Unfortunately in the United Kingdom, winter almost always means endless amounts of rain. Not only is this a major inconvenience in general, it can also have a damaging impact on your garden, and the furniture in the garden, in particular. Leaving garden furniture unprotected over the winter will severely reduce its lifespan and may mean that it may need to be replaced sooner than you would like. In order to protect your garden furniture from the damaging effects of our wintery wet weather follow these steps!
Bring It Indoors
Taking your garden furniture indoors would be the ideal option to protect it from the harsh winter weather. Garages are great, and sheds might not keep the damp away, but it would make a big difference. You should bring them indoors when you know that you won’t need them for the rest of the year in order that you don’t put it off and forget the job. Of course, however, many people do not have the space to store their garden furniture indoors over the course of winter, so other solutions are also viable.
Plastic Covers
Plastic covers are one of the easiest way to protect your garden furniture from the wintery wet weather. They are inexpensive and widely available online and from different garden stores. They are also a quick fix that require very little time or effort. The only negative aspects of plastic furniture covers are that you must remember to put them on and that it may be difficult to locate them for awkwardly shaped and sized garden furniture. You should also cover your BBQ in order to prevent rust damage that could be caused by the wet weather.
Use a Treatment
You should ideally treat your patio furniture with a specialist protective varnish when you buy it anyway in order to increase its longevity and making it last longer. Treating the furniture with a specialist varnish will provide it with a water-repellent layer and can also allow you to modify the colour of your furniture. The treatment you use should depend on the finish you want on your furniture, but you should ideally choose one that will protect against fungi and rot as well as acting as a sealant. Of course, this is only a suitable option for wooden garden furniture.
Use a Protective Paint
For metal garden furniture, a protective paint is the equivalent to a wood treatment. This should be reapplied every two to three years to ensure that the coating is still weatherproof and doing its job of protecting the furniture. The great thing about this paint is that it allows you to change the colour scheme of your garden, too!
Do you have any tips on how to protect garden furniture from the wet wintery weather or how you can revive any weather damaged furniture? Share your tips and tricks in the comments!
