that, you need to add 1 inch to the length of the fabric. It’s worth knowing that the 1 inch you’re adding to the length is a ½ inch seam allowance for each of the two ends (top and bottom) of the chair cushion.

Measuring The Width Of The Fabric

The way you measure the width of the fabric is slightly different from that of the length.

• In this case, you’ll need to first measure the original chair cushion from one side seam to the other. The best way to do that is to start measuring by placing the tape across the top of the cushion.
• Now, to get the width, all you need is to add 1 inch to the measured figure. For instance, let’s say after taking the seam to seam measurement, you achieved 5 inches. So, the width of the fabric, needed to cover the cushion from left to right, will be 6 inches (5 inches plus 1 inch).

Add Seam Allowance

For seam allowance, you need to add ½ inch each to the sides of the chair cushion.

How Do You Calculate How Much Fabric You Need For A Cushion?

If what you’re planning to cover with the fabric is a box cushion, then it’s important to note down the height. After getting the figure for the width, and depth of the cushion, the next thing is to determine the total amount of fabric needed to cover the chair cushion.

To do that, you need to multiply the width by 2. Also, multiply the depth by 2. Now, add all the figures together to determine the amount of fabric you need to get the job done.