During the most beautiful days of the year, lounging on your deck or lawn in comfortable outdoor furniture is the place to be. At Lawn and Leisure, we create furniture to make these moments as comfortable as can be, but during bad-weather months and seasons, it is crucial to know how to protect your outdoor furniture from the elements.Â
The most common-sense thing to do when inclement weather is forecast is, of course, to move your furniture indoors so that it will not be exposed to the elements. Outdoor furniture is designed to withstand sunshine, rain, wind, and snow, but the lifespan of your furniture will be severely diminished if you do not take appropriate care of it. Consistent exposure to bad weather can decrease the state of your furniture by three to five years. So, when you check your phone and see that bad weather is coming, do not hesitate to move your furniture inside.
If you do not have the option to move your furniture inside because you do not have enough space or a safe place to put it, the next best thing to do is to cover your furniture with a tarp or a waterproof furniture cover. Although this may seem fairly simple, using any old tarp or cover can still result in your furniture becoming wet or dirty. The best way to go using tarps or covers to protect furniture from inclimate weather is to measure the dimensions of your furniture and buy tarps or furniture covers that fit those dimensions.
One main concern of outdoor furniture owners is that their furniture will be blown over by wind. To help prevent your furniture from being blown over, the simplest thing you can do is to place your furniture on a deck or patio rather than a lawn where it is more susceptible to being blown over.
The reason for this is that patios and decks are generally closer to the house. The house will provide a wall of protection that a typical lawn does not have. If your furniture is blown over on a lawn, it could become engrossed in mud and water which will further decrease the lifespan of your furniture.
If your furniture is still being blown over even after you have moved it to your deck or patio, you can instill further protection by weighing it down with sandbags or water-filled plastic containers. You can find sandbags at virtually every home-appliance store. It is not necessary to get extremely heavy sandbags because all you want to ensure is that your furniture does not get blown over by the wind. If you want to save a trip to the store, filling up plastic containers with water is an easy and practical way to keep your furniture from leaving the ground. You can simply go through your recycling and look for containers that are larger enough to do the job.
The most secure way to keep your furniture from blowing over is to use hurricane straps or tie downs. Hurricane straps are metal ties that are typically used for keeping your roof trusses attached to your house. They are one of the most integral construction supports of any home, and they will keep your furniture in place for as long as you need. The best place to install hurricane straps is on a deck as the straps can easily be placed and drilled into the wood. If your deck is old, rotting, and in need of replacement, furniture straps are not the way to go as they will require several drills to be input. When your deck is refurbished with fresh wood, the straps will be much more comfortable and easy to put in. If you believe furniture straps to be unnecessary, tie downs are a simple and easy way to keep your furniture from the power of the wind. Tie downs are typically made out of rubber or polyester and they are incredibly easy to use. All you have to do is wrap your ties around the legs of your furniture and tighten them with a ratchet or by looping them around several times. The best thing about tie downs, is that they are not permanent and can easily be taken off during summer months when the sun is shining. So, if you experience a lot of bad weather, hurricane straps might be the way to go as you will have to input them one time and one time only. If you live in an area with weather that changes quickly from good to bad, tie downs might be the way to go as you can install them and uninstall them with ease.
When living in an area with lots of rain and snow, you should be looking for outdoor furniture that is made with a weather-resistant finish. These finishes will generally be made out of powder-coated metal or teak. This material will protect your outdoor furniture from the most dire of elements and keep your furniture looking brand new for a long time. At Lawn and Leisure, we have a variety of powder-coated metal and teak products that will ensure both comfort, beauty, and sustainability in your outdoor living area.
As stated in the first paragraph, the best thing that you can do for your furniture is to place it inside where it will not be exposed to the elements. Most people don’t like having to put their outdoor furniture inside their homes, so the best place to put it is in your garage or shed. This will keep the furniture protected from the elements and it will not create an unwanted eyesore in your home.
Outdoor furniture will add comfort, convenience, and value to any home. In order to keep your furniture looking brand new, you cannot go wrong with placing it in your home, or preferably, your shed or garage when experiencing inclimate weather. This is especially true if you live in areas where bad weather is all too common. On the other hand, if you live in an area where the weather fluctuates, investing in sand bags, hurricane straps, or tie downs will protect your weather from the wind and keep it from blowing over. If you want to go homemade, you can simply fill up plastic containers and place them on the legs of your furniture to prevent the wind from blowing them over. In addition to ensuring that your furniture is secure, you will also want to ensure that it is dry by using tarps or furniture covers that are fit to the measurements of your furniture. Lastly, if you have yet to buy outdoor furniture from your home, you should be looking for furniture that is made out of powder-coated metal or teak. These materials will help sustain the longevity of your furniture and will prevent the elements from taking their toll. We have the materials and knowledge at Lawn and Leisure to help you select new outdoor furniture or help you keep your existing furniture looking and feeling pristine.