It is unlikely you will find any garden furniture that doesn’t require some kind of maintenance, especially over the winter months. Let’s face it, following a rough winter the last thing you want is to sit on your garden chairs and for them to fall apart. After recently working on a restoration project to try and save a friends garden furniture set, I can tell you from first hand experience it isn’t easy! To prevent this, just follow these steps and get your furniture ready to make the most of the long summer days – while they last!
General Maintenance
For the best protection for your garden furniture set, it is always recommended to keep it covered. Tarpaulin is cheap and will protect your set from all of the elements. Although rain is the most likely weather to damage in the UK (lucky us), if by chance we do receive the odd bit of sunlight, it can actually discolour your furniture. So, if you aren’t outside making the most of the weather, keep your furniture covered where possible.
During the winter months, all three of the types of furniture I will be discussing are recommended to be stored away for the best protection. If you wanted furniture that could be kept outside all year round, with cover advised, aluminium or duraboard furniture would be the best options.
Wooden Furniture
For the more traditional look, you can’t beat a wooden furniture set. It’s long lasting, sturdy and looks good in any garden. As it is such a natural material, the care is slightly more complex – but if I can do it anyone can! The furniture can simply be wiped down to remove any dirt, but to seal the wood each year and keep that rich colour, it would need to be re-stained yearly. To do this, simply wipe down the furniture (or use your garden hose) and leave to dry overnight. Use a quality stain or oil, use a 3” paint brush and go for it! There aren’t really any rules, but just double check each area is thoroughly covered. Give at least another day to let it dry and you’re good to go for the rest of the year!
Rattan Furniture
This upcoming modern furniture design is extremely low maintenance and easy to clean. Most other natural materials need to be treated every year with a range of oils and preservatives, whereas Rattan lasts for an amazing amount of time without maintenance. Just lightly brush the pieces to remove any dust, and in case of dirt, wiping with a wet cloth does the trick. Although, a lot of rattan furniture does have steel frames so anti-rust solutions would be advised to prevent any rust from developing over time.
Plastic Sets
The benefits of plastic furniture are that it doesn’t cost much, but as many people think plastic can’t be damaged it does just sit out for months and getting attacked by all the elements. Yet, with a little care this cheaper option can last just as well as its competitors. Plastic furniture can fade and become slightly brittle over time, so to prevent this, wash down chairs and tables with a multi-purpose cleaner that isn’t abrasive to keep it looking new. With white plastic, it can go slightly yellow over time and so with this a slightly abrasive cleaner would be recommended.
So, this proves that if you keep up to date with your garden furniture maintenance it can actually be far easier than you think. All of this is weather and location dependent. If you love your garden furniture Manchester may seem like a silly place to have it, with all the rain! However when you follow these maintenance tips, you will be able to have outdoor furniture in any location! All it often needs is a little bit of TLC and your favourite garden features will be good as new for plenty of summers.
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