Cushions
Rocking Chair Cushions: How to Measure and Choose the Right Fit
How to measure a rocking chair or glider, seat pad vs seat-and-back sets, thickness, and fabric that lasts on a porch.
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A rocking chair is made for long, slow afternoons, but a bare wooden seat gets hard fast. The right rocking chair cushion makes it comfortable without sliding forward every time you rock. Because rocker seats come in so many shapes, the fit matters more than on almost any other chair. Here is how to measure, which cushions to order and what holds up on a porch.
Seat pad, back cushion or a set?
- Seat pad only: the most common choice for porch rockers with a comfortable slatted back.
- Seat and back set: two cushions in the same fabric for a softer, more relaxed chair. Each is made to its own measurements.
- Glider rockers: usually take a thicker seat and a full back cushion. Send the measurements of each and we make them to fit.
How to measure a rocking chair
- Front width: measure across the front edge of the seat.
- Back width: measure across the back of the seat, where it meets the backrest. Most rocker seats are narrower at the back.
- Depth: from the front edge to the backrest.
- Shape: note rounded front corners, a curved front edge or notches around the back posts. For an unusual seat, trace it on paper and send a photo of the template next to a tape measure.
- Back cushion: measure the width at the bottom and top, and the height from the seat to where the cushion should stop.
Our cushion size and foam guide suggests a thickness and foam for your chair.
How thick should a rocking chair cushion be?
2″ to 4″ suits most rockers. Shallow wooden seats feel best at 2″ to 3″, so you don't sit too high above the arms. Deep glider seats can take 4″ for a softer feel. Luxury foam is firm and keeps a thin seat from bottoming out; High Density foam has a medium feel for thicker cushions.
Stop the cushion sliding
Rocking moves a cushion more than sitting still does. Ties in matching fabric at the back corners hold the seat to the posts, and ties at the top of a back cushion keep it from slumping. Velcro is available on request instead of ties.
Fabric for porches and indoors
On a porch, choose Sunbrella: it resists fading and mildew, and most Sunbrella fabrics are water repellent. If the rocker sits on an open porch that gets rain, Dry Fast foam drains water and dries quickly. Indoors, for a nursery or living room rocker, Sunbrella still works well and is easy to clean, or choose velvet or Warwick for a softer look.
Questions about rocking chair cushions
Can I order only the covers?
Yes. If your foam still holds its shape, order covers only, made to its size.
Do you make cushions for Adirondack rockers?
Yes. See our Adirondack chair cushion guide for measuring a sloped seat and tall back.
Will the cushion fit my chair exactly?
Every cushion is cut to within ±0.5″ of the size you order. If it arrives outside that, we remake it free.
Ready to order? Use the seat and back chair cushion builder, or browse rocking chair cushions. Most orders ship in 2–3 weeks.
