How to Store Patio Furniture in Winter

If you live in a cold area and have patio furniture, it’s critical to store it properly when winter comes around. Forgetting this process can lead to damage and destruction to your patio furniture. If you want to protect your patio furniture from harsh winters, you might wonder – how can you store patio furniture in the winter?

Read on to learn more about the best way to store patio furniture in the winter. With the right steps, you can safeguard your furniture in the coldest times of the year. It’s worth the effort when the months warm up! There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started.

Wood Outdoor Furniture

Many people have wood furniture outside. There are many steps you need to follow if you want to provide a defense for your wood furniture in the colder months. Moisture will destroy wood furniture if left without protection.

If your wood furniture has moisture inside the wood fibers and the temperature drops to below freezing, the water will freeze and expand and cause the wood to crack.

Outdoor wood furniture, especially teak is expensive and replacing it after one season due to not winterizing it would be senseless.

Here are a few steps you can follow to protect your wood furniture:

• Clean your furniture, removing dirt and stains
• Allow the furniture to dry
• Brighten and Stain if desired
• Use Sealer on the furniture

These steps will keep your outdoor wood furniture safe as the weather gets colder.

Once everything is in place, you can cover your pieces. It’s best to store wood furniture inside, if possible, to avoid weather impacts they may experience outside. If you can’t find an indoor storage location, you should find a spot as temperature-controlled as possible.

Folding outdoor wood furniture is easy to store in your garage since it takes up much less space. Many bistro sets as well as Adirondack chairs can be folded into a much smaller size.

Plastic Outdoor Furniture

Another common type of furniture people own is plastic furniture. This material is a little easier to take care of in the winter, as plastic is much better at surviving the colder months. Still, exposing plastic to freezing and then warm temperatures can cause the structure to become brittle and crack.

Here’s how you can take care of plastic furniture when the winter rolls around:

• Rinse the furniture with water
• Scrub the furniture with a combination of dish detergent and warm water
• Allow the plastic furniture to dry
• Put away for storage

These steps should provide excellent defense for your patio pieces.

As with wood furniture, you should store the plastic furniture inside if possible. The more consistent you can keep the temperature, the better for the sake of your furniture. It is more likely to survive if it is not exposed to drastic temperature shifts.

Wicker Outdoor Furniture

Wicker furniture comes in two types – natural rattan and synthetic. It’s critical to determine which type your furniture is before preparing to store the furniture to protect it in the best possible way. You need to wash natural rattan much less often.

Here’s how you can clean synthetic:

• Spray with a hose, cleaning away any excess dirt
• Let the wicker dry
• Store when ready

It’s ready for storage after this process.

Here’s how you can clean natural rattan:

• Mix oil-based soap and water
• Scrub with a damp rag
• Spray with a mist bottle to get the crooks and crannies
• Allow the furniture to dry
• Store when ready

Wicker furniture has a unique look, and it takes a little extra effort to clean. Keep them inside when possible for the best results.

Natural Stone Outdoor Furniture

Stone furniture provides a unique look to any outdoor furniture. It’s sleek and blends in with the natural landscape. Unfortunately, most stones are porous. Water can leak inside, freeze, expand, and then cause the stone furniture to crack.

Here’s what you can do to store natural stone furniture:

• Rinse the furniture off to get rid of any dirt
• Mix laundry detergent and water to clean off any extra stains
• Let the stone dry
• Add a stone sealer to seal out water

It might not be possible to move your stone furniture inside. If you can, put a cover on top to protect from weather conditions.

Aluminum Outdoor Furniture

Aluminum furniture is another common material for patio furniture. It is similar to plastic in the sense that it’s easier to clean, maintain and will hold up well in different climates. It won’t corrode around salt water, but it is lightweight and should be weighted down in high wind areas.

Here’s what you can do to store aluminum furniture:

• Rinse the furniture with water
• Scrub the furniture with a combination of dish detergent and warm water
• Allow the plastic furniture to dry
• Put away for storage

Aluminum outdoor furniture will withstand freezing temperatures the best out of all the materials listed above. To keep dirt and grime to a minimum, a cover will work best.

Conclusion

Hopefully we’ve given you some valuable pointers to help you store your outdoor furniture properly from freezing winter temperatures. In a perfect world, a fairy would magically transport your furniture to an indoor storage every winter and bring it back every spring season clean and ready to use.

While most outdoor furniture will ride out winters without any damage, pay close attention to your wood outdoor furniture. It requires a bit more maintenance and kid glove handling to keep it looking great and not getting damaged. A garage or shed would work best to store it during the coldest months.