If you live in an area likely to be hit hard with Winter, it might be time to learn how to store your outdoor furniture better.
The quick answer to when to store patio furniture is during the winter months. As much as the outdoor furniture would be designed to handle the outdoor weather, some elements can be tough, especially during winter.
If you want your patio furniture to last longer, you need to store it in a secure and climate-controlled area.
6 Key Benefits of Storing Furniture From Winter Elements
Now that you know when it is the best time to store patio furniture, what are the benefits associated with storing your furniture better? This should help you understand the importance of storing your furniture in winter.
- Minimizing damage
Patio furniture can be made of different materials. Some of these materials can easily get damaged during winter because of the freezing temperatures, ice, and snow.
As much as some of the materials are considered weather-resistant, sometimes the winter elements can be too hard on them. It is why some patio furniture can crack, rust, or become too brittle when exposed to winter a lot.
- Extending the patio furniture’s life
If you ever want your patio furniture to last longer, you may want to consider storing it better during winter. Some materials can easily fade, rust, or get damaged one way or another. So, if you can take good care of your patio furniture, you should end up with durable outdoor furniture.
- Protecting your upholstery
Other than protecting the frame material, you should also consider the patio furniture upholstery. They include cushions, pillows, umbrellas, and more. They too need proper washing and then stored during the long winter months.
Proper storage will always keep the upholstery looking great for many years down the line.
- Preventing rust and oxidation
Let us say your outdoor furniture is made of materials such as aluminum or wrought iron. Such materials can also be damaged with continuous exposure to snow and ice. Some materials can easily rust while others lose their sturdiness and integrity.
If you consider storing the patio furniture correctly, it is possible to prevent rust and oxidation leaving your furniture looking great.
- The storage units are more effective
As much as patio furniture covers are important, they are not as effective as storage units during winter. You are likely to get some level of protection from possible damage, but the furniture is still exposed to freezing temperatures.
So, consider getting your patio furniture good storage units proper control of the temperature to keep the furniture from being exposed to low temperatures all the time.
- Protecting your patio furniture investment
If you think about it, patio furniture is not the cheapest type. So, taking good care of the patio furniture is a way of protecting your investment. There will be no need for buying new patio furniture all the time.
7 Storage Ideas for Different Types of Patio Furniture
Outdoor furniture can be made of different materials. Each material would have different maintenance needs and winterizing processes. So, below I look at the different materials and how best to prepare their storage during winter.
- Wood
Wood does not like moisture, so you may have to consider sealing any cracks the wood might have. Whenever the temperature drops, the chances are moisture will start to freeze in the cracks and ridges leading to more damage.
To prevent the wood from cracking, use protective sealants and furniture oil to seal the wood better. Make sure to properly clean wood furniture before apply sealants.
Consider using a soft brush to rub furniture oil onto the furniture’s surface. Applying a sealant might also be necessary to keep the moisture from getting into the wood.
Depending on where you are located, sometimes the moisture can lead to mold and mildew.
If you have teak outdoor furniture, it will require extra care. As much as it is a more durable wood type, it will attract mold and mildew easily, so take care of it better.
- Plastic
Freezing temperatures can make the plastic patio furniture brittle. This is because the ever-changing temperatures can wear down the plastic’s integrity. This will eventually lead to breaking and cracking.
Washing plastic patio furniture is not hard. Use your mild soap with water to clean any of the dirt before storing the outdoor furniture.
- Wicker
The two main wicker materials including natural rattan and synthetic. Natural rattan wicker tends to splinter after some time. So, it is likely to need extra care when washing it. As such, it is not advisable to wash natural rattan wicker more often to avoid splintering cases.
Synthetic wicker is made of UV and weather-resistant materials. Such a feature makes the material more durable generally. In most cases, you simply hose it down with water and let it dry. You could use a towel to dry the furniture completely.
- Aluminum
Rust is not an issue with aluminum material. However, the frame is likely to have holes that would let water into the patio furniture. As such, this water can weaken the frame when it freezes and melts. So, ensure the aluminum outdoor furniture does not have any water in the frame before storage.
- Wrought Iron
Well, you should be worried about possible rust when the outdoor furniture is made of wrought iron. So long as it is left exposed to the elements for months, the chances of rusting are high.
There are some outdoor wrought iron furniture that would have rust-resistant coatings. This would make them hold up to the elements better. However, properly clean the furniture removing any droppings and dirt before storage.
- Natural Stone
If you are hoping to get a rustic look for your patio, including natural stone furniture might be necessary. These stones are mostly porous, so they should easily hold water. When water freezes, then it is easy to see the stone will crack.
Simply rinse the furniture to remove as much dirt as possible before storage.
- Fabric
You also have to clean outdoor furniture fabrics such as cushions, umbrellas, pillows, and curtains before storage. Most of these outdoor fabrics are designed to be weather resistant and would be stronger than what you get with as interior fabric.
You simply have to clean these fabrics to remove any dirt and let the fabrics dry before storing them. This means that come spring, you will also have clean fabric to use with your outdoor furniture.
Conclusion
Patio furniture is like any other type of furniture. It needs the best protection during winter. So, it would be great if you followed the tips and ideas mentioned above to store your patio furniture better.