Simple Techniques to Protect Your Garden Furniture
Garden furniture is a fantastic thing to have in your backyard. You can create a living space to use during the summer when you want to relax. However, most people can’t use their outdoor spaces all year. At some point, it’s usually too cold or too wet for you to make the most of your garden furniture. During these times, you need to take care of your furniture to make sure it’s protected. Even when it is sunny and warm, you have to protect your furniture from the sun. If you’re planning to buy some garden furniture or already have some, here’s how to protect it.
Covering Your Furniture
Covering up your furniture is the most sensible thing to do if you need to protect it from snow and rain. Strong sunlight can also be damaging to wood and other materials, so you might want to cover it when you’re not using it in the summer too. Your furniture might have come with custom-made covers, but don’t worry if it didn’t. It’s easy to buy a tarp or an elasticated cover to go over it. See http://www.nasussupply.com/fire-retardant-tarps/ to find some examples of tarps you can use. You can tie them down to keep your furniture dry and stop it being bleached or warped by the sun.
Treating Your Furniture
Lots of garden furniture will benefit from being treated in some way. For example, your wooden furniture might benefit from a layer of protective stain or paint. It will help to keep moisture from affecting it and limit damage from the sun too. If you have metal furniture, it can be in danger of rusting. You can help to prevent it by applying a coat of rust-resistant paint. If there are joints or metal fixings, you might also need to oil them. It’s a good idea to repaint every few years to ensure that everything stays in good condition.
Cleaning Your Furniture
No matter what your furniture is made of, you need to keep it clean. A wipe with some soapy water is often all you need. If you have plastic furniture, you’ll only need a cloth or sponge to clean it. Hardwood items will stay cleaner if you get out a brush, which can help to brush away lichen and algae. Washing with a wood cleaning product is useful if you have softwood furniture. Go to http://www.lowes.com/Cleaning-Supplies/ to find some cleaners you can try.
Storing Your Furniture
Sometimes it’s best to put your furniture away when you’re not using it. For example, plastic items can easily lose strength if left in the sun. If you live somewhere with strong storms or hurricanes, you need to either store your furniture or tie it down. Finding somewhere to put everything can be difficult, however. A garage or shed is usually the best place to store everything. It will be out of the way and won’t be taking up valuable space elsewhere.
Take care of your outdoor furniture throughout the year and it will remain in good condition for the summer. It will last for years if you’re careful with it.
