From wooden benches to rattan sofas and patterned rugs, creating a relaxing sanctuary in your garden is one of the best ways to spend spring and summer.
However, when winter arrives, the weather takes a sudden turn as temperatures drop, and wind and wet conditions become the norm for the season.
If you have outdoor garden furniture and are thinking of leaving it outside during winter, you might want to think twice.
As experts have confirmed, the exact date all garden furniture must be brought inside.
When should you bring outdoor garden furniture inside?
Expert Emily Green of Howarth Timber has confirmed that all garden furniture needs to be brought inside by November 12, when the weather is expected to drop to 10 °C.
Explaining: “Ideally, you should bring your garden furniture inside before temperatures fall below 10 degrees, usually by mid-November.”
Emily adds that leaving furniture outside during the colder months can lead to a greater risk of “causing materials like wood and metal to expand and contract, which can loosen joints or cause cracks”.
She continued: “Once frost sets in, any moisture trapped in those small gaps can freeze and expand, making the damage worse and often causing rust or peeling paint.”
How to care for outdoor furniture during winter?
Emily is not the only expert sharing key advice, as Liam Cleary from Old Railway Garden Centre explains what owners of garden furniture need to do before storing the items away.
She shared: “The best thing homeowners can do is clean everything thoroughly, make sure it’s completely dry, and then store it in a shed, garage, or any other dry, sheltered space.
” If you have bulky items that can’t be moved, invest in a good-quality, breathable winter cover to give them the best chance of surviving until spring.”
What garden furniture can stay outside during winter?
Although it is advised that all garden furniture is brought indoors, some can stay outside depending on its material.
Sarah McCarthy of garden furniture specialists Luxus Home and Garden explains: “Some materials are sturdier than others, so the measures you take may differ whether your items are plastic, wooden or metal.
Recommended Reading
“For example, plastic furniture is more waterproof than other materials, and you might not need to take it inside over winter, but you should make sure it’s secured so that it isn’t blown around by strong winds and storms.
“Furniture made of hardwoods such as teak or oak can generally stay outside during winter if they are in good condition, while softwoods such as pine may be better off in a dry, secure place.
“If you are going to leave garden furniture outside over the darker months, it’s important to make sure it’s secured properly so that it doesn’t become loose during strong winds and storms.”
Comments are closed.