According to a 2021 ICFA survey, over half of Americans [53%] will buy multiple outdoor patio furniture pieces in 2022. And if you are among this half and going to buy the most gorgeous, comfortable pieces of patio furniture, you might wonder if you leave them outside.
Can outdoor patio furniture get wet?
Well, your patio furniture can get wet with heavy rain or snowfall. However, getting wet doesn’t mean getting rotten or damaged.
If you buy water-proof and water-resistant furniture for your outdoors, they won’t suffer from any damage due to water, even if you leave them outside in the heaviest of showers.
What Happens to Your Patio Furniture During Wet Weather?
Patio furniture is made from different materials with different characteristics. And that’s why all type of furniture doesn’t behave the same way when they get drenched in water.
Below, we have discussed some of the most common patio furniture materials and what happens when they get wet.
Wooden Furniture: Rotten, Soften
Wood is one of the most popular patio furniture materials because it offers variety.
Different types of hardwood and softwoods are used to make quality outdoor furniture and make the area more welcoming.
However, wood is extremely vulnerable to natural elements and can get damaged easily if wet or in constant contact with too much moisture without protective sealants.
To protect wood furniture from getting damaged due to rain or snow, store them under a shade or cover each piece of furniture with a protective sealant so that moisture cannot get into them easily.
Wicker Furniture: Rotten, Staining and Fading, Odor
Wicker, also known as rattan, is an extremely lightweight vine-like plant used to make alluring furniture for your outdoor living areas. This wicker patio furniture is beautiful, easy to clean, and easily moved around.
But they get wet if left in the rain and can be ruined before you know it. Even coats of paint cannot protect wicker furniture from getting drenched and rotten.
However, if you store these pieces of furniture under a shade or inside your home during adverse weather conditions, they won’t get wet in the rain and snow and won’t get damaged anytime soon.
Some waterproof wicker furniture sprays are available but are not very effective for wicker furniture. But if you want wicker furniture for outdoor use, you must take resin wicker, also known as all-weather wicker.
Iron Furniture: Rust
Iron tables and chairs are heavy and won’t fly away even in the strongest winds. But if you leave them outside, they will get wet easily and suffer from rust quicker than ever. Iron is super susceptible to rust, so it wouldn’t take time to get affected if it gets wet.
So you need to put layers and layers of protective coating and sealants to protect them against rainfall and snow.
Plastic Furniture: Dust
Plastic furniture offers incredible convenience. Even when they get wet in all the rainfall and snow, plastic tables and chairs don’t suffer from damage or get rotten.
However, as these pieces of furniture are super lightweight, they can easily blow away in strong wind.
Aluminum Furniture: Corrode
Even though aluminum cast furniture gets wet easily, it is the most weather-resistant and long-lasting. Pieces of aluminum patio furniture won’t rust, rot, or get impaired even when you leave them out in the most adverse weather conditions.
How to protect patio furniture from getting wet? Brilliant 5 Tips
Even when you have the most weather-resistant patio furniture, you still need to protect it from rain and snow to make sure that it lasts for years to come.
Although maintaining the sofas, cushions, and other outdoor furniture pieces might feel like a chore; it will save you money. Therefore, don’t hesitate or hold yourself back from protecting outdoor furniture from getting wet.
1. A shade over the top would keep elements at bay.
If your patio has a cover, a pergola, an awning, an umbrella, or a gazebo, try to place your furniture under the covering, especially in the winter and monsoon months.
The shade on the top will keep away snow and raindrop and protect them from getting drenched.
2. Protective coverings on the furniture will shield them completely.
Use fitted covers to ensure that your patio furniture doesn’t get wet in the rainy and snowy months! Perfectly fitted covers made with water-repellent and weather-resistant material won’t let your precious and expensive sofas, tables, patio cushions, and furniture get wet and impaired anytime soon.
3. Coats of protective sealant would repeal water efficiently.
A protective sealant is essential, especially if you have iron or wood furniture on your patio. Even when you place them under a roof or use a protective cover, don’t forget to coat them with a protective sealant twice a year for rust prevention. This will make the garden furniture last for years, even after getting wet.
4. Plastic foil never fails to protect your outdoor furniture.
When it’s already rainy or colder season, and you didn’t buy any of the protection discussed above, you can always use plastic foil to cover your patio furniture and protect them from getting wet.
However, this method is not fully convenient if you use the furniture now and then.
5. Storing your furniture during adverse weather will protect them like none other.
One of the finest ways to keep your outdoor furniture from getting wet is to store them in your house for the whole winter or rainy season. Even though it’s not a piece of practical advice, it will ensure that the pieces are well-shielded and won’t get wet or rotten.
Let’s watch the video to learn more…
How to Dry Out Wet Patio Furniture If It Gets Wet
If your patio furniture gets wet even after all the protective measures, don’t waste time drying it completely to prolong its longevity.
To remove every last bit of water from the chair or table surface, wipe them off with a microfiber towel. It soaks almost all the water droplets from any surface and dries it quicker.
Though, if there are wet cushions, you need to perform a little more effort to dry them perfectly. For the wet covers, wash them; after that, place them in an airy spot to dry out safely. It would be better to keep it in direct sunlight., but the blazing sunlight might fade the color.
If water gets inside the cushion, take it near the fan or blow them with a blow dryer to soak every last water droplet. These methods would dry them out completely and ensure they are as fluffy as before.
What Type of Outdoor Furniture is The Leading for Rainy Seasons
Plastic and aluminum furniture can easily endure rain without getting damaged or rotten.
However, because plastic chairs and tables are incredibly lightweight, they can fly away easily in adverse weather conditions and result in unfortunate events. Compared to them, aluminum chairs and tables are secure and durable too.
And therefore, aluminum furniture would be the best for your patio, especially during rainy seasons.
Final Words
As patio furniture is placed outdoors, it’s natural to get wet from rain and snow. But it doesn’t indicate that you would let it get drenched. Protect your precious pieces of furniture from elements so that they are long-lasting and look as stunning as forever.
Henry Jurk is an experienced architect with over 20 years of expertise in paving. He shares his knowledge and provides solutions through his blog posts at OkPatio.com. If you have any questions about patios, gardens, and outdoor spaces, you can find the correct answers from Henry. You can contact him via email at ar.henryjurk@gmail.com or through the website’s contact page.
