No matter where you live, at some point you’ll need to protect your outdoor furniture. The rain and snow can damage your patio furniture, but so can extreme heat and even salt water. When it comes to purchasing outdoor furniture covers, you need to make sure that you’re buying the very best ones. Patio furniture isn’t cheap, so in order to make yours last for years, you need to find covers that protect each piece properly. Before you run out to purchase covers for your patio furniture, make sure that you know what the best ones need to have. Here are five important things to look for when shopping for the best outdoor furniture covers.
1) Outdoor Furniture Covers Must Be Made of Breathable Fabric
The very first characteristic of well-made outdoor furniture covers is the fabric that they’re made of. This fabric should be breathable, yet protective. Although some people may think that a plastic tarp is an acceptable option, it isn’t for this very reason – a tarp isn’t made of breathable fabric. Why does this matter? Because breathable fabric lets air in and out, which can keep mildew and mold from setting in. A cover made of non-breathable fabric can trap in moisture, which can damage your table and chairs, especially if you live in a damp or humid climate. Yes, even humidity can hurt your outdoor items, particularly if they are made of wood. Wood has a tendency to warp easily if it’s trapped in a moist environment.
2) Use Water Resistant Patio Chair Covers
Patio chair covers, well, to be honest – all outdoor furniture covers – should be made of fabric that’s water resistant as well. You can tell that the covers are water resistant by looking at them after spraying liquid on them. If it beads up and doesn’t soak in, then you’re good to go. If your garden furniture covers just soak up the liquid, then they could be transferring it to the very things that they are supposed to protect. When you combine that with non-breathable fabric, then you’re doing more damage to your furniture by covering them than you would be if you left them out in the open. If you don’t want to test your furniture covers, then read their labels carefully to ensure that they are made of water-resistant cloth. They should have that information prominently displayed.
3) The Small Details Matter When It Comes To Garden Furniture Covers
Good, well-crafted garden furniture covers are made with thoughtful and planned out details. They have crisp corners and properly sewn seams. Some even have zippers to make it easier to cover every single part of your patio furniture. It’s clear that some care was put into designing and fabricating well-made outdoor furniture covers. The inexpensive ones won’t have zippers, cleanly sewn seams, or any of the details of the well-made ones. They also won’t protect your furniture as well. Take the time to pick out the best patio chair covers, and that includes looking for signs that are worth purchasing. The best covers are as attractive as the items that they’re protecting. They’ll look good on your patio or deck, even if they’re covered in several inches of snow.
4) Chaise Lounge Covers Should Have Warranties
Warranties are usually available for electronics and other expensive goods. It isn’t common to find a company making outdoor furniture covers that offers one. However, a warranty is also proof that the business stands behind their work. Even chaise lounge covers should have a warranty attached to them. These documents are proof that the company cares about their customers and their furniture – enough to cover manufacturer defects and other issues that might erupt during standard use. Companies that make outdoor furniture covers, but don’t offer a warranty, may not pay close attention to their manufacturing process. They should be avoided, simply because their outdoor furniture covers may not offer the right amount of protection. There’s no way to know what other type of corners might be cut. And that’s scary when you own hundreds of dollars worth of patio furniture.
5) A Patio Set Cover Must Fit Properly
Last, but far from least, a patio set cover should fit your furniture properly. The best covers have a number of designs for different styles of chairs and tables. These outdoor furniture covers fit your items snugly, and may even cover the every single part of the chair or table, from the top to the bottom of the feet. This ensures that your furniture is properly protected; not a single part of it is exposed to the elements. A patio set cover that fits loosely may leave your items exposed to rain and snow, especially it is isn’t anchored properly and the wind blows it loose. Do you really want to trudge out into six inches of snow to reset your cover? The odd are: no. And, so you leave your furniture exposed until you can get outside safely. During that period of time, they can become damaged. It’s better just to get covers that fit right, for that peace of mind.
Conclusion
Outdoor furniture covers need to fit these five different criteria. They should be made of breathable fabric. That fabric should also be water resistant, not the type of material that allows water to soak in and harm your furniture. The covers should be well made and have the types of small details that are indicative of solid craftsmanship. A warranty should be included with each cover, just in case there are manufacturing defects. Also, the covers need to fit each piece of furniture correctly. Does this sound like your current garden furniture covers? If not, then look no further than Hentex. We sell a number of different styles and types of outdoor covers, and every single one fits into these five categories. If you have any questions about our products or are ready to purchase some to protect your precious patio furniture, please check out our website or give us a call today.