Patio Furniture Covers: How to Measure and What to Look For
A good cover is the cheapest way to double the life of garden furniture — and the most common reason covers fail is simply buying the wrong size. Here is how to get it right first time.
Which cover material for a UK winter?
Coated polyester (420–600D) is the sweet spot for most gardens: properly waterproof, light enough to handle, and it survives frost without cracking. Cheap PE tarpaulin-style covers work for a season but go brittle; PVC-backed covers are the most waterproof of all but heavy and prone to trapping condensation unless well vented. Whatever the material, a light colour or a UV-stabilised fabric matters if your patio catches full summer sun — UV kills covers faster than rain does.
Measure the furniture, not the memory
Arrange the set exactly as it will sit over winter (chairs tucked in), then measure the longest length, widest width and highest point. Add 5–10 cm to each so the cover drapes without straining — but avoid a cover so oversized it billows; flapping in wind is what tears seams.
Features that matter in UK weather
- Waterproof rating and taped seams — showerproof fabric fails by February. Look for coated polyester or oxford weave.
- Air vents — without them, condensation builds underneath and furniture goes mouldy inside a dry cover.
- Straps or drawcord hems — the difference between a cover that stays put in a gale and one in the neighbour's hedge.
Three mistakes to avoid
- Covering wet furniture — trap moisture once and mould does the rest. Cover on a dry afternoon.
- Letting rain pool — prop the middle (a ball under the cover works) so water runs off.
- Ignoring cushions — store them separately in a dry box; even vented covers aren't cushion-safe all winter.
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Quick answers
Should cushions stay under the cover?
No. Even a vented cover cannot keep months of damp air off foam. Store cushions in a deck box or indoors, ideally standing on edge so any moisture drains out of the fill. If storage space is the problem, cushion storage bags with a handle stack neatly in a shed or under the stairs.
Why is the furniture wet under an intact cover?
Condensation. Warm days and cold nights make the air under a sealed cover sweat, and the water has nowhere to go. Look for covers with mesh vents, leave the hem slightly off the ground for airflow, and never wrap the cover skin-tight around the frame. A dry breeze under the cover matters more than another layer of waterproofing on top.
