Some stores pay me when you buy through a link here, and your price stays the same. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. How this works

I picked the three cushions in the table from their Amazon listings, then checked each one against FoamOrder’s chart of cushion thickness by bench. I haven’t sat on any of them.

Bench cushion thickness

How thick a bench cushion can be comes down to where its top lands. For any bench you sit at, that’s 18 to 20 inches off the floor, so 20 inches is as high as bench and cushion together should go.

A cushion squashes a little when you sit, too, which leaves you lower than its top. So a built-in on a low deck can take a full 4 inches and still seat you at a good height for the table.

Thinner cushions need firmer foam, or you sink right through and feel the bench. That’s why a bench you eat at does fine with 2 to 3 inches of firm foam, while a window seat wants 3 or 4 so softer foam has room to give.

What thickness foam for your bench seat?

Take your bench’s seat height away from 20, and that’s the most cushion it can take. To find the height, measure the bare seat from the floor up.

Inside that limit, I’d go 2 to 3 inches on a bench you eat at and 3 to 4 on one you lounge on. On a bench taller than 18 inches, even 2 inches would put the top past 20, so I’d go thinner.

Building your own? Then pick the cushion first and set the deck low enough that its top stays at 20 inches or under.

What is the standard size of a bench seat cushion?

There’s no one standard size, since benches vary too much. Instead, the three I picked each come in a handful of lengths.

Between them, they run from 27 to 59 inches, and the 36, 42 and 48 inch lengths come in all three.

Measure the bench itself, because an old cushion spreads as it wears. On a long bench, measure at both ends and in the middle. In a nook, measure wall to wall at the front and back, since walls are often out of square.

Then go by the smallest reading. Between arms or walls, pick the length at or just under it. On an open bench, you can go a size up, as long as it hangs no more than an inch or two past each end.

A long banquette is easier as two cushions or more, so each one lifts off for cleaning on its own.

How deep should a bench seat be with a cushion?

A bench seat should be 18 to 22 inches deep with the cushion on, and nearer 18 or 19 for one you eat at.

In their longer sizes, all three cushions are 16 inches deep. To measure your seat, go from the front edge to the wall or backrest, at the shallowest spot.

If you’re building the seat, Banquette Seating Dimensions covers its depth and back.

Can a bench cushion be too thick?

Yes, on a bench you eat at. A thick one lifts you toward the table and leaves less room for your legs under it.

To check before you buy, add the cushion’s thickness to your bench height and take that from your table height. You want 10 to 12 inches left, and a cushion that leaves less is too thick for that bench.

Put the 4 inch SUNROX on an 18 inch bench, for example, and its top lands at 22 inches, just 8 inches below the top of a 30 inch table. That’s why I’d save it for a window seat, or a bench you build low. If the bench isn’t bought yet, you can plan both at once with my breakfast nook picks.

How high does each cushion put your seat?

Where the top of each cushion lands before anyone sits (18 to 20 in is the range)

The Dual-Layer stays in range on all three. The SUNROX only works on the lowest bench, and the Classic on the two taller ones.

What is the best sitting cushion for a bench?

For most benches you eat at, the best one is the baibu Dual-Layer. I’d go thicker with the SUNROX LokGrip on a window seat or a low built-in, and thinner with the baibu Classic on a tall or long bench.

Best for a dining benchbaibu Dual-Layer Bench Cushion

Best for: a busy kitchen, where the bench gets sat on at every meal.

If your bench is anywhere from 16 to 18 inches tall, this is the one I’d reach for first.

I love that there’s a high-density base under the memory foam, because density is what keeps foam from flattening with everyday use. And with two pairs of ties over a grippy bottom, it shouldn’t creep when you slide in and out.

Specs48 x 16 x 2 in

Size linked

48 x 16 x 2 in

Other sizes

36 x 15, 40 x 16 and 42 x 16 in

Cover and care

Zips off, machine or hand wash

Grip

Non-slip bottom, two pairs of ties

Best for a window seatSUNROX LokGrip Bench Cushion

Best for: a window seat or reading corner that gets a lot of sun.

At 4 inches, this is the only one here with room to give, which is what you want on a seat you lounge on. If you’re building the bench, it suits a low deck, too. (For a whole window seat, Window Seat Cushions goes further.)

The cover is water-resistant, and SUNROX rates it fade-resistant for five years. For a seat in a sunny window, that’s a big plus!

Specs42 x 16 x 4 in

Size linked

42 x 16 x 4 in

Other sizes

27 to 59 in long, 12 to 16 in deep (thickness given for this size only)

Fill

Gel memory foam over high-density foam

Cover and care

Water-resistant, stays on, spot clean

Grip

Textured non-slip bottom

Arrives

Vacuum packed, 48 hours to fill out

Best for a tall or long benchbaibu Classic Bench Cushion

Best for: a bench where you want a little padding without lifting the seat much.

If your bench runs past 48 inches, where the Dual-Layer stops, this one comes as long as 59. And on a bench a little over 18 inches tall, this thinner pad keeps the top in range.

It’s a pad more than a cushion, and on a tall or extra-long bench, that’s a great fit.

Specs42 x 16 x 1.5 in

Size linked

42 x 16 x 1.5 in

Other sizes

36 x 15, 48 x 16 and 59 x 16 in

Cover and care

Long zipper, cold wash in a laundry bag

Grip

Non-slip bottom, four ties

What is the best material for bench cushions?

For a bench seat, I’d want high-density foam under a cover I can throw in the wash or wipe down.

Density decides how long foam keeps its shape, and firmness, a separate thing, decides how soft it feels. At the same firmness, a denser foam can last more than twice as long.

None of the three lists a density figure, so go by what each listing calls its foam. The Dual-Layer and the SUNROX say high-density, and the Classic just says foam.

Both baibu covers zip off for the washing machine, and the SUNROX cover wipes clean with mild soap and water.

Where can I buy a cushion for a bench?

Amazon has all three ready-made cushions I’d pick. For an odd length, or a nook whose walls aren’t square, I’d order one cut to size.

FoamOrder cuts a bench cushion to your exact shape, with templates for awkward corners and a zip-off cover in thousands of fabrics. You pick the foam, too, and for a seat you eat on, it points you to a high-density one.

Cushion Source makes bench cushions 2 to 8 inches thick, and for an unusually shaped bench, it works from a pattern. Rather cover the foam yourself? Foam By Mail sells it by grade, with the density printed on every one.

Bench cushion questions

See the breakfast nook sets and benches to put these cushions on.

I sold contract-grade furniture from 2016. More about who runs it.