Can you leave your patio furniture outside in the winter? Certainly! Patio furniture is built for the outdoors, however, fall and winter weather can cause damage to the furniture if you don’t take the proper precautions. Here are some easy storage and care tips to help maximize the longevity of your favorite outdoor pieces.
Remove all cushions and pillows
You’ll want to start by removing all cushions and pillows from your outdoor furniture. Place them in an outdoor or garage storage box that is heavy and easy to access. Outdoor fabrics are durable and water-repellent, but not waterproof. They can handle a few pool splashes here and there, but not the sleet and downpour of rain and snow that come with winter. That’s why you should remove them when preparing for the winter season.
Choose the right materials
If you’re looking for durable furniture that can handle the elements all year round, then items made from teak and aluminum are your best bet. Out of all the different types of wood materials that are available for outdoor furniture, teak is by far the best wood for outside. That’s because teak has superior all-weather properties and can withstand even the harshest of weather conditions, often lasting decades. Outdoor furniture made of durable resin material does not require covering and can be left outside all year.
Clean your furniture
Make sure to clean your outdoor wood furniture so it’s free from seasonal debris and then cover it with a weather-proof furniture cover. Leave all the furniture pieces in a shed or a covered area. It’s so convenient to have them covered in the same place and ready to use for the next season. The goal is to clean all of the crud that’s built up on the frames of your furniture pieces and there are products you can use to just spray down the furniture and wipe off the gunk in one fell swoop.
Don’t stack it upside down
You never want to stack your furniture upside down. It’s better to leave it sitting on the ground regardless of whether it’s inside or outside. That’s because when you flip it upside down, this traps all the moisture inside and can cause it to burst if it gets warm enough. Then, over a long enough period of time, this can cause the furniture to break. This type of freezing damage is especially relevant for tubular aluminum furniture so make sure to always store your outdoor furniture properly and pay attention to the manufacturer’s instructions about how to store and use the furniture to enhance longevity.
Cover it up
It doesn’t matter what your outdoor furniture is made of, it will benefit from being covered from the elements, especially during long periods of adverse weather. Prior to covering the furniture, ensure to remove all of the cushions from your sofas and seats and pack them away in storage space. Then cover the furniture with a cover and make sure that the corners are tucked in nicely. You also want to ensure that you use covers made for covering furniture. This means the covers should be water-repellent, and breathable, allowing the moisture to dissipate.
A lot of outdoor furniture is made to withstand the elements year-round but long-term exposure to these elements can definitely shorten the lifespan of even the most durable pieces. Protecting your furniture in the fall from the harsh winter elements will save you time and money in the long run. Hopefully, these tips will help you do just that.