Dude! Have you ever priced out the cost of outdoor patio furniture cushions? How about simple outdoor pillows or even a bench seat cushion. Holy poop ya all... I almost fell out of my chair pricing these things out. I get that they may be waterproof but seriously, what is the big deal?
One of the most important aspects of any good build is doing your research. Taking a ton of notes, measurements and really shopping around to find the best price either locally or online. Outdoor patio cushions are as expensive and in some cases even more expensive than the actually furniture itself! I for one do not have the money to put in to that kind of investment and it totally goes against my principal of spending as little as possible or recycling as much as I can to keep the budget on track.
From the beginning of this project I have been debating if I should make cushions, buy them or come up with something that would look nice but be comfortable. If the price doesn't get you for store bought, the colors or fabrics they use look like a retirement home puked on a sheet and they called it a day. Not exactly posh by any stretch. It's been a tough choice for me because sometimes simple seem easiest until it hits your pocket book. I have never made cushions before and didn't really know where to start but I have come this far without question...I wasn't about to start now. So....at the end of the day...we are making our own! Before you even begin to start on this part, decide exactly how many cushions you want, the length and the height of the padding and if you want to do bench cushions or single cushions. Decide now, this may be the 2nd easiest decision you make on this bad boy, the rest will require some work.
Finding your perfect materials
From the beginning of this project I have been debating if I should make cushions, buy them or come up with bench seats that would look nice but be comfortable. If the price doesn't get you for store bought, the colors or fabrics they use look like a retirement home puked on a sheet and they called it a day. Not exactly posh by any stretch. It's been a tough choice for me because sometimes simple seem easiest until it hits your pocket book. I have never made cushions before and didn't really know where to start but I have come this far without question...I wasn't about to start now.
Store bought cushions are horrible. They are thin, ugly and again shouldn't cost you half a paycheck for a good set. There are so many money saving ways of doing this, but more importantly this comes down to your tastes. If you are fancy like me, then nothing at the store will do. You want something that matches your style and sophistication and not what the entire world over already finds fashionable. I have seen DIY's that consists of sewing, batting...like all this stuff and honestly I did not want to be that technical. Since nothing seem to fit any part of what I wanted or what my vision was, I am going to make mine.
Before you even begin to start on this part, decide exactly how many cushions you want, the length and the height of the padding and if you want to do bench cushions or single cushions. Decide now, this may be the 2nd easiest decision you make on this bad boy, the rest will require some research and hands on shopping to make work for you.
Here is the link to the exact material I used..they have other colors but to be honest, I could not of found a more perfect fabric then I did and for me, it's well worth sharing.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/3-Yards-Shason-Textile-Pro-Tuff-Outdoor-Fabric-Grey-58-60-quot/360520433
They other material I had left over from an old project I had done but it is easy to see how the Grey really can be matched well with other patterns and colors. Despite the fact it took me a month to find...little did I know this would be the easiest part of my journey. I had already been given a solid piece of plywood for the base so didn't think this next part was going to be as hard....boy howdy, the things you learn with trial and error. There is now the foam padding....Grab a bottle of wine....your gunna need it for this part!
The Padding
This is where things are about to get tricky folks. Foam padding, unless you know an upholstery guy or you have a credit card to a craft store, this part proves to be a challenge. For me, my only real option was to try local first. We only have a Walmart here and not only do they not have the size or quantity needed for a big project, their prices totally reflect the demand.
Padding is straight expensive. This is the one area where cheap is not the way to go, this part may be the most expensive part of your entire build so again, do your research. Hopefully by now you have already decided the size or shape you want your cushions to be. I have chosen to go with 1 smaller bench seat for the single seat side and then 1 larger one for the long part or couch piece. (See visuals of what I mean below).
Now that I know what cushions I need to make, It is time to measure. The small single side of my project is 22 inches deep, 44 inches long. pretty easy right. OH NO! just because one pallet is this length and depth, do not go into this believing they are all the same size or width. Much like a snowflake...its hard to find pallets the exact same size.
The long piece is 22 inches wide but 86 inches long. These two measurements are what you will need in order to order or purchase your padding.
After weeks of shopping around, going to Amazon, Michael's..Joannes and even free sites..I was nowhere near close to finding the size I wanted. But the PRICE of foam....dude, you might as well buy a couch and tare it apart! No one has room for that kind of thing and at the same time, at least for me, new foam is the only way to go.
One size does not fit all!
Shopping for padding is fun but not as easy as you think and not one single place on line or in town carries exactly what you need, if they do...you'll be wondering if it weren't easier just to buy an entire couch and tare it apart. Luckily I have done a bit of research for us all and with luck this may save you some time. I have chosen a 3 inch thick foam that is medium density. You can go thicker if you want to but for your own sake do not go any thinner because you do not want your guests to feel the plywood underneath and it will help you develop a more even seam line for your finished project. I will show you what I mean in my next blog..Cushion Creations.
My first suggestion is stay off mainstream craft stores, Walmart and such. Avoid E-bay or Amazon as these sites and stores may have padding by blocks or straight 22 x22 single sheets of foam that are great if your making indoor furniture or replacing a single cushion and only if its the bottom. None of the items that I found were big enough, thick enough or at a price that kept my eye balls planted in my head. They may have the right price but wrong density or are just not at all what you want. This is where I began to think outside of the box. Where could I go and get exactly what I want, at the price I want and size that I need? 2 months later....I found it.
HOME DEPOT! Thats right folks, Home Depot online had exactly what I needed. The size was a bit smaller than I wanted length wise but had the only option I am aware that was even close. Here is the link to the exact foam piece I purchased. They do not carry the foam in store, I learned this one the hard way...so go online, the selection is amazing.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Future-Foam-3-in-Thick-Multi-Purpose-Foam-10030BULK3/203837114
I got a 24 in. W x 72 in. D piece of foam (which is just shy to make the long couch piece) online, and delivered to the store for just $25.00. This is a deal of a lifetime folks. Seriously not only was it the best deal anywhere but it gave me plenty of material to work with. Because this is just shy of the bigger couch piece, I decided to start with the single side cushion first. This would not only give me a chance to see how this would actually go and set me up for the longer piece later on. Making massive notes in my journal I think I may now be ready to give this a shot.
The padding arrived right on time and on the same day my new Staple/Brad gun! I had a few days off coming up and can't wait to see what this will look like. Finding the right materials is a journey all on it's own.
This part of the project allows you to explore who you are, what your tastes are and gives the project the personal love that says "I made this". Not everything can be decided all at once and not everything you decide on will stick...this is why we keep a journal. Every idea, drawing, fabric type or measurement that you right in there is far more than just some scribbles...it is your growth. Not just through your project but through your own inspiration. You can find bits and pieces of who you are through your writing. You may not be able to see that whilst doing it...and maybe not even on the project you are currently working on. But sometime, and when you least expect it...you will read into yourself a bit more and realize all the amazing things you have accomplished. My journal also serves as a gratitude book as well. That was not my intentions. It just happened one day when I wanted to give up. I opened my journal and realized everything I've done, all my idea's all the completed works...are all mine! I've done those things, created these ideas and now see that I all I am capable and have accomplished. I had no idea that when I started this project that I would be getting far more than a sectional pallet couch for my patio, as I see it now I gained a better perception of who I am. There is no one else on this planet or anyone else who could have pointed these things out to me. I had to create it for myself.
In my next blog we will be finally doing the damn thing! Join me for my next adventure as learn how to manage new tools I've never used, build things that I've never built and reflect on the amazing space we are creating for ourselves. Finding yourself in your own creations...Priceless! Until next time!
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