It will come as no surprise at all to hear that, in our current phase of history, people just like you are staying home more often than ever. It’s led to a serious surge not only in demand for new pergolas, verandahs and other outdoor living spaces but for those who are also buying plenty of outdoor furniture perhaps for the first time.
Compared to your indoor furniture, of course, the big difference with your new outdoor setting is that it will require more looking after due to all that sun, wind, rain and major changes in temperature and conditions. So if you’re just starting to think about protecting the furniture in your outdoor entertaining area and have no idea where to start, start right here:
1. Don’t buy cheap
Affordable is one thing; cheap is quite another. You may be able to get a great deal, but you’re getting exactly what you’re paying for – flimsy, lightweight outdoor furniture that Melbourne’s four seasons will absolutely love devouring in no time.
2. Choose (and know) your materials
Just like the price-tag of your outdoor seating can differ wildly, so too will the materials it is made of. And while the choice is all yours, it’s well worth knowing in advance what you’ll have to do to keep your material of choice in good shape.
For instance:
- Plastic: It can be a cheap option, and easy to keep clean, direct sunlight will damage, fade and weaken plastic outdoor furniture over time.
- Wicker: Aesthetically pleasing, this highly popular outdoor furniture material will, unfortunately, start to degrade quite quickly if moisture gets to it. A good way to deal with this is to waterproof it.
- Wood: Also highly popular, the outdoor conditions will eventually start to degrade your wooden outdoor furniture, so you should look into ways to add a preservative – or talk to the furniture dealership about what the manufacturers have treated their wood with.
- Steel & wrought iron: The advice here is applicable to many other kinds of metal outdoor furniture, too, because they tend to last a long time – and only require a new lick of paint when you fancy it.
- Fabric & cushions: You might think outdoor fabric & accessories are made of the same stuff like the furniture inside your home – but it’s actually designed specifically to resist the elements as well as dampness and mould & mildew growth. Using a protective spray can then make it last even longer.
3. Clean it
If you think cleaning your outdoor furniture is simply to keep it looking good, think again – a regular cleaning regimen will also protect it from that constant attack of outdoor dust and moisture and give it a nice long life. A good tip is to put your outdoor furniture cleaning tools, products and supplies in the outdoor toolshed – to remind you that it’s as important as any other part of your outdoor spaces.
4. Cover them up
Even if you buy outdoor furniture with, for example, specialised outdoor fabric materials, investing upfront in some equally specialised, heavy-duty furniture covers is also a great idea.
But at the end of the day, no furniture cover can compete with the most comprehensive overhead cover for your outdoor furniture of them all – your brand new verandah, alfresco or pool house or other fully-protected outdoor living space! Keeping the rain and the sun’s highly-damaging UV rays off your new outdoor setting is easy when you plan your outdoor living space with the help of the best extension builders in Melbourne – so why not give Mr Verandah a call today?
