Measure it right the first time

The specific method for every piece — where people go wrong, and the anti-mistake tip that saves a remake. Then price it in 60 seconds.

Measure the frame, not the old cushion. Width, depth and thickness — and the mistakes that make a cushion overhang or swim.

The one question everyone has: measure it flat or bent? Flat. Here's why, and how to place the fold seam.

Width, depth, height — and the counter-intuitive rule: don't add extra. We build in the drape so it sheds wind.

Cover the whole cluster: push the chairs in, measure the footprint, and get the height right so rain runs off.

Measure the span between anchor points, not the sail — and why we size the sail down for the hardware.

Which outdoor fabric for sun, for rain, for budget — and the trade-off each one hides.