No matter the time of year, it’s always a good time to think of maintaining your patio furniture for the more pleasant months. These tips can help!
When spring rolls around, it’s time to break out the patio furniture for several months of entertaining, relaxing, and otherwise enjoying your backyard. Part of that involves caring for your patio furniture. Whether it’s wood, metal, wicker, plastic, or another substance, caring for your patio furniture ensures years of comfort, convenience, and long life. Implement these four tips to ensure your patio furniture stays in great shape.
Store It During the Winter Months
Part of protecting your patio furniture involves not exposing it to the cold, snow, and other nastier elements and conditions of winter. Leaving patio furniture outside and exposed to the elements can lead to warping, rust, and other damage. If you have a shed, garage, or other shelter on your property, stow it there from the end of fall to the beginning of spring. If you don’t have shelter, make sure you cover patio furniture with a tarp, and tie down lightweight pieces. Elevate the pieces as well to ensure they don’t encounter melting ice and snow.
Wipe It Down, Clean It Off
When you first set up your patio furniture, wipe it down with a microfiber cloth. This will absorb any moisture that’s collected on the surface. Next, use a solution of warm water and a gentle cleaner to wash the furniture and keep it free from grime and mildew. Cleaners are available for metal furniture, but generally, a warm water and soapy solution will be sufficient. Hose down and then dry off the furniture afterward. Repeat the process every few weeks.
Install a Protective Cover
If you have a porch, consider installing an awning, pergola, or lower roof to provide a better level of protection for the furniture. Constant coverage can protect it from the harmful effects of sunlight, rain, hail, sleet, and other forms of precipitation. Roofs and awnings also make the porch a more pleasant place to hang out for longer periods of time!
The Big Cover-Up!
Exposed wood, metal, plastic, fiberglass, and other materials handle the elements with different levels of durability. If you want patio furniture to last longer, cover these materials with a few coats of paint or a protective layer of stain, lacquer, sealant, or varnish. This practice enhances the beauty of your patio furniture while protecting it from much of what the great outdoors can throw at it. Powder coating protects many different products, including patio furniture. If you have the budget, consider investing in this coverage option.
Those are just four tips to ensure your patio furniture stays in great shape. Take care of your patio furniture, and it will provide years of use and enjoyment!