It’s the age-old question. Bring it in? Leave it out? Leave it out but cover it? And what on earth do you do with those garden cushions?
I’m here to tell you that the answer depends entirely on the material that your garden furniture is made from. Some garden furniture can stay outside all year round, including over winter, but lots can’t without expecting some damage.
Materials like powder-coated aluminium and solution-dyed fabrics can survive the outside, but natural rattan, softwoods and standard polyester cushions aren’t up to the job.
Here's the lowdown on what happens to each, so that if it’s year-round garden living you’re after, you know exactly which type of patio sofa or outdoor dining table set up to go for.
What causes damage to garden furniture in winter?
With wooden furniture, moisture can cause cracking or warping if it’s not properly weatherproofed. Damp trapping inside spongy cushion foam, wicker weave and certain cotton-type fabrics can cause mould and/or mildew. Rainwater might cause metal to rust, and untreated fabrics to gradually stain and fade.
Rain, frost and moisture always need an exit point. If they can get into your garden furniture and not out, that's when damage occurs.
But it’s not just the wet weather that causes damage. Falling tree debris, animal droppings and even gusty gales that topple chairs and blow away scatter cushions all contribute to garden furniture damage over the autumn and winter months.
Can rattan garden furniture stay outside in winter?
It depends on which type of rattan furniture you have. If it’s natural rattan, the answer is no - it’s not weatherproof, so you need to store it indoors if you can (and cover it during intense sunny periods too!).
Rattan is traditionally made using a moisture-sucking, fibrous plant material. Lingering water droplets or constant moisture will likely lead to rotting, splitting, peeling fibres and warping before long.
But if you have synthetic rattan, then it’s good news because yes - you can leave it outside. But unless you have garden cushions that are safe to leave outside in all weathers, the cushions on your rattan furniture will still need to come inside.
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Can I leave wooden garden furniture outside?
If you have trusty teak, then yes - rain, frost, sleet and snow aren’t a problem. But bear in mind that left uncovered, it will change from that lovely golden to a silvery-grey patina more quickly.
Other dense, hardwood garden furniture like acacia, iroko and white oak can also be left outside, because, like teak, they contain high levels of natural oils, making it super rot-resistant.
If you do want to maintain the original wood colour, a once-yearly application of exterior penetrating oil or UV-blocking stain is needed, though not essential. .
On the other hand, softwood garden furniture, pine, needs careful treating with a specialist wood oil and/or preserver to avoid warping and rot. Even pre-treated softwood furniture benefits from yearly maintenance to prolong its life and look.
How does metal garden furniture fare over winter?
The real question here is to rust, or not to rust!
Aluminium garden furniture can’t rust. Powder-coated steel is also fine because it's coated (the issue is when the coating chips!). These are good options if you’re considering hardy garden furniture. Both types are weather-resistant and can handle year-round sun, rain, frost and snow without fading, warping or rotting.
Steel or wrought iron, on the other hand, can make it through the winter months unscathed, but only with supervision. Rust on joints and screw holes or bubbling, chipped paint are entry points for water, so touch all these up before rough weather sets in to prevent further damage.
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Plastic and resin furniture can survive the wet, but not the frost
Plastic doesn’t mind the rain, but it’s not a fan of frost. Plastic garden furniture can turn brittle in the icy cold if it’s left out unprotected, and can break easily once it's overexposed.
Sunlight will eventually cause damage to plastic too, though that does take time. UV exposure can lead to fading and the same brittleness that frost can cause.
Raise your hand if you’ve ever caught the back of your thigh in a cracked plastic garden chair!
OK, but surely you can’t leave your garden cushions outside over winter?
Cushions are frequently at the top of the ‘never leave it out’ list because most cushion padding soaks up moisture like a sponge, or doesn’t breathe well and so clings on to dampness. Wet, soggy foam fillings and a slow-drying (or never-drying!) outer fabric mean that mould and smelly mildew are a given.
Garden cushions that are made using acrylic or olefin fabrics are designed that way to resist water and prevent mildew. Solution-dyed acrylic, as we use at Armadillo Sun, doesn’t absorb water like cotton or other popular choice cushion fabrics do. And because the colour is locked into the fabric fibres, it won’t fade either.
We've written in detail about why our garden furniture cushions can be left outside. But the short version is that solution-dyed acrylic and olefin shrug off the moisture that destroys ordinary cushions.
Are garden furniture covers worth it?
Yes, they are, but only if you choose a breathable and properly fitted cover.
If it’s not breathable, warm air gets trapped inside the cover and creates moisture. And what do we hate? Moisture! Lots of covers are completely waterproof, but it’s breathable properties that you really want to look for when you’re choosing a decent cover for your garden furniture.
Please don’t choose a cheap tarpaulin; you’ll essentially be building a really effective greenhouse for your furniture, and you’ll quickly become an expert at growing mould.
Remember, even if your furniture can live happily outside all year round, you still want to cover it to keep it fresh; never cover it while it’s damp.
Our made-to-fit winter covers are designed with breathability in mind.
What outdoor furniture can be left out all year?
I’m pleased to report that Armadillo Sun’s garden furniture can be left out in all seasons (yes, even the cushions!), no matter what the British weather decides to throw at it. Our bean bag sofas and loungers have no frame at all: no metal to rust, no slats to crack, no weave to snap. The fabric is the same solution-dyed acrylic and olefin used in performance outdoor upholstery, made by hand in Kent, with a 5-year fabric guarantee.
Through rain, frost, sleet and snow, it stays out, and now so can you - throw a woollen blanket over your lap, light the fire pit, and the garden's yours in December too.
Shop our full range of all-season-friendly garden sofas and loungers.