Protect patio furniture from winter ravages

October 31, 2018 admin

Covers protect wood, iron

Donna Gray, For Neighbours

Chilly winds, piles of snow and chunks of ice can do a number on deck and patio furniture. Protecting your chairs, tables, benches and boxes can get you more mileage and enjoyment for summer seasons to come.

Corrine Palmer, sales manager for the Kitchen and Patio Store, says our winters can be challenging for wood, plastic, metal and stone.

“Because of the thaw and freeze cycle, it’s really hard on the furniture,” she says. “You’ve got water that settles onto and into the frames and flat surfaces, and when it freezes, it expands and cracks the joints.”

The first step is to make room inside the house or garage to ensure the furniture stays at a fairly stable temperature or, at least, away from exposed elements. Palmer says covering the furniture with a simple tarp may not be the best solution, as ice and snow can build up under the plastic, creating an opportunity for moisture.

“If you’ve got some really large or heavy pieces, storing them inside isn’t always an option,” she says.

“You can store them under a deck or in a protected area away from the elements. It’s best to invest in acrylic blend covers that can breathe and protect the surface or material and still allow the ice and water to evaporate.”

Wood, iron and stone require their own special care. Most need covers as well, even though they are built for the elements.

“For teak products, again, it’s imperative to have a breathable cover,” Palmer adds. “It’s a dense wood with natural oils in it. If you don’t cover it properly, there’s great potential for mould and mildew.”

She also says that some stone tables, especially those with tiles, should also be brought inside.

“You really need to refer back to their manufacturer or retailer for the proper way to store stone tables,” she says.

“Sometimes moisture can get into the grout and break it up.”

If your furniture is in dire need of repair, there are choices — spend extra money to have parts replaced or rethreaded, or simply buy a new piece. Ron Elies, owner of Patio Furniture Repair, says he often fixes broken umbrellas and pieces of deck furniture, but it comes with a price.

“If you’ve purchase a cheap chair and table set, it’s really too expensive to repair,” he says. “They don’t make furniture like they used to. It’s a throw-away society now. You’re just better off replacing it with a higher quality set.”

If the furniture pieces are made of wood, such as cedar, they can usually stand up to what winter dishes out, but come spring, some care and maintenance needs to be done.

“I’ve had wood tables and chairs for 38 years,” says Elies. “The only problem with wood is you have to finish it regularly.”

He adds that iron pieces should be moved to dryer ground since moisture can cause rust, and glass tables, although sturdy in composition, can crack if the temperature fluctuations are too great due to chinooks.

Perhaps the most vulnerable to cold snaps is plastic and vinyl, which can break if sat on or stacked with snow and ice.

“The vinyl strapping on chairs is really delicate in winter,” says Elies.

“It’s best to bring them inside or at least, protect them from any weight putting pressure on them.”