Cover garden furniture only once it is clean and completely dry, using a breathable waterproof cover that fits closely, and raise the furniture slightly off the ground so air can move underneath. Angle or pad the top so rain runs off instead of collecting, secure the cover against wind with straps or ties, and take the cushions indoors separately. A cover that traps damp does more harm than no cover at all.<\/p>\n
That last point is the one worth remembering. The purpose of a winter cover is not to seal furniture away from the weather. It is to keep persistent rain, fallen leaves and frost off the surfaces while still allowing the air inside to change. Get the ventilation right and everything else is straightforward.<\/p>\n
Not all outdoor furniture needs the same treatment through a British winter, and covering the wrong material badly can cause problems it would not otherwise have had.<\/p>\n
Synthetic rattan on an aluminium frame copes well with cold and rain. Covering it is mainly about keeping it clean and protecting the weave from constant saturation and ultraviolet exposure. This is the most forgiving category.<\/p>\n
Hardwood such as teak or acacia survives winter untreated but will grey and can develop surface checks. A breathable cover slows that process. What hardwood must avoid is sitting in a puddle or being wrapped in plastic, both of which invite rot at the feet and mould on the surface.<\/p>\n
Powder coated steel needs the most care, because any chip in the coating lets water reach the metal and corrosion spreads from that point. Touch up chips before covering.<\/p>\n
Glass tops are safe in cold weather but vulnerable to impact, so remove them and store them flat and indoors if you can. Never stand a glass top on edge against a wall where it can slide.<\/p>\n
Cushions and fabric should always come indoors. Nothing suffers more from a winter outdoors than upholstery.<\/p>\n
Whatever you seal in stays in for months. Leaves, pollen, spilled food and bird droppings all hold moisture and feed mould, so a cleaning session before covering saves a much harder one in spring.<\/p>\n
Brush off loose debris, including the areas people forget: under the seats, along the joints and inside chair frames where leaves gather. Wash with warm water and a mild detergent, using a soft brush on woven surfaces and a cloth on smooth ones. Rinse and let everything dry.<\/p>\n
Pay attention to the feet. Grit and organic matter build up where the furniture meets the paving and hold water against the material all winter. This is where rust and rot begin on most sets.<\/p>\n
Do any repairs and maintenance now rather than in spring. Tighten loose bolts, touch up chipped paint on metal frames, replace missing foot pads and, if you want to keep the warm tone of hardwood, apply oil while the weather is still dry. Covering a piece with a loose joint means opening it in March to find the joint has worked itself worse.<\/p>\n
Furniture that feels dry to the touch is often not dry underneath. Water sits in weave, in the hollows of tubular frames and in the fibres of timber.<\/p>\n
Give it a full dry day after washing, longer if the weather is cool and still. Tip chairs to drain trapped water from frame ends, and check the underside of seats where water collects unseen. Loosen or remove foot caps if water has pooled behind them.<\/p>\n
If you are covering in November and the forecast offers no dry days, work with the driest window you can find and accept a longer airing period next spring. It is still better to cover clean and mostly dry furniture than to leave it uncovered under falling leaves.<\/p>\n
Cover quality makes a genuine difference, and the specification matters more than the appearance.<\/p>\n
Look for breathable and waterproof together. The best covers use a fabric that resists rain from above while allowing water vapour to escape from within. Cheap coated plastic sheeting is fully waterproof and completely impermeable, which means condensation forms on the inside and drips back onto the furniture.<\/p>\n
Look for vents. Mesh panels near the top of the cover let warm damp air escape and reduce the pressure that wind builds up underneath. A cover without vents behaves like a sail and a greenhouse at once.<\/p>\n
Choose a close fit. A cover that is far too large flaps in the wind, chafes the surface it is meant to protect and collects water in loose folds. One that is too tight will not go over the corners and tears at the seams. Measure the assembled set at its widest and tallest points before ordering.<\/p>\n
Check the fastening. Elasticated hems, drawstrings, buckle straps or ties beneath the base all help. Simple weighted corners are enough in a sheltered courtyard but not on an exposed terrace.<\/p>\n
Consider seams and stitching. Taped or welded seams keep water out where it usually gets in. Double stitching at stress points is a good sign of a cover that will last more than one season.<\/p>\n
Paving and concrete hold water and wick it upwards into whatever stands on them. Lifting furniture even a small distance changes the microclimate underneath completely.<\/p>\n
Use pieces of treated timber, bricks, plastic feet or a slatted base. A gap of two or three centimetres is enough for air to move. This single step protects timber feet from rot and metal feet from corrosion more effectively than any cover.<\/p>\n
Position the set on the driest and most sheltered part of the patio if you can, ideally out of the prevailing wind and away from the drip line of a gutter or an overhanging tree. Under a tree you gain some shelter but collect leaves, sap and bird droppings, so a wall side position is usually better.<\/p>\n
The main cause of cover failure is standing water. A pool of rainwater is heavy, stretches the fabric, works its way through the weave and freezes into a solid mass in cold weather.<\/p>\n
Create a high point so water runs off. Stack chairs or a stool in the centre, place a small upturned box or crate on the table, or use a purpose made cover support. A slight dome is all that is needed.<\/p>\n
For dining sets, leave the chairs tucked in or stacked centrally rather than spread out. This reduces the covered area, gives the cover a natural slope and keeps the whole arrangement stable.<\/p>\n
Check after heavy rain and clear any sag. Emptying a shallow pool takes a minute, while dealing with a torn cover and a wet set takes an afternoon.<\/p>\n
Winter gales are the reason covers end up in the neighbour’s garden. Wind lifts a cover from below, so the fixing has to happen underneath.<\/p>\n
Use the straps or drawstrings supplied and pull them snug beneath the base rather than around the sides. Add extra bungee cords crossed under the frame if the set is large. On very exposed sites, tie the cover to a fixed point such as a fence post or a ground anchor.<\/p>\n
Avoid weighting the top of a cover with bricks or heavy objects. They abrade the fabric, press moisture into the surface below and can crack a glass panel.<\/p>\n
Give the cover a firm shake test once fitted. If it moves significantly by hand, wind will move it further.<\/p>\n
Cushions, seat pads, parasols and outdoor rugs should never spend winter under a furniture cover. Even a breathable cover holds enough humidity to encourage mould in foam.<\/p>\n
Dry them thoroughly, then store them indoors in breathable bags: a loft, a wardrobe shelf, a garage rack or a lidded box in a utility room all work. Sealed plastic is the one option to avoid.<\/p>\n
Parasols need particular care. Dry the canopy completely, close it, and store it upright or flat under cover. Leaving a damp parasol furled for months produces mildew streaks that rarely come out.<\/p>\n
If indoor space is short, this is where garden storage earns its keep. A properly sized unit from the range of garden sheds and storage UK<\/a> options takes cushions, covers and accessories in one place and keeps the whole routine manageable.<\/p>\n Covered furniture is easy to forget, and forgetting is when problems develop.<\/p>\n Look at it once a month. Lift a corner of the cover, feel for damp on the surfaces underneath and take a breath near the weave or the timber. A musty smell means airflow is insufficient, which is usually fixed by opening the cover for a dry afternoon or repositioning it so the vents are clear.<\/p>\n On a dry breezy day in the middle of winter, take the cover off entirely for a few hours. This one habit does more for the condition of the set than any product.<\/p>\n Check the fixings after storms, clear leaves from around the base and look for the small telltale signs of animals sheltering underneath.<\/p>\n Choose a dry day and remove the cover completely rather than folding it back. Let the furniture stand in open air for a few hours before you put cushions out.<\/p>\n Wash the surfaces to remove any film that has developed, check bolts and joints, and inspect timber for new surface checks. If hardwood has greyed and you want the warmer tone back, clean it, sand lightly along the grain and oil it before the sunny months begin.<\/p>\n Clean the cover too. Hose it, let it dry fully on a line and fold it loosely rather than compressing it into a tight bundle. Store it somewhere dry and it will last several seasons.<\/p>\n Spring is also the sensible point to assess whether the set is worth keeping in service. Repeated winters tell you a great deal about build quality, and if the frame has loosened or the weave has become brittle, replacing it before the season starts is easier than mid summer. Ranges of modern garden dining sets UK<\/a> and lounge arrangements are at their broadest early in the year, which makes early spring a comfortable time to compare. We are always happy to talk through material choices at Furniture in Fashion<\/a>, particularly for households with nowhere to store furniture indoors.<\/p>\n Some gardens have no sheltered position and some sets are too large to cover practically.<\/p>\n In that situation, prioritise the vulnerable elements. Bring in cushions, glass tops and anything fabric. Raise the frames off the paving. Oil timber before winter. Touch up chips in painted metal. Stack what stacks and store it against a wall under the eaves.<\/p>\nCheck on It Through the Winter<\/h3>\n
Uncovering in Spring<\/h3>\n
If Covering Is Not an Option<\/h3>\n