Address
Nanlang Industrial Zone, Xingtan Town, Shunde District, Foshan, Guangdong, China
Work Hours
Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (CST/UTC+8). We aim to respond to all inquiries within 48 hours.
Cushion and Pillow Fabric Calculator
Cushion covers are the easiest fabric project to get wrong, because the numbers people find assume a plain bag and most covers are not plain bags. This calculator includes welt piping, box pleats and a zipper allowance, and it covers the square, rectangular and lumbar sizes that cover a normal cushion range.
Cushion and Pillow Fabric Calculator
Yardage for cushion and pillow covers, with welting and pleats included.
The finished cover size, which equals the cushion foam size.
Welting and pleats both add fabric.
Wider upholstery bolts reduce the number of panels.
Multiply the yardage for a batch.
Change any field, then press Enter again to recalculate.
Working out the cover yardage
- Reading the finished cover dimensions
- Adding seam allowance on every side
- Adding the welt and the pleat depth
- Converting the total into yardage
- Comparing against a 54 inch upholstery bolt
Press the button to see the figures
Select a size above.
Cushion and pillow yardage
Finished panel size
—
in per side, incl. allowances
Yardage per cover
—
yards
Panels needed
—
across the width
Fabric needed for the batch
—
yards
Welting length
—
in, if welted
Zipper length
—
in, standard
—
Cushion Sizes and What They Actually Need
| Finished size | Yardage (54 in bolt) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 16 x 16 in square | about 0.7 yd | Smallest standard insert; fits one width |
| 18 x 18 in square | about 0.8 yd | The most common cushion size |
| 20 x 20 in square | about 0.9 yd | Standard for a sofa with two-seat cushions |
| 22 x 22 in square | about 1.0 yd | Large; check it suits the furniture |
| 20 x 12 in rectangular | about 0.6 yd | Small lumbar, fits one width |
| 20 x 16 in rectangular | about 0.7 yd | Bolster and standard scatter cushion |
| 14 x 36 in lumbar | about 1.3 yd | Needs two panels on any upholstery width |
Yardages above are for a plain or welted cover. Add roughly 0.15 yards for a box pleat front and 0.1 for an envelope flap back.
Welting, Pleats and Why They Add Fabric
Welt piping is a narrow tube sewn into the seam. It needs a long bias strip — typically 1.5 inches wide cut on the bias, joined end to end — and because it is cut on the bias you cannot get it from the leftovers. For a 20 inch cover the perimeter is about 80 inches, which at 1.5 inches on the bias is around 1.5 yards of fabric, joined from many short strips.
Box pleats on the front are the reason a “plain” yardage figure is never enough. A 3 inch pleat across a 20 inch front consumes an extra 20 to 24 inches of fabric, and the pleat must be stitched in layers, which means the fabric at the pleat is four plies thick. If you are using a heavier upholstery fabric, check that the seam allowance is generous enough to contain the pleat depth.
Zipper Placement
An 18 inch invisible zipper is the standard for an 18 or 20 inch cushion, set along the bottom edge or into the lower back seam. For 16 inch covers a 16 inch zipper fits; for 22 inch covers you may need two 18 inch zippers or a 22 inch one, which is less common stock.
Set the zipper on the bottom if the cushion will be moved, and into a back seam if the front needs to stay unbroken. Either way, the zipper allowance is inside the panel size in the table, so no extra yardage is needed for it.
Matching a Repeat
Upholstery prints with a large repeat are the constraint on cushion covers, more than yardage. A 20 inch cover cut from a fabric with a 24 inch repeat will not match a neighbouring cushion, and matching two cushions is usually why people end up buying extra fabric. If you need a pair, buy enough for both from the same dye lot and cut them together.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much fabric for a 18 x 18 inch cushion cover?
About 0.8 yards from a 54 inch upholstery bolt for a plain or welted cover. Add roughly 0.15 yards for a box pleat front and 0.1 for an envelope flap back.
What size cushion inserts are standard?
18 x 18 in is the most common square, then 20 x 20 in for larger sofas and 16 x 16 in for chairs. Rectangular inserts are usually 20 x 12 in or 20 x 16 in, and the long lumbar is 14 x 36 in.
How do I calculate the welt cord length?
Measure the perimeter of the finished cover and add 4 inches for the joins. For a 20 x 20 in cover that is about 84 inches of welt, and since it is cut on the bias in short strips you need roughly 1.5 yards of fabric to make it.
Do I need a different zipper size?
An 18 inch invisible zipper fits 18 and 20 inch covers, which covers most cases. A 22 inch cover may need two 18 inch zippers or a 22 inch zipper, which is less commonly stocked. The zipper allowance is already inside the panel size, so it does not change the yardage.
Why does my two cushions not match?
Usually the fabric repeat is larger than the cushion, so the pattern falls differently on each. Cut both from the same length, mark the pattern placement, and keep the grainline consistent. If you need a matching pair, buy enough for both from one dye lot and cut them together.
Can I use quilting cotton for cushion covers?
For a light cushion in a dry room, yes, but expect the cover to need washing more often and to lose its shape. For sofa cushions that are used daily, upholstery weight fabric is the better choice. The GSM chart shows which weights hold their shape.
Choose a weight that holds shape: the fabric GSM chart compares upholstery and furnishing weights.
Larger home projects: the curtain and drapery calculator covers window treatments at the same level of detail.