Let's Take It Outside: Outdoor Furniture Buying Guide – Part 1
Learn more about selecting and maintaining your outdoor furniture and cushions
With the unpredictability of rain, it helps if the furniture and cushions in your balcony are properly of outdoor quality. While sunlight can cause fading, brittleness and warping, with rain comes the possibility of mould, mildew and rot. These are not very attractive additions to your balcony, no matter its size, and also harmful to your health.
How can you tell if your current furniture is made for the outdoors? When buying a new cushion or piece of furniture, how do you know it will last in the outdoors? In this three-part series, we show you how to evaluate existing furniture and furnishings, what qualities to look for in new purchases, and what role proper care and cleaning have in keeping them in tip-top shape.
How can you tell if your current furniture is made for the outdoors? When buying a new cushion or piece of furniture, how do you know it will last in the outdoors? In this three-part series, we show you how to evaluate existing furniture and furnishings, what qualities to look for in new purchases, and what role proper care and cleaning have in keeping them in tip-top shape.
What’s inside matters
If the cushion inside is wrapped in plastic, chances are, the manufacturer wanted to protect the indoor foam from getting wet. However, moisture will still most likely seep through and cause mildew.
What to do: Unwrap the cushions and inspect. Give it a wash and dry. If they can be re-used, position them in areas that are fully covered.
If the cushion inside is wrapped in plastic, chances are, the manufacturer wanted to protect the indoor foam from getting wet. However, moisture will still most likely seep through and cause mildew.
What to do: Unwrap the cushions and inspect. Give it a wash and dry. If they can be re-used, position them in areas that are fully covered.
Not all wood is created equal
Wooden furniture for the outdoors are usually treated. If your tabletop warps, it is not meant to be put outdoors. This also applies to wooden veneers.
What to do: Some wooden furniture can be repaired (replace the tabletop with outdoor quality material, when possible) but in some cases, they would have to go to the bin.
Browse outdoor furniture
Wooden furniture for the outdoors are usually treated. If your tabletop warps, it is not meant to be put outdoors. This also applies to wooden veneers.
What to do: Some wooden furniture can be repaired (replace the tabletop with outdoor quality material, when possible) but in some cases, they would have to go to the bin.
Browse outdoor furniture
Mildew stains
When your outdoor couch looks this way, would you want to sit on it?
What to do: Depending on the fabric, you can use bleach to clean the stains. Fabrics that are 100 per cent solution-dyed acrylics are bleach-safe.
When your outdoor couch looks this way, would you want to sit on it?
What to do: Depending on the fabric, you can use bleach to clean the stains. Fabrics that are 100 per cent solution-dyed acrylics are bleach-safe.
Stitches and seams
It is not enough to go for outdoor quality fabrics and foams. It is also important to check if the threads and zippers used are meant for outdoor use.
What to do: You can have the seams re-stitched if they start fraying, as well as get the zippers replaced with marine-grade ones if necessary. This all depends on the state of the cover as it may very well be more cost effective to just buy new covers with outdoor-quality specifications.
It is not enough to go for outdoor quality fabrics and foams. It is also important to check if the threads and zippers used are meant for outdoor use.
What to do: You can have the seams re-stitched if they start fraying, as well as get the zippers replaced with marine-grade ones if necessary. This all depends on the state of the cover as it may very well be more cost effective to just buy new covers with outdoor-quality specifications.
Faded colours
To illustrate this point, these sun lounger cushions all started with the same hue. After a year, they are now in varying shades of blue.
What to do: As colour is purely aesthetic, you do not need to change if it does not bother you.
TELL US
How are your outdoor furniture and cushions looking? Do they show any of these signs? Let us know in the Comments.
MORE
13 Tips to Stay Sun Smart With Soft Furnishings
To illustrate this point, these sun lounger cushions all started with the same hue. After a year, they are now in varying shades of blue.
What to do: As colour is purely aesthetic, you do not need to change if it does not bother you.
TELL US
How are your outdoor furniture and cushions looking? Do they show any of these signs? Let us know in the Comments.
MORE
13 Tips to Stay Sun Smart With Soft Furnishings
In just a span of two months of outdoor use, furniture and cushions may already show signs of ageing and mildew, depending on how much exposure they have to the natural elements. Signs like fading upholstery, wobbly legs, warped surfaces, and smelly cushions are indicators it may be best to replace them as soon as possible as these can be risks to safety and health.
Here are some examples of furniture and cushions that are clearly not made for the outdoors and how you can deal with them: