The cushion on patio furniture adds more comfort to the sitting experience. They also give your patio setup a complete look with their styling appearance. But all of these can get disturbed by patio cushions sliding issues. Imagine you live in a breezy countryside and you often find your patio cushions, fallen here and there on the lawn. Besides being uncomfortable, it also gets cushions dirty too! So the question may often pop into your head how to keep them from sliding?
For obvious reasons, you can’t stop the air from breezing. Then what can be done to stop the cushions from sliding? Well, there are a number of methods that you can apply to reduce the sliding rate and in some cases even stop it totally from happening. Along with the methods you will get some DIY tips for preventing the same cause, some best patio cushion materials, and so on. So continue your reading for having a sliding-free, organized patio space.
Key Takeaways
- Patio cushions slide off due to heavy air breeze, slippery fabric surface, and small size.
- Hook-and-loop Fasteners such as Velcro can keep the cushions attached to the furniture.
- Cushions with ribbon can help you to tie them with patio furniture to prevent sliding.
- High-quality fabric is essential for the patio cushions for their longevity.
7 Ways to Keep Patio Cushions from Sliding
There are no recognized methods to stop your patio cushions from sliding. But anything that works well and doesn’t have any negative impact or impression on your patio setup should be considered a viable option. Here are a few such proven ways that you can follow to prevent your patio cushions from sliding down:
1. Furniture Covers
As patio furniture is set outside and mostly air causes them to slide, you can use a cover on the patio furniture to prevent the air from blowing the cushions away. This will not only help the cushion to be in place but also prevent the air dust, and sunlight’s UV rays from damaging it.
Many patio furniture comes with such cover with them while buying. You can also buy them externally or even better, make them yourself.
2. A Non-Slippery Pad
Non-slippery pads can be a great use to keep your patio cushions from sliding. They are made of PVC foams which makes them durable. Their surface contains rubber-like uneven surfaces which keep both the cushion and furniture attached.
Using a non-slippery pad doesn’t require any additional tasks to do. Just place it between the cushion and the furniture. Non-slippery pads come in free shapes and various colors. So you can choose the color as per your desire and easily cut it in shape if required.
3. Hook-and-loop Fastener
Using a hook-and-loop fastener such as Velcro can be one of the easiest ways to prevent cushion sliding. Velcro has seen its universal application, from shoe lays to window screens. Get a bundle of Velcro’s from your nearest hardware store as per your desired color, and cut them into required sizes for use.
Attaching Velcro on wooden, metal, and wicker surfaces may become difficult. For that, you can use both side taps, glues, and even pins. First, try on one or two cushions to see if they work in your case before putting on each of them.
4. Use Zip Ties
Zip ties are a ready-made solution for keeping the cushions attached to the furniture. You will find tons of different size, colored zip ties at a very low price. Get some and zip the cushions, and furniture together. But beware of accepting their negative sides too. This method requires putting a hole in both the cushions are furniture.
If your furniture has holes in its design, then it is OK but if not then you might need to create one. Also while using the cushions can get stretched or torn down so it is better to have extra loop ribbons sewn on the cushions while using the zip ties.
5. Use Fabric Glue
Using fabric glue can be a good deal for keeping the cushions attached to the furniture. These glues are specially made for fabric use and work on cotton, denim-type fabrics. Just put the glues on the bottom or underside of your cushion at every corner and leave it for bond creation.
These glues are machine washable and likely do not have any residue left behind on the fabrics. But note that, they are for fabric use, which means their impact on steel, wooden, and wicker surface may vary over time. Also, they are not for use on leather cushions.
6. Cushions With Ties
One of the best solutions to keep your patio cushion from sliding is to use cushions with ties. This will save your cushions from any holes, rings, and, hooks. Small ribbon ties are attached to any corner of the patio chair.
You just have to place the ribbons on any part of the chair and, as long as the chair is standing, the cushion will not slide. You can either buy ribbon-attached cushions or attach them afterward as per your desire, it works both ways.
7. Shelf liners
Shelf liners can opt to keep patio cushions from sliding. Though it is not their primary role, they might work just fine. There are various types of shelf liners available. Choose the uneven-surfaced ones for better grip.
Cut the shelf lines in the square, and keep the size a bit smaller than the cushion size. Place the shelf liner between the cushion and patio furniture. If is for the vertical cushion, use the attachment to keep it in place. The shelf line will work similarly to non-slippery pads.
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Additional DIY Tips for Patio Cushions

Apart from the methods mentioned above, you can also follow some ‘Do It Yourself’ tips for a further try. Some of these are:
- Add a bottom layer of material: Patio cushions are made of light foamy and cotton materials. Adding additional weight to them may cause their breeze-resisting capability further. For that, you can take similar colored denim-type heavy fabrics and sew them behind the cushions back. This may provide a little weight to the cushion and prevent it from sliding off.
- Both Side Tape: We use both side tapes for various stationary reasons. This tape contains strong glues on both side surfaces and, you can use them for attaching the cushion to the patio furniture. Any stain caused by the glue may be removed easily by washing.
- Tufted Pads: An uneven surface causes more drag than a plain surface. That’s why you can make your cushions tufted surfaced by yourself. Take a cushion without cover, stitch it in places, and tie the knots closer. It will create a tufted design over the cushion, making it slide resisting.
- Store The Cushion: It will be better if you can arrange a storage facility for the cushions near your patio setup. If not you use patio setups all day long, a quick storing option will relieve you from sliding issues. It will also help you to keep the patio cushions clean for a longer period. A storage box in your nearby garage or lawn can be helpful.
- Try Different Style Patio Furniture: Apart from the breezing issue, patio cushions can fall off due to the structure of the patio furniture. Especially those which have a more straightened sitting position and, lack an edge design for holding the cushions themselves. For that, you can try different styled patio furniture that is designed to hold the cushions more easily.
Maintaining Patio Furniture’s Cushion

Apart from working on the sliding issue, you may look into some other facts for better maintenance of your patio cushions. Such as:
- High-Quality Fabrics: Consider high-quality fabrics for buying and making your patio cushions. Patio cushions are always exposed to harsh environments, so it is important to have such fabricated cushions for their longevity.
- Sun Protection Facility: Use additional overall covering for your patio setup. You can use a patio umbrella for such assistance. This will provide the patio cushions with protection against UV rays.
- Clean Using Vacuum: Patio cushions are expensive. These cushions should be washed before the start and end of the season depending on the use. But you can use vacuum cleaning to rid of additional air dust at least once a week.
- Store While Not In Use: Patio cushions should be stored in convenient storage while not in use. You may not be able to use the patio furniture regularly. So before signing off for a while and in between the uses, try to store them.
Best Patio Cushion Materials

Patio cushion fabrics should be more durable in every perspective than indoor cushions. That’s why you need the best cushion material such as:
- Olefin Fabrics: Olefin fabrics are new and come in the category of patio cushions. They are petrochemical byproducts and very durable in nature. Olefin is resistant to sun, heat, and moisture.
- Acrylic Fabrics: This is a synthetic fabric made of acrylic fibers. Solution-dyed acrylic fabric inherits deep fiber colors causing them to long last against color fastness.
- Polyester Fabrics: Polyester is the most used fabric for outdoor patio setups. They are mass batch dye printed and suitable for single seasonal use. They are the least performer than Olefin and Acrylic fabrics because of their inability to light resistance.
FAQs
1. What is the best filling for patio cushions?
Foam is the best option for filling a patio cushion. Additional patio cushions such as side pillows should be filled with more soft material, such as cotton for better comfort.
2. Are ribbons good for keeping the patio cushion in place?
Ribbons are very helpful for housing your patio cushions in place. Either you can buy ribbon-attached cushions or attach them afterward by yourself. They assist your cushions to be attached to the furniture in a better way.
3. Does size cause cushions to slide?
Yes, the size of the cushion can lead to sliding issues. In most cases, if the cushion size is proportionately smaller than the furniture’s size then it can easily slide off more frequently.
Final Thoughts
Cushion sliding can become a disturbing issue if it happens frequently. There may be more than one reason for your cushions to slide off itself. But the most logical reason is the heavy breeze of air around your house. Some other minor reasons could be the slippery cushion fabric, patio furniture’s structure, etc.
To prevent your patio cushions from sliding, you can follow the above-mentioned formulas at your convenience. You have options for further mixing two or more methods together. Observe the sliding reasons closely to decide which method to implement precisely. I believe by advancing that way you will be able to keep your patio cushions from sliding.
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I am Donald M. Beyer and I am backyard enthusiasts. I am a homeowner who has been doing DIY projects in and out of my house for many years. From simple backyard lunches to making an old-school pizza oven in my own backyard, I have a lot of experience in turning my backyard into my and my family’s personal playground.