The Importance of Garden Furniture Covers

With the right garden furniture, it’s easy to make an outdoor area your sanctuary. Extending your living space outside? Choosing quality furniture pieces that connect with your home’s interior look is key to creating an inviting external haven. Once it’s elevating the look and feel of your garden, ensuring the longevity of your carefully curated outdoor furniture becomes essential. It’s a given that most outdoor designs are crafted to endure the elements all year round, but it is wise to take extra measures to ensure your favourite patio furniture stands the test of time. Keen to keep your investments for the great outdoors in top-notch condition throughout the seasons? Read on and discover how it’s done, with our complete guide to garden furniture covers.

How Weatherproof is Garden Furniture?

Carefully considered furniture makes a destination of your garden, so it’s well worth taking time to choose your perfect weather-ready set. Although created to be durable, taking extra care to keep weatherproof garden furniture protected promises to extend its life. Outdoor furniture covers serve as a protective shield for your outdoor seating, tables, and other furnishings, whatever their material. Designed to safeguard against various environmental factors, they offer:

• Protection from Weather Elements: Garden furniture covers act as a barrier against rain, frost and snow, preventing damage and maintaining pieces’ peak condition, year after year.
• UV Protection: Prolonged exposure to harsh sunlight can cause fading and deterioration of outdoor materials. Quality furniture covers are UV resistant, which minimises the impact of sun bleaching on your outdoor pieces.
• Defence against Dust and Debris: Outdoor furniture is susceptible to accumulating dirt, pollen, and animal matter. A cover helps keep your furnishings clean and ready for use, without the need for abrasive or frequent cleaning.
  
  

Advantages of Using Outdoor Furniture Covers

Looking to expand the lifespan of your outdoor furniture? Regular cleaning of uncovered patio sofas and chairs is important but can be time-consuming and difficult to stay on top of. Outdoor furniture covers simplify maintenance by reducing the frequency and effort required for cleaning.

Protecting your furniture from weather-related damage helps maintain its original appearance, ensuring your outdoor space looks consistently inviting and well-maintained. Popping on covers overnight or using them for extended periods off-season enables the storage of furniture outdoors, safeguarding pieces from potential damage or deterioration.

Polyester or Vinyl, Which Cover Fabric Is Best?

Decided that outdoor furniture covers are right for you? It’s worthwhile considering the suitability of certain fabrics before you start purchasing. Choosing covers crafted from hardy, weather-resistant fabrics ensures their effectiveness in protecting your furniture.

• Polyester: One of the best materials for garden furniture covers, polyester is water, fade and UV-resistant, durable and lightweight. Our robust garden furniture covers are crafted in PVC free polyester fabric and ripstop polyester, offering a weatherproof coating which protects pieces from both rain and dirt.
• Vinyl: Another material worth considering is vinyl. Similarly to polyester, it has superior UV resistance, preserving vibrant colours and structural integrity. Both polyester and vinyl stand out as excellent choices due to their impressive durability, customisable design options, and low-maintenance characteristics

Top Tips to Prevent Mould and Mildew

Proper airflow is crucial to avoid trapping moisture. Best-buy furniture covers are not only waterproof, but also feature ventilation to prevent mould and mildew growth. Designed with vents, quality covers allow any excess moisture to escape easily.

Compared to modern plastic and durable materials, hardwood garden furniture lovingly crafted in beech, teak or acacia, is more susceptible to damage over time if not properly maintained. Without adequate care, these investments may discolour, become a breeding ground for fungus, mould, and moss, or even start to rot as moisture penetrates the wood. Due to warping, wood requires more comprehensive care to ensure its longevity. Left unprotected, even resilient hardwood sets will naturally weather over time, adopting a distinctive silver-grey colouration. Therefore, investing in garden furniture covers is highly beneficial to prolong the peak condition of your favourite outdoor pieces.

Safeguard with Cover Ties

Amidst the chaos of everyday life, selecting snug, made-to-measure covers that are easy to fit and remove is sure to make garden furniture maintenance effortless in the long run. User-friendly covers encourage consistent use and make it convenient to protect your furnishings. Ideally, outdoor furniture cover designs should feature bungee ties - for wind protection - in addition to straps and buckles for tightening, plus a bag for securely storing them when not in use.

Even PE Rattan will Thank You For Covers

Seeking superb product longevity? There's no doubt that PE Rattan garden furniture is an excellent choice of material for outdoor furniture. Unlike traditional rattan that needs more robust protection, its good-looking recycled plastic counterpart is known for its durability, UV protection, and waterproof features. Despite being one of the strongest materials to face the elements, even PE rattan outdoor furniture will benefit from a cover. Limiting dust and debris build-up keeps this composite material in pristine condition and promises to maximise its life.

Garden Furniture Storage: Step by Step

1. Before you safely tuck your outdoor furniture and garden sofa away under its protective cover, remove any outdoor cushions or accessories and store them separately. Consider your specific needs, available space, and local climate to determine the most suitable garden furniture storage solution for you. By doing so, you'll not only preserve the beauty of your outdoor space but also enjoy the lasting comfort of your outdoor furniture and accessories for years to come.

2. Don’t know what to do with your cushions, seat pads and kids’ toys? Keep them stored safely away in the Selborne Storage Box. Made from heavy duty PE rattan, this smart and stylish piece has a modern feel to it. Available in two sizes, each sturdy box comes complete with an internal zip-up weatherproof liner, for that extra level of protection.

3. Seeking something slightly smaller and more traditional in style? Our wooden Aldsworth Outdoor Storage Box is a great alternative. We recommend treating the wood on first use and using an outdoor furniture cover to prolong its life, ensuring it remains watertight over time.

4. Our Marden Cushion Storage Box is crafted from PE rattan which has been constructed from the highest-quality polyethylene, to capture the look and feel of natural rattan and improve on the limitations of its namesake. Offering superior protection, this beautifully built storage box has a solid metal lid, supported by a gas strut for ease of opening. Featuring a convenient carry handle, its design also incorporates wheels on one end, allowing you to effortlessly position it wherever it’s needed outdoors. Durable and hard wearing, the Marden Cushion Storage Box provides ample internal space to safely store outdoor sofa cushions and seat pads amid bad weather, or for extended periods during the chilliest months.

Wrapping Up…

Outdoor furniture adds charm and functionality to your outdoor space, creating a retreat for relaxation and entertainment. By investing in quality covers and considering factors such as material, sizing, and ventilation, it’s easy to master the art of furniture protection. Enhance the lifespan of your outdoor buys with garden furniture covers, escape outdoors and enjoy your blissful bolthole whenever the weather allows, whilst minimising the time and effort spent on sofa and dining set maintenance.