Heavy rain and humidity can be challenging for any outdoor furniture, especially if it is not constructed properly or exposed to the elements. Even well-designed lawn furniture has limits when it comes to maintaining its appearance and structural integrity during heavy rain. Suppose you own outdoor furniture that you regularly use in your backyard, patio, or another area outside your home. In that case, it’s important to take steps to help protect it during rainy weather. Heavy rains can cause wooden outdoor tables and chairs to warp, crack and split over time. Metal outdoor chairs can develop rust spots when left uncovered during a heavy downpour. And even plastic lawn chairs will become brittle and crack if they are exposed to moisture for too long.
1. Try to Avoid Exposure
When possible, try to keep your outdoor furniture out of direct rain. If you have a covered patio or deck, this is an ideal place to put your furniture during heavy rain. If your patio is not covered, you can also try to limit your furniture’s exposure to rain by placing tarps over the chairs and table. You’ll want to ensure the tarps are weighted down so they don’t blow away during a windy storm. You can also try to place your furniture in a shaded area during a heavy rainstorm. This will help keep it from getting too wet if it is not completely covered with a tarp. You may also want to try to schedule outdoor activities when there is less rain, such as in the early morning or late evening. This will help minimize your furniture’s exposure to water, wind, and other hazards that come with rain.
Outdoor furniture can be used to extend the living space inside the house, which gives you more use for it and saves you from having to purchase a new house just to extend your living space. Outdoor furniture is a great, comfortable addition to a home for busy families who must leave home halfway through the year. You can also easily set up your patio area to always find a comfortable spot to relax and enjoy yourself during any season.
2. Protect with Covers
If you aren’t able to avoid your outdoor furniture’s exposure to rain, it’s best to protect it with a tarp or other cover. You may want to consider keeping an assortment of tarps in your backyard, so you can quickly cover any exposed furniture. If you don’t have enough tarps, sheets and blankets also work well. Just be sure they are heavy enough to keep out the rain. You’ll also want to make sure any covers you use are securely fastened to the furniture. This will help keep the cover from blowing away during a storm. Cushions can help protect wooden chairs from warping, but they won’t offer any protection from rust or water damage. If you have metal chairs, you can also place custom tarps over the chairs to protect them from rusting.
3. Make Repairs
If you notice any damage to your outdoor furniture during heavy rain, you may need to make repairs to help prevent further damage. For example, if a chair leg is cracked or split, it could break off completely if you leave it in the rain. You can repair leg damage by filling in the split with heavy-duty glue, like epoxy or a two-part wood filler. You can use a putty knife to smooth the filler into the crack. If a leg is badly damaged, you may also want to consider replacing it with a new leg. It’s easiest to do this when the furniture is dry, so you may want to wait until the rain has passed. If a table leg breaks or splits during a rainstorm, you will need to replace the entire leg. You can sometimes repair a broken leg, but it’s a challenging project. Replacing table legs is easier when the table is dry, so you may want to wait until the rain has passed before working on the repair.
4. Rotate Chairs to Dry Out
The seats and surfaces may become saturated if your chairs or tables are left uncovered during heavy rain. This can make the chairs less comfortable and cause the wood to warp or crack. To help prevent this, you can rotate the chairs during a rainstorm, so all of them get a chance to dry out. You may also want to move tables to areas where they are not exposed directly to rain. Even though chairs and tables should dry out and be usable after a rainstorm, you may want to consider finding a new home for any chairs with rust damage. This will help prevent the rust from spreading to other chairs.
5. Use Rust-Protection Products
If you want to protect your metal chairs from rust, you can use a spray-on rust-protection product, such as WD-40. Spraying this product on the chairs will help prevent rust from forming, as well as help remove any rust that may already be on the chairs. You can also use silicone-based furniture polish to protect metal chairs from rust. When cleaning or polishing outdoor furniture, be sure to use products made for use outdoors. Avoid cleaners that contain ammonia, which can damage outdoor furniture. You may also want to cover any furniture you are cleaning, so you don’t inadvertently damage the finish.
Outdoor furniture is specifically designed to be used outside. The weather-resistant nature of this furniture makes it a great option. Outdoor furniture in your garden lets you spend time with nature and provides a much-needed escape from your busy life. Many individuals work remotely nowadays as a result of the remote working trends. Sitting on an office chair all day can be awkward. Outdoor furniture can help you escape these norms and make sure you work in a peaceful, comfortable environment. You may even find outdoor furniture that you can use to set up your laptop and other items to make outdoor work easier.
