They say prevention is always better than cure.
While we’re used to hearing that phrase in relation to health and beauty, it also applies elsewhere – like garden furniture.
Depending on the size of your garden and the outdoor furniture you choose to furnish it with, you may have spent thousands of pounds on conversation sets, outdoor dining tables, benches, gazebos and the like. But if you forgot to properly protect them from the elements, you might find yourself looking for a replacement sooner than you think.
Why should you protect outdoor furniture?
Wooden furniture, in particular, needs protection from the weather, especially here in the UK where we get a mix of weather, often seeing three or four seasons in a single day.
Without proper protection, wooden furniture can succumb to rot or become a breeding ground for mold and algae – terrible news for allergy sufferers and those with severe respiratory problems. Wood rot is especially dangerous for furniture because it can make the piece unsafe to use. In addition, sunny days can strip your furniture of color, leaving it looking tired and dirty.
How to protect wooden garden furniture
Adding furniture covers and keeping furniture under covers when it’s too cold outside to enjoy are also additional steps to protect your leisure purchases.
All of this means that spending some time adding a sealer, varnish or treatment will see you not only enjoy your outdoor furniture for much longer, but also delay replacing it, which in the current financial climate can only be a good thing.
Oil-based solutions are a good choice for treating wood, as it will repel water, dirt and UV rays. In addition, it will not only protect the surface, but flow into the grain to offer protection throughout the piece.
The good news is that there are many options for protecting your wooden garden furniture. We’ve collected the best to help you choose the best option for your needs.