How to protect outdoor furniture

Discover effective strategies on how to protect outdoor furniture, ensuring it remains in pristine condition against the elements. This comprehensive guide covers everything from storage and covers to sealing and regular maintenance, providing the best ways to extend the life of your patio oasis.

Outdoor furniture can transform a yard or patio into a functional and beautiful oasis.

But, patio furniture can be expensive - or take a lot of effort to build. You definitely want to do everything that you can to keep it in good condition.

Protecting outdoor furniture falls into two categories: one is keeping the item out of the elements as much as possible, and the second is sealing it so it is more resistant to the elements when exposed.

Let's take a look at the best ways to protect your outdoor furniture!

How to protect outdoor furniture

Here are the steps to take to protect your outdoor furniture from the elements, from most aggressive to least aggressive.

Store

The most effective way to protect your outdoor furniture from the elements is also the least practical – put it into storage.

First of all, you need storage space large enough to hold your outdoor furniture. If it's just a plant stand, maybe no big deal. However, if you have a whole outdoor sectional or couches and chairs, this could be a big deal.

You obviously do not want to move your outdoor furniture in and out of storage all the time. So, this makes the most sense for the off-season.

If you live somewhere where it gets extremely cold in the winter and you will not be using the furniture anyways, consider moving into a storage space. This will protect it from the harsh winter elements and can help to prolong the life of your outdoor furniture.

But, if your circumstances don't perfectly aligned with storing your furniture, don't feel too bad, there are lots of other options.

Cover

The next best thing that you can do to protect your outdoor furniture is to cover it. This comes in two different forms.

Furniture covers

First of all, you could purchase covers to go over your furniture and protect each individual item.

We had covers that we ordered for outdoor sofa and chairs at our old house. This was nice because we got a lot of rain and it helped to keep the cushions from being wet when we went out there to use them.

However, it is kind of ugly, and it does sort of discourage people from going out there even if it's not that hard to pull the covers off.

This might be another option that's better for the off-season, and when they are more occasionally used. However, it is affordable and easy.

In lieu of actual furniture covers, you can use a tarp + bungee cords. These silver tarps are the best!

Roof covering

Your other option for covering outdoor furniture is actually to have a large cover over your entire seating area. This could be a roof over a screen porch, a pergola with a solid roof, or even a large outdoor umbrella or sunshade.

You're looking for something that will block the UV rays in moisture from getting on your furniture.

It's not gonna give you as complete protection compared to putting an actual cover on the item, but it will definitely help to protect them and keep them from getting gross and faded over time.

Seal

Whether your furniture can be covered or stored or not, I always recommend sealing anything that's going to go outdoors. Unsealed wood that is not meant for outdoors is really only going to last one season before it gets warped and rotten.

Applying a sealant is super easy and requires no special skills or tools. You can read our entire tutorial on how to seal wood furniture for outdoor use, but I promise it is super easy.

The thing about relying on a sealant to protect your wood is that you are going to have to reapply it most likely once a year to have it really be super effective. But, it's definitely worth your time to do so.

Treat fabric

In addition to sealing your wood furniture, you will also want to protect any cushions or fabric. I like to use an outdoor spray fabric sealant.

Our favorite outdoor fabric sealant is Scotchgard Outdoor Water Shield.

These are not as good as covers - the cushions will still get wet - but it makes small spills bead up and roll off instead of soak in. It's not perfect, but super super easy to apply and definitely worth the squeeze.

Protect other surfaces

You also will want to have a plan to seal your non-wood, non-fabric surfaces. This might include plastic, metal, or wicker. This Furniture Protectant Cleaning Spray is a great option for those surfaces.

The simple spray application makes it really easy to apply and use!

Clean

Finally, make a plan to clean your outdoor furniture. This falls into 2 categories: everyday and deep cleans.

Everyday cleaning

Have a plan for your regular, everyday cleaning of the patio space. This could include using a blower to blow off dirt and leaves, wiping the surface with a damp cloth, and removing sticks or other debris as soon as you notice it.

Keeping on top of every day cleaning between uses will help cut down on the frequency of deep cleaning that needs to be done.

Deep cleaning

Once a year or so, you will need to deep clean your patio furniture. The best time to do this is at either the beginning or the end of the outdoor season.

Our favorite way to do that is with a pressure washer.

You can actually pressure wash outdoor cushions, pillows, and rugs, too!

Once they are completely dry, treat them with a sealant or spray and then pack them up to store - or use - for the season!

You can test your surfaces to see if the sealant is still good by spraying on water. If it beads up and rolls off, you are good. If it soaks in quickly, it needs a new seal!

With the right care, your outdoor furniture can look great for years to come!