You may be tempted to let your patio furniture out on the deck, but it is better to cover it to preserve it from dust and grimes.
All-weather materials are often used to make outdoor furniture. While it may seem that they can survive changes in weather, protecting your patio furniture can help extend the life of your outdoor equipment.
Patio furniture coverings are critical for safeguarding your outdoor purchase.
Your furniture and mattresses will degrade quickly if you do not use them. The summer season will come to an end at some point, and you will spend less time wrapped up on your patio furniture.
You can get wrong in selecting the proper patio furniture cover for your equipment.
In this article, we are going to discuss some tips in order to look for quality patio furniture and which material is best in finding a good furniture cover for your outdoor materials.
1. Why Should You Use a Patio Furniture Cover?
2. 5 Things to Know Before Buying Patio Furniture Cover
3. What is the best material for patio furniture covers?
4. Ways to Protect Your Outdoor Furniture
1. Why Should You Use a Patio Furniture Cover?
If you want to get the most out of your purchase, you should first figure out precisely what you want to do by using patio furniture covers.
As you explore your choices, this will eventually help you in determining the best product and pricing.
Not only do the finest furniture covers protect against dampness, rain, and snow.
They also shield your furniture from strong winds, which may cause harmful debris to blow past, and they filter off the sun’s UV rays, which are known to fade some materials.
Even if you live in a region that does not suffer severe weather or seasonal fluctuations, it is still a good idea to preserve your outdoor furniture.
Even tiny quantities of morning dew or pollen may cause harm to your furnishings if it accumulates.
A furniture cover also guarantees that your patio furniture is always available to use, reducing the need for you to clean it before usage.
2. 5 Things to Know Before Buying Patio Furniture Cover
2-1. Check the size of your furniture
It is essential that you purchase the proper furniture cover for your patio furniture.
Some individuals, believe it or not, do not take the time to ensure that the measurements of their furniture coverings match the measurements of their furniture.
Manufacturers will often create coverings, especially for their products.
Check the manufacturer’s website of the furniture set you possess to see whether they produce their own.
Otherwise, you’ll need to double-check the dimensions.
Covers that are excessively long may slide on the floor, collecting dirt and water.
Avoid patio furniture coverings that are one-size-fits-all. It will be more difficult for you to protect nor fit the furniture cover on your furniture.
If the business does not provide coverings for your particular furniture, you will need to perform some measurements to determine the size of your furniture.
Measure your furniture’s length, width, and height.
You don’t want furniture covers that are too short, but covers that are too long may be just as bad since they collect water and dirt at the bottom of the furniture.
For these reasons, purchasing patio furniture coverings that are custom-fit to your furniture is critical.
2-2. Shop for waterproof patio furniture covers
Most patio furniture covers claim to be waterproof, but they can only resist a little rain.
Vinyl Patio furniture covers enable water droplets to slide off the cover, keeping your furniture dry.
It also shields your furniture from dust particles, which may create unsightly stains on your clothing.
Water droplets bead up and glide along with the vinyl furniture cover before they soak through.
Durable polyester mixes are also popular but don’t settle for the cheapest one you can find. Most of the time, this low-cost polyester becomes brittle and cracks.
The ensuing exposure may necessitate the purchase of a new cover or the replacement of furniture that has been damaged as a consequence of the unexpected exposure.
Whatever material you select, it is highly advised that your furniture be thoroughly clean and dry before covering it.
This will aid to keep mildew and mold at bay.
Keep in mind that retaining moisture within the cover may lead to fungus development, which brings me to my next point.
2-3. Breathable material
It is advised that you look for breathable patio furniture covers, but be wary of what you deem “breathable.”
Many manufacturers provide breathable fabrics, however, if the whole cover is made of the fabric, it will allow water to flow through and create issues.
Look for a furniture cover with built-in ventilation instead. Unlike pet furniture covers, patio furniture cover has to have proper ventilation.
These smaller breathable spaces enable air to flow, which aids in the prevention of condensation and humidity buildup, which may contribute to mold development.
There are several coverings that have a built-in vent, but if you choose this kind of cover, be sure the vents are not big enough to allow rainfall to enter.
2-4. Choose a material that has tie-downs
Most patio furniture covers have some kind of tie-downs. These aren’t simply for appearances.
Standard patio furniture covers are excellent for protecting your items from rain, sun, and snow, but what if the weather is accompanied by strong or gusty winds?
You run the danger of your coverings blowing away if you don’t have the capacity to tie them down.
If you are not at home when strong winds strike, your furniture may be vulnerable to the same conditions, perhaps causing damage or being blown away.
As a result, you should think about purchasing patio furniture covers that can be anchored and fastened to the legs of the furniture.
They will help in keeping your patio furniture covers in place, preventing your furniture from being exposed to the weather.
Furthermore, if you aren’t entirely satisfied with the tie-downs that come with the covers, you may want to try using some of your own.
2-5. Check if the material is soft on the inside
You want a soft cloth-backed furniture cover that will not rub or damage the surface of your furniture.
This is particularly essential if your furniture is colored wood.
After a season of sitting on your patio deck, the covers may wear away paint or finish coats, creating unattractive stains.
To prevent this, always buy covers with a soft fabric backing.
The coverings for your patio furniture have a soft fabric inside to prevent scratches on the most sensitive parts of the tables or chairs.
This is particularly essential if your furniture is made of glass or pigmented wood, both of which may quickly get blemished if not properly maintained.
3. What is the best material for patio furniture covers?
When looking for outdoor furniture cover material, polyester is an excellent choice.
This material is robust and long-lasting enough to safeguard outdoor patio furniture from rain or snow damage.
Some furniture covers may be water-resistant, but to avoid water damage, look for polyester furniture covers that have been processed to be waterproof.
Proper patio furniture covering materials should be effective throughout the changing seasons, protecting the furniture underneath from outside harm.
A coated polyester covering is robust enough to withstand various climatic conditions, light enough to even be practical and convenient to carry, and breathable enough to prevent stale air, mold, or mildew from damaging the furniture underneath.
A lightweight polyester cover is also more convenient to fold and store in an outside shed, bin, or garage.
Before folding the covers, make sure they are dry, clean, and free of dirt, and store them in a watertight container to keep excess water and pests out.
4. Ways to Protect Your Outdoor Furniture
4-1. Clean
Even in good weather, your outdoor furniture accumulates dirt, stains, and dampness through exposure to the elements.
Cleaning patio furniture before putting it is the greatest method to avoid mold and mildew development.
Most materials, including rattan, wrought iron, and plastic, may be cleaned with regular soap and water.
A specific wood-cleaning soap is required for cleaning wood.
Follow the washing directions on the tag when cleaning cushions. In most instances, a light washing solution and a sponge may be used to spot clean your cushions.
For particularly persistent stains, use a solution of one-gallon hot water and half a cup of Lysol or color-safe bleach.
When it comes to cushions, it’s best to avoid using the washing machine and dryer.
Before proceeding, ensure that the furniture is completely dry.
4-2. Coat the furniture
Apply a sealant to your furniture to restore its luster and keep it looking fresh for longer.
To make glossy metal or plastic furniture shine, treat it with normal vehicle wax.
Put a fresh layer of finish or a lacquered or varnish topcoat to wicker and wood.
Scrape away any corrosion from iron furniture before spray painting it with a silicone sealer or a fresh coat of rust-resistant paint like Rust-Oleum.
4-3. Cover it
Patio furniture covers are excellent equipment to protect your outdoor chairs, desks, and couches.
These coverings are usually waterproof and UV-resistant and are made from a variety of materials such as polyester, vinyl, and canvas. They may include handy buckles to ensure that the cover remains in place.
You may also use a plastic tarp or an old sheet to protect your furnishings.
Any of these will prevent dust and damp off your furniture while it’s in storage.
If you want to know more about how to protect and maintain your outdoor furniture, here is a video from Canadian Tire:
5. Takeaways
Patio furniture covers can extend the life of your furniture and save you money on replacement expenses in the future.
Instead of needing to change your outdoor set every few years, it is more likely that you will be able to use the same set for up to ten years.
0 Comments