Quick Summary

Outdoor piping for cushions adds a refined look and extra protection. Learn how to choose the right piping, measure and cut it accurately, and securely attach it for a durable, beautiful finish on your outdoor seating. This guide makes it simple, even for beginners!

Outdoor Piping for Cushions: Your Essential Guide to Adding Style and Durability

Ever admired those beautifully finished outdoor cushions, with neat welting along every edge? You know, that little cord that gives them a crisp, tailored look and helps them stand up to a bit more wear and tear? If you’ve ever wished you could achieve that professional touch on your own DIY cushions, you’re in the right place! Many people find adding piping a bit intimidating, thinking it’s a job best left to the pros. But guess what? With a few tips and a little patience, you can absolutely master it. It’s a fantastic way to elevate the look of your patio furniture and add a touch of personalized flair.

Don’t let the idea of curved seams or tricky corners scare you. We’re going to break it down into simple, manageable steps. Think of me, Pearl Roach from EcoPatchy, as your friendly neighbor guiding you through this enjoyable project. We’ll cover everything from picking the perfect piping to sewing it on so it looks like it came straight from a designer showroom. Ready to give your outdoor cushions a stunning upgrade and add a satisfying layer of durability? Let’s get started on creating cushions that are both beautiful and built to last!

Why Add Piping to Outdoor Cushions?

Adding piping, also known as welting cord, to your outdoor cushions isn’t just about making them look pretty (though it certainly does that!). It’s a practical design choice that offers several benefits, especially for items that live outside:

• Enhanced Durability: The cord adds a layer of strength along the edges, which are often the first part to fray or wear down, especially with constant use and exposure to the elements.
• Professional Finish: Piping gives cushions a tailored, high-end appearance, making even simple DIY cushions look more polished and custom-made.
• Improved Shape: It helps cushions hold their form better, preventing the edges from looking saggy or limp.
• Design Accent: Piping offers a fantastic opportunity to introduce a contrasting color or texture, adding visual interest and personality to your outdoor space.
• Protection Against Moisture: While not fully waterproof on its own, the stitching and cord can help direct water away from the main cushion seam, offering a minor but helpful defense against moisture ingress.

Choosing the Right Materials for Your Outdoor Piping

Before you start cutting and sewing, let’s talk about picking the right stuff for your outdoor piping. Since these cushions will be out in the sun, rain, and maybe even some dew, the materials need to be tough and fade-resistant.

Outdoor-Specific Piping Cord

This is the heart of your piping! You need a cord that can handle the outdoors.

• Material: Look for cords made from synthetic materials like polyester, nylon, or acrylic. These are naturally resistant to UV rays, mildew, and moisture. Natural fibers like cotton or jute will rot and break down quickly outdoors.
• Size: Piping cord comes in various diameters. For most outdoor cushions, a cord that’s between 1/4 inch and 3/8 inch (about 6mm to 10mm) in diameter is a good choice. Thicker cords offer more structure and protection, while thinner ones provide a more delicate look.
• Color: Consider what you want your accent to be. Neutral colors like beige, white, or gray are classic and versatile. For a bolder statement, choose a color that complements or contrasts with your cushion fabric.
• Pre-made vs. DIY: You can buy pre-made piping (cord wrapped in fabric) or make your own. Making your own gives you complete control over the fabric and cord. We’ll cover how to make it later!

Outdoor-Rated Fabric

The fabric that wraps around your piping cord needs to be just as hardy as the cord itself. This is often called “welting fabric” or “piping tape.”

• Upholstery Fabrics: Choose fabrics specifically designed for outdoor use. Look for labels like “outdoor fabric,” “marine-grade fabric,” or “performance fabric.” Brands like Sunbrella, Outdura, or Phifertex are known for their durability and UV resistance.
• Properties: These fabrics are typically solution-dyed acrylic, polyester, or vinyl. They are mold and mildew resistant, water-repellent, and colorfast, meaning they won’t fade easily in the sun.
• Weight: A medium to heavy-weight fabric is ideal. It should be substantial enough to wrap around the cord without being too bulky to sew.
• Cleaning: Many outdoor fabrics are also easy to clean, often just requiring soap and water.

Thread

The thread is crucial for holding everything together. It needs to be as tough as the fabric.

• Material: Use heavy-duty polyester thread or a UV-resistant outdoor thread. This ensures your stitches won’t degrade and break from sun exposure.
• Color: Match the thread to your piping fabric, or choose a slightly darker shade to be less noticeable.

Tools You’ll Need

Gathering the right tools makes the job so much smoother. Here’s what you’ll likely need:

• Sewing Machine: A sturdy sewing machine is essential. If you’re sewing through thick outdoor fabrics, make sure your machine can handle it. A walking foot can be very helpful for feeding multiple layers of fabric evenly.
• Zipper Foot or Piping Foot: This is a special presser foot that has a groove on the underside, allowing you to sew very close to the piping cord. It’s a game-changer for neat piping!
• Sharp Fabric Scissors: For clean, precise cuts of fabric and piping.
• Rotary Cutter and Mat (Optional): If you prefer, these can make cutting fabric strips very fast and accurate.
• Measuring Tape or Ruler: For measuring fabric and the piping.
• Straight Pins: To hold the piping in place while you sew.
• Fabric Clips (Optional): Can be easier to use than pins on thick fabrics.
• Iron and Ironing Board: For pressing seams, though be cautious with heat settings on outdoor fabrics.
• Seam Ripper: For those inevitable little mistakes!

How to Make Your Own Piping (DIY Welting Cord)

Making your own piping allows you to match any fabric from your décor perfectly. It’s simpler than it sounds!

Step 1: Cut Your Fabric Strips

You’ll need long, bias-cut strips of your chosen outdoor fabric. “Bias-cut” means cutting at a 45-degree angle to the grain of the fabric. This makes the fabric stretchy and able to go around curves smoothly.

1. Lay your fabric flat.
2. Measure and mark a 45-degree line across the fabric.
3. Using your rotary cutter or scissors, cut along this line.
4. Continue cutting strips that are the width of your piping cord diameter PLUS an extra 1 inch (about 2.5 cm) for seam allowance. For example, if your cord is 1/4 inch, cut strips about 1 1/4 inches wide. If your cord is 3/8 inch, cut strips about 1 3/8 inches wide.
5. Cut as many strips as you need to go all the way around your cushion. For long cushions, you’ll need to join strips together.

Step 2: Join Fabric Strips (If Necessary)

If your cushion sides are longer than your fabric’s width, you’ll need to join strips end-to-end.

1. Place two bias strips right sides together, forming a 90-degree angle at one end.
2. Stitch diagonally from the corner where the two fabrics meet, creating a straight seam.
3. Trim the excess fabric to about 1/4 inch (6mm) from the seam.
4. Press the seam open. This creates a long, continuous bias strip.

Step 3: Attach the Cord

Now, you’ll wrap the fabric around the cord.

1. Lay one long, bias-cut fabric strip right side UP on your work surface.
2. Place your piping cord along the center of the strip.
3. Fold the fabric strip in half lengthwise, encasing the cord. The right sides of the fabric should now be facing each other, with the cord on the inside of the fold.
4. Using your sewing machine with a zipper foot or piping foot, sew as close to the cord as possible. You want to catch both layers of fabric in the seam, right up against the cord, without stitching through the cord itself.
5. Start your seam a few inches in from the beginning of the strip to create a flap for joining later.
6. Continue sewing along the entire length of the fabric strip, keeping your stitch line consistently close to the cord.

You’ve now made your own custom piping! Repeat this process for all your fabric strips.

How to Attach Piping to Outdoor Cushions: Step-by-Step

This is where your piping comes to life on the cushion!

Step 1: Prepare Your Cushion Pieces

You’ll typically have two main pieces for each cushion: a top and a bottom, plus side panels if your cushion has depth (like a box cushion).

• Cut out your cushion fabric pieces accurately.
• If you’re making a box cushion, it’s often easiest to attach piping to the side panels first, and then attach the top and bottom. For simpler cushions (like a flat cushion), you’ll attach it directly to the edges of the top and bottom pieces before sewing them together.

Step 2: Attach Piping to Side Panels (for Box Cushions)

If you have side panels, this is the best place to start.

1. Take one side panel and one long piece of your finished piping.
2. Place the piping along the edge of the fabric panel, with the cord facing inward and the raw edges of the piping lining up with the raw edge of the fabric panel. Right sides of the piping fabric and the cushion fabric should be touching.
3. Using your zipper or piping foot, sew the piping to the fabric panel. Stitch in the groove of the foot, right next to the cord, catching the original seam you made when creating the piping.
4. Stop stitching about 1 inch (2.5 cm) before the end of the piping strip so you can join it to the start of the next piece.
5. At the corners, you’ll need to ease the piping. Clip the fabric of the piping (but not the cord) about 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) into the seam allowance for curves or around corners. For sharp corners, you might need to snip the fabric all the way up to the stitching line on the sides that will turn.

Repeat this for all side panels. You’ll need to join the piping ends together where the panels meet. Overlap the piping strips by about 1 inch, trim any excess cord, and secure the fabric ends. Often, you’ll unpick a bit of the piping seam, trim the cord away, overlap the fabric, and sew the fabric ends together, then re-stitch a tiny bit of the piping seam to hide the join.

Step 3: Attach Piping to Cushion Top and Bottom Pieces

This is similar to the side panels, but you’ll be attaching it to the entire perimeter of the cushion top and bottom.

1. Take your cushion top piece (right side UP, if you’re attaching piping before sewing the cushion closed).
2. Lay your piping along the outer edge, cord facing inward, raw edges aligned.
3. Pin or clip the piping in place all the way around.
4. When you get back to the start, overlap the finished end of the piping (where you finished sewing it to the side panel or the beginning) by about 1 inch.
5. To join the piping ends neatly: you’ll typically unpick the final few stitches where the piping fabric meets the cord. Trim the cord away from both ends of the overlapping section. Then, overlap the fabric ends and stitch them together securely. You can then stitch back into the groove of the piping to secure it to the cushion piece.
6. Sew the piping to the cushion piece using your zipper or piping foot, stitching as close to the cord as possible.

Step 4: Join Piping to Cushion Body

This is the final sewing step to enclose your cushion.

1. Take your cushion top piece with piping attached (all the way around).
2. Take your cushion bottom piece (which may also have piping attached).
3. If it’s a box cushion, you’ll attach the sides to the top first. Place the top piece right side DOWN onto the side panels (which are already sewn together and have piping attached). The raw edge of the top fabric should align with the piping, and you’ll be sewing through the back of the piping fabric.
4. If it’s a simple cushion, place the bottom cushion piece right side DOWN onto the top cushion piece. The piping on both pieces should align.
5. Using your zipper or piping foot, sew through the groove of the piping on both pieces, connecting them together.
6. Ensure your stitches catch the original seam of the piping on both sides.
7. Leave an opening for turning the cushion right side out. This is usually best done on one of the sides, not along a piped edge.

Step 5: Finish and Turn

1. Once sewn, trim your seam allowances if needed, especially around corners.
2. Carefully turn the cushion right side out through the opening you left.
3. Gently push out the piping along the seams to ensure it’s smooth and well-defined.
4. Insert your cushion insert or stuffing.
5. Hand-stitch or machine-stitch the turning opening closed as invisibly as possible.

Tips for Perfect Piping on Outdoor Cushions

Even with the best instructions, a few extra tricks can make your piping look amazing:

• Pre-wash Fabrics: Always wash and dry your outdoor fabrics before cutting and sewing. They might shrink slightly, and you don’t want that happening after you’ve made your cushion.
• Use a Walking Foot: If your machine has one, a walking foot is brilliant for sewing through multiple layers of outdoor fabric and piping, preventing them from shifting.
• Test Your Stitch Length: Before sewing on your actual cushion, practice sewing piping onto a scrap piece of fabric. Ensure your stitch length is appropriate for the fabric thickness and securely holds the piping. For outdoor fabrics, a slightly longer stitch length might be needed.
• Don’t Pull the Fabric: When sewing, guide the fabric and piping gently. Don’t pull or stretch them, as this can cause puckering or distort the shape.
• Handle Corners Gracefully: For exterior corners, you can sometimes create a neat point by snipping the piping seam allowance. For interior corners, you might need to carefully cut away a bit of the piping fabric to allow it to fold nicely. Some prefer to leave corner sections unpiped for simplicity.
• Use Plenty of Pins/Clips: Especially when you’re starting, pinning or clipping your piping thoroughly will help ensure it stays exactly where you want it.
• Reinforce Start/Stop Points: When you start and stop sewing your piping, backstitch a few times to secure the seam.

Troubleshooting Common Piping Problems

It’s okay if it’s not perfect the first time! Here are some solutions to common issues:

Problem	Possible Cause	Solution
Piping is lumpy or uneven	Cord is bunched, or fabric is not smooth	Ensure the cord is straight and taut. Use your piping foot carefully to stitch close to the cord. Smooth fabric as you sew.
Stitches are visible on the right side	Stitching is too far from the cord	Use a zipper or piping foot and adjust its position to sew closer to the cord.
Piping doesn’t lie flat on curves	Fabric for piping is cut straight-grain, not bias-cut	Always cut piping fabric on the bias (45-degree angle). Make small snips in the piping’s seam allowance on curves to help it bend.
Corners are messy	Improper handling of corners	For sharp corners, you might need to snip more into the seam allowance or even remove the cord close to the corner and fold the fabric for a neat point. Practice on scraps first!
Piping comes away from cushion seam	Stitches missed the original piping seam	Ensure your sewing machine needle is going through both layers of the piping fabric. Rethread and sew again, aiming for the original stitch line.
Fabric fraying badly	Inadequate seam allowance or rough handling	Ensure you’re using sufficient seam allowance and trim excess fabric carefully. Use pinking shears for a less fraying edge, if appropriate for your fabric.

Maintaining Your Piped Outdoor Cushions

To keep your beautiful, piped cushions looking their best for years to come, a little maintenance goes a long way:

• Regular Cleaning: Brush off loose dirt and debris regularly. For deeper cleaning, use a mild soap solution and lukewarm water. Rinse thoroughly and allow to air dry completely. Avoid harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners that can damage the fabric or sewing. You can find excellent guides on cleaning outdoor fabrics at resources like Sunbrella’s care guide.
• Storage: During the off-season or periods of prolonged bad weather (like heavy storms or snow), it’s best to store your cushions indoors. This protects them from excessive moisture, UV exposure, and physical damage. If indoor storage isn’t an option, use high-quality, breathable waterproof covers.
• Check for Mold/Mildew: Outdoor fabrics are resistant, but not immune, to mold and mildew, especially in damp, shady conditions. Address any signs promptly by cleaning the affected area. Ensure cushions dry completely between uses or after rain.
• Inspect Stitching: Periodically check the stitching along the piping and seams. If you notice any loose threads or signs of wear, repair them promptly to prevent further damage.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is “piping” on a cushion?

Piping, also called welting, is a type of trim sewn along the edges of a cushion. It consists of a cord covered in fabric, which gives the edge a defined, slightly raised, and tailored appearance.

Can I use regular cording for outdoor cushions?

It’s best to avoid regular cotton or natural fiber cording for outdoor use, as it can easily rot, mildew, and fray when exposed to moisture and sun. Opt for synthetic, weather-resistant cording materials like polyester or nylon.

What kind of fabric is best for outdoor piping?

Look for durable, weather-resistant outdoor upholstery fabrics. Brands like Sunbrella or Outdura are excellent choices because they are solution-dyed acrylic or polyester, offering fade resistance, water repellency, and mold/mildew resistance.

How do I sew piping around a sharp corner?

For sharp corners, you’ll often need to make small snips in the seam allowance of the piping fabric (being careful not to cut the cord) to allow it to turn. Some crafters also choose to remove the cord entirely for a few inches around a tight corner and fold the fabric to create a clean point.

What if my cushion fabric is very thick?

Thick outdoor fabrics can be challenging. Ensure your sewing machine is powerful enough. Consider using a heavier-duty needle and a walking foot. When making the piping, make sure your fabric strips are wide enough to snugly wrap the cord without being too bulky to sew through.

How do I join two pieces of piping when sewing them to the cushion?

To join piping, overlap the two ends by about an inch. Carefully unpick the stitches on one end of the piping to expose the cord. Trim the cord away from both overlapping ends. Overlap the fabric ends and sew them together securely. Then, re-stitch the piping seam to cover the join.

Is it difficult to add piping to outdoor cushions?

Adding piping can seem intimidating at first, but it’s quite achievable with practice. The key is accurate cutting, careful sewing with the right foot (like a zipper or piping foot), and patience, especially around curves and corners.

Conclusion

There you have it! Adding piping to your outdoor cushions is a rewarding project that truly transforms their appearance and adds a valuable layer of durability. From choosing the right weather-resistant materials to mastering the sewing techniques, you’ve got all the essential knowledge to tackle this yourself. Remember, the goal is to create beautiful, functional pieces that enhance your outdoor living space and stand up to the elements. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different colors and fabrics to truly personalize your look.

Think of each stitch as an investment in comfort and style. With the tips and steps outlined here, you can achieve that professional, tailored finish that makes your outdoor cushions so much more inviting. So, gather your supplies, take a deep breath, and get ready to enjoy the satisfaction of creating stunning, long-lasting cushions for your patio or garden. Happy sewing!