Enjoy the Great Outdoors Comfortably on Your Custom Patio Furniture Cushions!

Despite each of the seasons getting their fair share of the year, it always feels like cold, blustery winter gets a bigger chunk of the calendar than it deserves. To compensate for the perceived shortcomings of the other three seasons, we try to spend as much time as possible enjoying the weather before we’re forced back inside. This is what makes our outdoor and patio furniture so important. Because even when we’re doing nothing more than sitting on the deck or porch, we’re still enjoying ourselves outside.

More than anything, the greatest trait of patio furniture is its resilience against the outdoors and weather, enduring the elements for months at a time, or even year-round in more temperate areas. To achieve this durability though, rigid and hard building materials are often used. In an attempt to compensate, removable outdoor patio cushions are used to turn these rugged seats into comfortable relaxation spots. As a foam manufacturer and retailer, one of The Foam Factory’s specialties is the creation of custom cushions for patio sets, using materials that hold up just as well as the furniture.

Porous Dryfast Foam

The greatest roadblock to having comfortable outdoor foam is the constant presence of moisture, whether it openly presents itself as rain, or more covertly as a humid day. Traditional indoor cushion materials will begin as enjoyable seats, but moisture will eventually cause these materials to harbor mildew, mold and bacteria and breakdown or rot. To combat this seemingly unavoidable issue, special cushioning materials must be utilized. For outdoor furniture cushions, The Foam Factory stocks and suggests Dryfast foam.

A very unique material in the world of foam, Dryfast has been specifically engineered for outdoor applications by virtue of its cellular structure. Its almost fibrous open-cell makeup allows the transfer of water and air for quick drying in a way no other foam products can. Despite it appearing to lack the strength of the traditional burst-bubble-structure of open-cell foams, Dryfast features a resilience and firmness that will hold up for seasons of enjoyment and relaxation.

Another facet of its engineering that makes it appropriate for outdoor use is its formulaic antimicrobial resistance. This is very important for outdoor products, where even if water passes through the Dryfast, it can still be trapped under the cushion by a non-draining seat or covered in a wet towel or bathing suit. If the surrounding air is unable to quickly dry the foam’s form as it normally does, that residual moisture still won’t permit the growth of mold, mildew, or bacteria.

The manufacturing capability The Foam Factory possesses lets them produce outdoor custom cushions from this special Dryfast foam in any patio cushion style, in any quantity. From basic four-piece backyard furniture sets to a supply of cushions for bistro sets at a restaurant with outdoor seating, The Foam Factory can manufacture however many cushions are needed, quickly and affordably. Be they plastic outside chairs, chaise longues, or Adirondack chairs, any size or shape seat can have a cushion custom-made. Even popular wicker chair cushions are easily created. For extra comfort, The Foam Factory also stocks polyester fiberfill that can wrap the cushion for a little extra comfort and a full appearance.

Dacron Fiberfill Wrap

Dryfast cushions can be cut as thin as a single inch or up to 6 inches for the thickest cushions. For unique or special uses, 8 inch thick sections can even be cut. However, unlike other foam cushioning products, Dryfast cannot be glued together to achieve greater thicknesses because the adhesive would prevent the material from draining water and drying properly. For custom patio cushions with special length requirements however, the Dryfast material can be glued end-to-end because the vertical adhesion would not interfere with the transfer of water. This means it is easily used in outdoor lounge cushions for popular pool-side reclining seats. Filter foam is another porous option that can drain water quickly.

Cover fabric for outdoor patio furniture is just as important a consideration as the cushioning material itself. Indoor covering materials will easily absorb and retain moisture, rot, deform and bleach or discolor in the sun. Because most vinyl products are waterproof, it would make sense to use it as an alternative cover material, but seams will always permit the entrance of moisture into a cushion. Once inside, it will stay inside, either on the inner-lining of the cover or in the cushion itself, resulting in an eventually waterlogged and rotten cushion. To have cushions that can remain outside regardless of the elements, special fabrics must be used.

These materials must allow water and air to pass through the Dryfast foam they are encasing. Sunbrella-style fabrics with a nylon or canvas feel that are water repellant but still breathe, as well as Phifertex-type vinyl mesh materials that resist moisture but also allow the cushion to dry are both appropriate options. The Foam Factory has a variety of material types for covering your outdoor cushions that will meet both the drying requirements of the material as well as your personal style requirements. Cushions can be covered individually for separate seat and seatback sections or contained in one larger cushion, held together by the fabric seams. This is a particularly useful customization option for multi-pivot loungers that let you recline, sit upright or even lay flat without the cushions falling off.

Whether you’re having a cookout, tanning by the pool or enjoying a cup of coffee and the sunrise at the beginning of the day, comfortable patio furniture cushions can make all the difference in enjoying the outdoors. Unfortunately, few cushioning materials can provide both the comfort wanted in a cushion and the durability demanded by the elements. But with The Foam Factory Dryfast foam cushions, you can rest easy on your deck cushion, knowing it’s made to last.

Tags: Comfort, Custom Cushion, Dryfast Foam, Outdoor Foam, Patio Cushion

Posted in Cushions, Outdoor and Marine, Outdoor Seating