How to Protect Outdoor Wood Furniture from Damage
By Seven Atoms, October 10, 2023
Outdoor wood furniture can transform your patio space into a wonderful extension of your home. It can be a beautiful design statement that could cause your neighbors to have mixed feelings – specifically, a feeling of envy and being awestruck at the same time. An outdoor living space lets you entertain your guests and have a great time with your friends, family, and colleagues.
Having an outdoor space with beautiful outdoor wood furniture can be exciting and fun. It can add great value to your property; however, you need to keep in mind that outdoor wood furniture is susceptible to damage from natural elements, including rain and sun. Watching your beautiful piece of outdoor wood furniture crack, splinter, and weaken can be heartbreaking.
Damage from natural elements, especially the sun’s rays, can cause warping and bleaching in the wood. Water can be equally bad for your furniture as it can leave water stains and also cause your furniture to rot over a period of time.
How to Protect Outdoor Wood Furniture from Damage
If you’re wondering how to protect your outdoor wood furniture from sun damage and damage caused by other elements, here are the steps you should take.
#1. Paint Your Outdoor Wooden Furniture
Painting your outdoor wooden furniture is a brilliant idea, as it can provide great water and sun protection. This may be a controversial solution – many people may not prefer this option, as they feel it could affect the natural beauty of wood and defeat the purpose of having wood furniture. However, there is an extensive range of paint color options and you can choose ones that suit your preferences and are formulated to protect the wood from damaging elements.
You can use a brush or roller to paint your wooden furniture. Spray paint can be a good option as well. It depends on your comfort level and the size of the furniture.
Paint can provide great UV protection to the wood and also protect it from moisture infiltration; however, regular maintenance is essential. So, you need to ensure that you check your wood furniture at least once a season and repaint the wood or do the touch-up work as needed.
#2. Use Exterior Varnish and Sealant
Sealing enhances the appearance of the wood grain by allowing the beauty of the wood to shine through. The main advantage of sealing is that it closes the pores of the wood, leaving no space for moisture, dirt, dust, and other elements to get through, thereby preventing dust formation and moisture formation which can lead to mold, mildew, and rot.
Unlike paints, sealants do not alter the natural appearance of your wood furniture, since they are transparent. Another advantage of using a sealant is that it dries up damp wood quickly, thereby ensuring that the wood retains its original color. Since sealants are durable, they can last for many years and also provide superior protection to your wood against the harmful consequences of water exposure.
Using varnish, which is a type of sealant is another great way to protect your outdoor wooden furniture. It preserves the natural beauty of the wood by adding shine to the wooden surface and offers both water and UV resistance.
#3. Store Your Wooden Furniture Indoors
Moving your wooden furniture indoors can be inconvenient, whether you are moving it to a shed, garage, or basement. However, doing this can be an essential step in ensuring that your furniture lasts longer. It is advisable to move your wooden furniture indoors during the rainy season.
On a hot sunny day, especially during the peak summer season, move your wooden furniture to a shaded spot in your patio space. This will protect your furniture from UV damage. You need to ensure that direct sun rays do not fall on things like your sofa or cushions.
#4. Choose the Type of Wood and Cushions Wisely
While purchasing outdoor wooden furniture, you need to ensure you pick the right sort of wood, preferably one that is dense in nature. It is recommended to go for teak wood because it does not require layers of polish and also because it is termite-resistant.
The rubber and oil content present in teak wood makes it an ideal option and gives it an edge over other types of wood due to being more weather resistant.
While choosing cushions for your outdoor sofa, you should choose ones that are made of fade-resistant fabric. This will ensure that the fabric doesn’t lose its shine since such cushions are treated with UV inhibitors.
#5. Use a High-Quality Cover
Knowing how to protect your outdoor wood furniture from sun damage and other weather damage is one thing, but implementing the right steps is a completely different game.
The above-mentioned steps can protect your outdoor wooden furniture from the elements such as UV rays, water, snow, dirt, dust, and so on. But what about animals and insects? Along with the elements, your furniture is susceptible to damage from things like animals, since they can cause scratches to your furniture with their claws and may even chew on your wood furniture. This can weaken the wood further, causing it to splinter and break.
Animal droppings and insect frass can also cause serious damage to your furniture if it is left uncleaned over a period of time. Using a high-quality furniture cover is one of the best ways to protect your wood furniture from harsh weather conditions and also from animals and insects.
An effective cover can provide superior resistance to UV rays and water while also preventing moisture formation that can otherwise lead to mold and mildew build-up. Additionally, a furniture cover that provides a snug fit leaves very little space for animals to get in and damage your furniture.
The Advantages of Choosing Seal Skin’s Outdoor Wood Furniture Covers
At Seal Skin, we offer some of the best semi-custom-fit outdoor wooden furniture covers on the market that are not just durable, but also reliable and affordable. Our covers have been smartly designed as they leave breathable space for water vapor to escape. This prevents moisture formation that can otherwise lead to mold and mildew build-up over time.
Our products are not just reasonably priced, but we will also ship your order right to your doorstep at no additional cost, without any delay. We offer a full 30-day money-back guarantee and a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty with every purchase.
You can call us at 800-915-0038 during our office hours (Monday to Sunday, 9 AM to Midnight EST) and we will help you find the right outdoor wood furniture cover that fits your needs and budget. We will also help you if you have any questions about our products, shipping policies, and exchange/refund policies.
