Cover dining chairs with plastic by cleaning and thoroughly drying them first, padding the legs and any exposed corners, then wrapping each chair individually in polythene sheeting or stretch film, working from the legs upwards and finishing at the back rest. Secure the film to itself rather than to the chair, and leave a small opening at the base so air can move. Never wrap a chair that is even slightly damp, and never leave plastic on upholstery or leather for months at a time.<\/p>\n
Plastic is a short term protective layer for moving, decorating or temporary storage. It is not a long term solution, and understanding why is the difference between a chair that emerges clean and one that emerges spotted with mould.<\/p>\n
There are three situations where wrapping chairs in plastic genuinely helps.<\/p>\n
The first is a house move. Plastic keeps upholstery clean in a van, stops fabric snagging on other items, and holds loose parts together.<\/p>\n
The second is decorating. Paint spray and plaster dust travel much further than people expect, and a wrapped chair is far easier to deal with than a chair that has been speckled.<\/p>\n
The third is short term storage of a few weeks, particularly in a dry room in the house rather than a garage or loft.<\/p>\n
Outside those situations, a breathable cotton dust sheet is almost always the better option.<\/p>\n
Polythene sheeting on a roll is the most useful material for full chairs. A medium gauge sheet gives enough strength without being unwieldy, and you can cut it to size for each chair.<\/p>\n
Stretch film, the clingy wrap sold on hand rolls, is excellent for holding sheeting in place and for wrapping legs. Used on its own it seals very tightly, which is exactly the problem discussed further down, so treat it as a fastening rather than as the whole cover.<\/p>\n
Bubble wrap suits carved backs, delicate finials and anything that might knock against a doorway. Use it as padding under the plastic layer, not as the outer layer.<\/p>\n
Ready made furniture covers with elasticated openings are the tidiest option for a set of chairs and can be reused. Many are made from a woven polypropylene that offers some breathability, which makes them safer for longer periods.<\/p>\n
Whatever you use, add some soft padding: old towels, blankets or foam offcuts around legs and corners. Plastic protects against dirt, not against impact.<\/p>\n
Clean each chair properly before wrapping. Vacuum upholstery with a brush attachment, paying attention to the join between seat and back. Wipe timber and metal with a barely damp cloth and let it dry fully.<\/p>\n
Drying is the step people skip. Any moisture sealed inside plastic has nowhere to go and will condense on the surface as temperatures change, which is how mould gets started on a chair that was perfectly clean when it was packed.<\/p>\n
Remove drop in seat pads and wrap them separately. They stack neatly, they dry more reliably, and it means the plastic sits against a simpler shape.<\/p>\n
Take off loose cushions and ties, and note which chair they came from if the set is not identical.<\/p>\n
Stand the chair on a clean floor. Wrap each leg individually with stretch film from the foot upwards, adding a folded cloth around the foot if the floor at the other end is hard.<\/p>\n
Cut a piece of polythene large enough to cover the whole chair with generous overlap. Drape it over the back and pull it down evenly on all sides.<\/p>\n
Gather the sheeting under the seat and secure it with stretch film wound around the seat rails. Wind the film onto itself where possible so no adhesive or tension is applied directly to a polished or upholstered surface.<\/p>\n
Work up the back rest, smoothing the plastic as you go and adding film around the uprights to hold the shape. Keep the film snug rather than tight: a taut wrap presses the plastic into the fabric and can leave a sheen on velvet or a mark on leather.<\/p>\n
Leave the very bottom of the wrap open, or cut two or three small slits near the base. This single detail lets air circulate and dramatically reduces condensation.<\/p>\n
Label each chair on the outside of the plastic. Tape a note to the film rather than to the chair itself.<\/p>\n
Three problems come up repeatedly.<\/p>\n
Trapped moisture is the most common. Sealed plastic creates a small microclimate, and every temperature swing produces condensation on the inside of the film. On fabric this leads to musty smells and mildew, and on timber it can lift a finish.<\/p>\n
Surface reaction is the second. Some plastics contain plasticisers that can react with lacquered, painted and coated finishes when in contact for long periods, especially in warm conditions. The result is a tacky or clouded patch that is difficult to remove. Placing a cotton sheet between the plastic and the finish avoids this entirely.<\/p>\n
Compression marks are the third. Stretch film pulled tightly across velvet, chenille or boucl\u00e9 flattens the pile, and while the mark often relaxes over a few days, it does not always recover fully.<\/p>\n
Leather deserves particular caution. It needs air, and sealing it under plastic for months can dry it out or leave the surface sticky. If leather chairs need storing for any length of time, use breathable covers and keep them somewhere with stable temperature. Our advice on caring for modern leather dining chairs UK<\/a> applies equally to storage: air matters more than sealing.<\/p>\n As a working rule, plastic is fine for days and acceptable for a few weeks in a dry indoor space. Beyond a month, swap to breathable covers.<\/p>\n For garage, loft or unheated storage, avoid sealed plastic altogether. Those spaces experience large daily temperature swings, which is precisely the condition that produces condensation. Use cotton dust sheets over the furniture and raise everything off a concrete floor on battens or pallets, since concrete draws moisture upwards.<\/p>\n If you must use plastic in a garage, leave the base fully open and check the chairs monthly.<\/p>\n Unwrap chairs as soon as they arrive at their destination rather than leaving them wrapped in a corner. Let them stand in the room for a day before use so timber and upholstery can acclimatise.<\/p>\n Vacuum upholstery again once unwrapped, and give timber a light wax or a dry buff. If any musty smell has developed, air the chairs in a well ventilated room rather than reaching for a spray, which usually masks rather than removes it.<\/p>\n Fold reusable covers and keep them: a set of furniture covers earns its place in a cupboard and saves buying rolls of film for every project.<\/p>\n Sometimes the better answer is to reduce the number of chairs that need storing. Stacking chairs, folding chairs and a bench that tucks under the table all take far less room than six wrapped dining chairs, and a bench in particular suits smaller UK dining rooms where seating has to disappear when not in use. Our modern dining benches UK sale<\/a> range is worth a look if seating storage is a recurring problem, and the wider dining chairs UK<\/a> selection includes lighter frames that are simpler to move and protect. Furniture in Fashion<\/a> delivers with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes, and Returns are available up to 30 days.<\/p>\n No. Sealed plastic traps moisture, which leads to condensation, musty smells and mildew on upholstery. It can also react with some finishes over time. Use plastic for days or a few weeks, then switch to breathable cotton covers.<\/p>\n Medium gauge polythene sheeting for the body of the chair, with stretch film to hold it in place and to wrap the legs. Add bubble wrap or folded blankets under the plastic on corners and carved detail, since plastic protects against dirt rather than impact.<\/p>\n It can if left on for long periods. Leather needs air, and sealing it can dry the hide or leave the surface tacky, particularly in warm conditions. Place a cotton sheet between the leather and the plastic and keep the wrapping period short.<\/p>\n Make sure the chairs are completely dry before wrapping, leave the base of the wrap open or cut small slits near the bottom, and store the chairs somewhere with a stable temperature rather than a garage or loft.<\/p>\n For decorating, plastic is better because paint and plaster dust pass through woven cotton. Wrap for the duration of the work only, then remove the plastic as soon as the room is finished and the dust has settled.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Wrapping dining chairs in plastic is straightforward, but doing it badly causes more harm than leaving the chairs uncovered. This guide explains when plastic is the right choice, namely house moves, decorating and short indoor storage, and when a breathable cotton dust sheet is the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":60584,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3334],"tags":[10,902,93,139],"class_list":["post-60583","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to-guide-for-your-home","tag-dining-chairs","tag-furniture-care","tag-moving-home","tag-storage"],"acf":[],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60583","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60583"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60583\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60583"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60583"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60583"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}How Long Is Too Long?<\/h3>\n
Unwrapping And Aftercare<\/h3>\n
Storage That Avoids Wrapping Altogether<\/h3>\n
Frequently Asked Questions<\/h3>\n
Can I leave plastic covers on dining chairs permanently?<\/h3>\n
What is the best plastic to cover dining chairs for a move?<\/h3>\n
Will plastic damage leather dining chairs?<\/h3>\n
How do I stop condensation forming under the plastic?<\/h3>\n
Is plastic better than a dust sheet for decorating?<\/h3>\n