It is a time of year that very few people enjoy and many are completely in denial of, but the end of summer comes very quickly and we need to be prepared. Once August is over the nights become darker and the early mornings much colder, and while September often brings what we call an “Indian summer” and it is still pleasant to sit out in our gardens and use our garden furniture, the countdown is well and truly on to the point where we have to cover up and protect our garden furniture for the winter once again.
We usually make this decision in October when one rainy day too many leads us to conclude that the good weather has finally gone, but in truth we need to start thinking about protecting our garden furniture now. This process involves cleaning and maintaining our garden furniture and also ordering suitable garden furniture covers to protect it over the long winter months.
Why do we need to protect our garden furniture over winter?
We may be happy that our garden furniture is strong and sufficiently robust to withstand the worst of what the British weather can throw at it from October through to next March/April, but the truth is most garden furniture will start to deteriorate if not protected and this is not always visibly noticeable. Given we invest quite significantly in garden furniture and it gives us so much pleasure, it is negligent not to protect it properly, and doing so will extend its lifecycle so we can enjoy it for longer and achieve good value for money.
In addition to the cold and wet weather that comes over Autumn and Winter, trees and bushes will shed their leaves too and vegetation can rot away and damage our garden furniture, and if it is stood on grass, this can become permanently wet and saturated and can lead to paint or structural damage, particularly if the garden furniture is wooden.
How to clean and maintain our garden furniture
Dry - Before packing away our chairs, tables, bench, picnic table, barbecue or firepit, make sure it is dry. Under cover any moisture will take longer to dry and can start to deteriorate the condition of our garden furniture without you seeing it. So make sure everything is dry before it gets covered up.
Ground – Where possible store the garden furniture off-ground, or at least off wet ground such as grass. In some cases the garden furniture cover will assist with this.
Clean – Give the garden furniture a good clean before packing it away, dirt or stains left can eat into the structure of some materials, and if a barbecue hasn’t been cleaned since that large family gathering we catered for then who knows what we will find when we uncover it next Spring? Clean and dry everything thoroughly and use specialist cleaning materials where necessary, always consulting manufacturer’s advice.
How to cover our garden furniture for the winter
- Choose – Choose the right type of material for a garden furniture cover. For items that are exposed and in harsh conditions, a deluxe stronger cover that is waterproof and breathable may be necessary, for items which are more sheltered and less exposed, a premium strong waterproof cover may suffice. If moisture will start to affect the garden furniture, make sure the cover chosen is breathable. This will help air circulate.
- Size – Size matters where garden furniture covers are concerned. We want to minimise the amount of excess material which can be caught by the wind and rain and potentially uncover the garden furniture when the weather is at its worst. So measure carefully and consider the Bags & Covers Direct made-to-measure service if this is the best solution.
- Secure – Take the time to cover the garden furniture properly to ensure everything is protected, including feet on the ground. Use the eyelets and string where present to draw the bottom of the cover together, this helps to secure the cover and prevent exposure.
Order your garden furniture covers online today
So get prepared for winter and order your garden furniture covers from the vast range supplied by Bags & Covers Direct online today. We have lots of information to help with your choice including dimensions and material specifications, so check out our range and get ready for winter today.