Garden furniture is an important investment and is something that can make a huge difference to how you enjoy your outdoor space. Of course, garden furniture is designed and manufactured to be durable and long-lasting, but there is also an expectation that you, the user, will look after it and protect it. That means choosing a garden furniture cover, to make sure these items aren’t left exposed all winter and can be stored outside in the knowledge that when you uncover them again the following Spring, they are in the same condition and ready to be enjoyed again.
But what do you need to consider when browsing and selecting garden furniture covers? Everyone’s outdoor space is different and exposed to different challenges and conditions, but there are specific considerations which can make all the difference and which can maximise the effectiveness and lifespan of your garden furniture, and in this guide we will talk through all the factors you need to think about.
Location
Where you store your garden furniture over the winter months can influence what standard of cover you need. So is your garden furniture highly exposed to wind and rain, or can it be stored in a corner which offers some shelter? Is the cover likely to be under a tree with lots of damp leaves falling on it? These can affect whether you opt for a premium cover with strong weatherproof qualities, or whether you need a deluxe stronger weatherproof and breathable cover. You also need to consider what your garden furniture will be stood on. If you can store it on concrete or stone, or on some decking, this shouldn’t affect the performance of the cover, but storing it on grass or land that can become muddy may impact on the cover’s performance and mean you need the very strongest cover possible. Ideally, when you cover your furniture up, the cover should not be touching the ground at all, this ensures there is space for air to circulate under the cover, but it also protects the cover and maintains its performance. Eyelets and a strong draw cord help to prevent this.
Check the full range
Make sure you browse the full range of outdoor furniture covers available to find the right product, rather than simply opting for the closest size to your requirements. It is possible to get made-to-measure covers which can be manufactured to the exact dimensions of your furniture, although these will come with a longer lead time than an off-the-shelf product.
Measure accurately
It is important that you measure your furniture accurately, but bearing in mind that the dimensions offered for covers are usually the internal dimensions. So you need to allow a few millimetres of room to manoeuvre the cover over your furniture and also to allow air to circulate. It is inevitable that condensation will form over the winter months. This is caused by temperature changes and there is nothing you can do to prevent this. It is advisable to periodically remove the cover on a dry day over winter to allow the furniture to breathe. So add a few millimetres onto your dimensions to ensure the furniture can be comfortably covered and air can circulate, but at the same time, don’t over-compensate and end up with a cover that is way too big. This will lead to material trailing on the ground and water pooling on top when it rains. Over time, this can impact on the cover’s performance. Over-sized covers and excess material will also catch the wind more and can become displaced to expose your garden furniture in high winds.
Colour
There is a range of colours available for each cover, and the most common are colours such as green, grey and black, which are able to be matched to the colour of the furniture and/or other features of the garden, such as decking and fencing. At Bags & Covers we can supply covers in 11 different colours, and while the colour of the fabric may fade over a number of years, this won’t reduce the effectiveness of the fabric in terms of protection.
Don’t stack too much
Many people try to stack furniture to enable it to be stored together, such as chairs and tables. This can make a ‘package’ size irregular and hard to effectively cover, and inevitably will lead to poor coverage and water pooling. It is also possible that these items will move in high winds, which could damage the furniture and the cover. Ideally you should cover each individual item with its own specially designed cover, this is the most effective way to protect them.
Order online with Bags & Covers
At Bags & Covers we have an extensive range of specialist outdoor furniture covers, all with sealed seams to prevent water penetration and with eyelets and draw cords around the base. These are also for the most common items such as round tables, rectangular tables, garden chairs, Rattan sofas, benches and picnic tables, and also for items such as barbecues, firepits, parasols, rotary dryers, hot tubs and pet hutches. These all vary in size, but have a general shape which we can accommodate with superior or deluxe weatherproof covers. Our round table covers, for example, come in 21 different sizes ranging from 470mm x 510mm to 890mm x 3000mm. And if you can’t find the size you need within this range, you can opt for a made-to-measure cover and get an instant price on our website.
So check out our range online and order direct using our simple order processing system and make sure your garden furniture is protected to bring years of summer enjoyment.