Outdoor rocking chairs are one of the luxury things at the budget price that give a person the relaxation and the comfort that they need after a rough and busy day from school, work or activity. In order to fully enjoy the free time with comfort and ease of your chair, it is very important that you have a cushion with right materials and fit for the location of the chair and for your personal preferences. When you’re looking for the outdoor rocking chair cushion, then there are several factors you’ll need to consider. These include but not limited to the type of material, size, style, and price.
The Right Material
It’s really important for the cushion lovers to know that materials used for cushions indoors are not always applicable or even suitable for outdoor furniture cushions. Outdoor furniture is always exposed to natural elements like the sun and rain, and hot and cold weather with rust and dust. The intense direct light of the sun can easily wear out the color or even the quality of any material when exposed to it for a very long time. Heavy rain can soak your things and leave them wet and maybe will eventually cause mold.
So for outdoor cushions, it is very important to know that it is resistant to the damaging effect of the sunlight, moisture, heat, snowfall and cold weather. As such, it should be made with material that can withstand any of those haughty factors. So, the materials for the outdoor use should be water resistant and UV resistant. Listed below are some of the popular and effective materials used for outdoor rocking chair cushions.
- Polypropylene or Olefin – this is a synthetic fiber that is waterproof. It can also resist the damage caused by the sun. This is perfect to use outdoors and protect your cushions.
- Vinyl – the great thing about vinyl is that it is very easy to clean, it is also water, heat and mold resistant. It’s softness will make you happy.
- Polyester – this is more commonly used as a filling for outdoor cushions. This is because of its weather resistance and its ability to dry very quickly when wet. Using ordinary foam for filling is a big no for outdoor use. Only use foam cushions if they are covered with the proper material to protect them, to avoid soaking it with water on rainy days.
Size and Style
Make sure that you know the exact dimensions of your chair before purchasing any chair pads and cushions. Measure the seat surface width and depth for the seat cushion. Then measure the height and width of the seat back if you are getting a back pad as well. For maximum comfort, look for cushions and pads in those dimensions that are also no less than 3 inches thick.
Consider the style of your chair and the look of your patio or outdoor area when choosing your cushion. Many cushions come in a set with matching seat and back cushion. Some have ties for attaching to the chair, and some simply have a non-slip surface that helps keep the cushion stay in place. Cushions are available in a variety of fabric patterns and colors. So select a design and color scheme that works well with you’re the color and style of your chair and with the surrounding environment.
Price
When it comes the time to consider about price, make sure to choose the cushion that has a price that matches not just by its looks, but most importantly by its quality and of course within your budget. There is nothing wrong with a low cost purchase, but if it is too low of quality, you will end up spending more in the long run. A quick search online shows a nice selection of rocking chair cushions and pad sets for anywhere in the range of $20 to $100. Before purchasing any cushion set for your outdoor rocking chair, take time to fully review its features and quality. That way you are assured that you get just the perfect cushion that you need.
Another important thing to consider before buying cushion for outdoor use is its color. If you purchase a cushion of white, royal blue or aquamarine color or any other light color, it’ll be messy, drossy and nasty within no time. So the color should be deep, so that the color also will save your bank by decreasing the cleaning cost of your cushion.