Another huge problem on my patios and patio furniture, aside from the elements, is the ever abundant (and not so friendly) bird droppings that if left, eat away at vinyl and plastic patio furniture and discolor and stain wood (even teak) and tarnish metal patio chairs. Before getting covers I also went through several patio cushions due to the un-toilet trained neighborhood birds.

Patio Furniture Covers for Protection

Prior to living in Spain, I spent many years in Asia where I had (in one home) two patios and where without patio furniture covers my teak lounge chairs and other furniture wouldn’t have lasted one monsoon or typhoon season, not because of storms and high winds, but just the daily constant drizzle and moisture in the air during certain months.

outdoor patio furniture sets made of wicker disintegrated before my eyes and literally turned into a pile of mush in less than 3 months. A patio furniture cover is well worth the price because otherwise every year or two (or less if it’s rattan or whicker) you find yourself wanting to buy new chairs and tables because even the plastic resin patio furniture becomes stained, mildewed and often cracked and unstable after a very short period of time if left exposed.

Covers To Slip on and Off

One of the things that is annoying about having to cover patio furniture is that they must be put on and taken off of each item, and so many of us will get lazy and not do it every night as we should.

There is a great solution to having to individually stretch a cover over each piece of patio furniture, and that is using a table and chair covers that are combined into one easy to toss covering over all the items together. All you have to do is set the furniture together and plop the cover over the group and you’re done. When shopping for them, they have many names but the most common is a patio set cover and they will come in specific sizes depending on your furniture models.

There are exact covers to perfectly match most of the common styles and brands, even the smaller bistro tables and chairs or the long lounge teak or resin sets that are odd shapes to cover.

An outdoor patio furniture cover for any kind of furniture should allow you to have like-new chairs and tables year after year, not to mention the fact that when you go to sit on your outdoor patio furniture they will be clean and not full of leaves, bird droppings, moisture, blackened with mildew or covered with fuzzy green mold or moss.

An outdoor furniture cover needn’t be a difficult thing to put on and remove quickly, and furniture covers needn’t only be for winter or inclement weather, but can be used at night or during the week when you spend less time outdoors. Slip them on, slip them off. Make it a habit.

Even if you have a patio that is covered and has a roof which extends over your porch or over a deck or patio area that appears to get less direct sun and rain, the furniture may still some added protection from wind and moisture and even subzero temperatures that can make patio chair cushions and other outdoor furniture becomes cracked, crinkly or crisp and not nice to sit on.

Covers can also protect fabric cushions without having to bring them inside every night.

When the patio heaters are not in use, it’s also a good idea to protect them with a patio heater cover even if the patio or deck is sheltered with an awning. Patio heater covers will protect the delicate elements of the heaters so they last longer.

Deck and Patio Coverings for Safety

Although you may have to cover you patio furniture no matter what style of patio or garden or deck or outdoor sitting space you have, one way to enjoy these outdoor spaces a lot more is by having aluminum patio covers installed as extensions of the roof. An aluminum patio cover or the many varieties of metal patio covers, or “alumawood” patio covers will give a durable protection not only to the wood deck or flooring of your patio, but prolong the life of your furniture and make your patio or deck or outdoor space much more inviting giving shade for the summer, protection from wind and rain and snow in the winter.

A covered patio or deck will also be less slippery to walk on, and this may be especially important if the deck or porch or patio is an extension of the front or back entrance to the house, or if there are children or seniors who may easily slip and fall.

Wood Patio Covers and Kits

Wood patio covers are can be an extension of the wood your house may be made of, so your patio cover will be a fluid extension and not stand out as if it was an afterthought. There are patio cover designs in wood that can be bought as patio cover kits and will include instructions on how to build a patio cover on your own. Patio cover kits and patio cover plans can also be used even if you plan on hiring a carpenter to do the work.

The “build a patio” packages are often less expensive and include all the hardware and wood so you will know in advance exactly how much it will cost you. To build a patio you will need some building expertise even if you buy a kit, however you can save some money and still have something left over to buy patio sets and patio covers.

There are many kits sold online that come with help lines and lots of support. Also there are packages available through your local building companies or home renovation and decorating centers. If possible try to find sales on these packages in the late fall or after the spring and summer yard and garden frenzy is over.

You can always store the materials and build in the summer, or simply do something odd, build your summer patio cover in the autumn and use it all through the winter but heating it a little with a few patio heaters or heat lamps. Who says barbeques must be only for summer?

In the spring, as we saunter through home improvement centers, garden centers or outdoor furniture retailers, and we see all the choices, we begin to think about buying a furniture cover or an outdoor patio cover because they’re in front of us. But that’s just a little too late.

By the time spring and summer come, our poor patio furniture has already taken a beating all fall and winter, and without covers or without a patio awning or other protection overhead, we already have a mess to clean up, a deck to renovate, or at least sand and polish, and a lot of chairs and a table to scrub or repair or toss in the garbage. It also means that we probably haven’t enjoyed more than half the year of using our deck or patio, and it means we never thought about buying a patio heater or an aluminum patio cover or about an enclosure so we could have barbeques and outdoor fun all year.

Maximize Patio Potential

Patio cover designs today are not just for summer heat or for protection against the sun, knowing how to build a patio and using the right materials and patio cover plans should allow for warmth and protection during the months when we most need a little fresh air and a break from being indoors – autumn and winter and even early spring.

With a little planning, a few outdoor patio furniture covers, a heat lamp, a retractable patio awning or an enclosure around your patio roof, you can maximize your deck or patio potential. The secret is to plan around what your needs are, what the weather is like in your region and what will be the best materials for quality construction of an outdoor space that is covered.

Patio Furniture Protection

You also need to know how to protect the furniture you already have so it lasts as long as possible. Waterproof patio furniture covers will help prevent corrosion or rust on your metal or wrought iron patio tables and chairs.

Even soft coverings that are not vinyl will protect outdoor furniture from dust, dirt, bird droppings and that fine layer of residue from pollen or mold, and also from the effects of the sun.

Just because your furniture doesn’t get wet or rained upon or snowed on doesn’t mean it can go without a cover.

Easy On, Easy Off Patio Covers

You need to find a patio furniture cover set that will be easy to put on and take off, something with an elastic and draw-cord around the bottom otherwise the covers may go unused.

Try to stay away from the patio covers that have lots of ties to do up and un-do, or the ones with rope that you have to thread through grommet holes. The simplest, lightest, most hassle free patio furniture covers are best.

Buy the ones you will actually USE all year.

Patio Chair Cushion Storage

Cushion storage bags to protect even the most expensive patio chairs are a good solution all year round. The bag can be left on the deck or patio to be able to easily slip the cushions into every day in summer.

For winter storage, pack the clean, dry cushions in the bag and store indoors. There are some rather stylish covers in khaki polyester or in vinyl that are hunter green in color. These elegant patio furniture covers are all water-resistance and yet allow your cushions and furniture some airflow.

If you select a cushion storage bag make sure these also have mesh vents for air flow to minimize mold and mildew should they be stored for long periods of time.