Protecting garden furniture over an Irish winter

Garden furniture covers are the simplest protection, but a cover only helps if it suits the furniture underneath and you know what is better brought indoors instead.

Start with the damp, not just the rain

Rain is the obvious enemy, but trapped moisture does as much harm. The Outdoor Scene’s own advice on its furniture covers category is blunt: a fabric like PVC or vinyl placed directly over garden furniture without proper ventilation will most likely lead to a build up of mould and mildew on the furniture.

That is the main rule for the whole winter. A cover should keep rain off and let air move. A cheap plastic sheet pulled tight over a wet table does the opposite: it holds the damp against the surface for weeks.

So before anything goes on:

• Wipe the furniture down and let it dry completely. Choose a dry, breezy day if you can.
• Take off every cushion, parasol and loose accessory.
• Check the cover for tears and pooled water from the last use, and shake it out.
• Fit the cover so water runs off rather than sitting in a sag on top.

What to cover, store or bring in

A rough sorting guide for a typical Irish garden:

Item	Best winter option
Frames and tables	Breathable cover, left outside
Cushions and pads	Dry storage box or indoors
Parasols and fabric shades	Indoors or in a shed
Barbecue	Fitted cover, or indoors if you have space
Lightweight chairs	Stack and cover, or store in a shed

The principle is simple: hard frames can usually take the weather with a good cover, while anything soft, absorbent or padded should be kept dry and out of the damp.

Aluminium furniture

The aim with an aluminium set over winter is to keep dirt and standing water off the surface and stop the joints and fixings from sitting wet.

Wash the frame with mild soapy water, dry it, and put a breathable cover over the whole set. If you have an aluminium dining set, a fitted cover for the table and chairs together is easier than covering each piece. Always check the maker’s care instructions for the finish on your furniture, because powder coatings and brushed finishes can differ.

Rattan and weave furniture

Woven furniture has plenty of small gaps where water collects, and it takes a long time to dry. This is where breathable covers earn their place. Give the set a thorough dry before covering, and lift the cover on a dry day every few weeks to let the air in. If your set is small enough to fit in a shed, garage or conservatory, that is the safest place for it, because it avoids the weather altogether.

More on those below.

Teak and hardwood furniture

Teak and other hardwoods are better off not sitting wet for months. A breathable cover left loose enough for air to pass is the sensible choice. As with rattan, raise the legs off damp paving if you can, with a few offcuts or furniture feet, so the base does not wick up moisture. For the finish you want, follow the care advice from the maker or supplier of your set, since some owners oil their teak and others leave it to weather.

Choosing the right garden furniture covers

The furniture covers category at The Outdoor Scene lists covers by furniture shape, which is the quickest way to narrow the choice:

• Round dining set covers.
• Sofa covers for one, two and three seaters.
• Individual lounge chair covers.

Most come from two brands, Platinum and PEBL. The Platinum AeroCover range is built around airflow. Take the Platinum AeroCover Garden set cover 150, for a round dining set. Its page describes a lightweight ripstop polyester with a breathable membrane, which “reduces condensation and prevents mold and mildew build-up”. It measures 150cm in diameter and 85cm in height, and has a drawstring with two stoppers and a buckle to hold it in place. For a corner sofa, the Platinum AeroCover Garden Furniture Cover 350×275 and the Platinum AeroCover Garden Furniture cover 300×300 are made for L-shaped lounge sets.

Measure your furniture at its widest and tallest points before choosing, and pick the size that covers the whole set with a little room to spare. A cover that is too tight strains the seams and leaves no space for air.

Cushions: store them dry

There are two practical options.

Cushion bags. The covers category includes Platinum AeroCover cushion bags, in a small size (80x80xH60) and a large one (175x80x60cm). They suit a shed, garage or utility room.

Storage boxes. If the cushions need to stay outside, a lockable box is the better choice. The Biohort storage boxes are made for exactly this, and the range includes the LeisureTime, StyleBox and LoungeBox. The Biohort StyleBox Storage Box is described on its page as rainwater-proof and lockable, with a gas spring for the lid and a 20-year guarantee, and it comes in three metallic finishes: Quartz Grey, Dark Grey and Silver. Sizes run from 140x60x71cm to 207x80x81cm.

Dry the cushions fully before they go in, and keep the box ventilated where its design allows. Our post on the rainproof storage box explains why rainproof is often the more realistic aim than fully waterproof: outdoor storage has to manage ventilation and condensation as well as rain.

Covering the barbecue

A barbecue left out all winter takes a hammering from rain, wind and damp, so a properly fitted cover is worth having. Clean the grill and burners first, let everything cool and dry, then fit the cover. The barbecue covers category can be filtered by brand, including Beefeater, Broil King, Napoleon, Ooni, Platinum and Weber, and it lists covers for models such as Weber kettles, Napoleon Rogue and Prestige, Broil King Select and Regal, and the Monolith Classic. Find your barbecue’s brand and model, and choose the cover made for it.

Check your own barbecue’s manual for what it says about winter storage.

A simple winter routine

1. Clean and dry the furniture on a dry day.
2. Move cushions into a box, bag or indoors.
3. Fit breathable covers, with the fit snug but not tight.
4. Cover the barbecue with its own fitted cover.
5. Look under the covers once a month, and dry anything damp.