Patio Furniture Covers

Nothing preserves the quality of your patio furniture as much as good quality patio furniture covers. Patio furniture is exposed the rain, the sun, and in some areas the snow. These elements can be very tough on your patio furniture. With some slight annual maintenance and the diligent use of patio furniture covers you can keep your furniture looking like new. As an additional bonus you will be increasing the life span of your patio furniture and therefore saving yourself some money.

As a child I remember patio furniture covers being ugly and cumbersome. They were made of of material similar to the material used in old outside table clothes. The material was a sort of thin plastic fused to felt. If the covers were stored folded the material would be hard to lay flat and if they were stored folded for long enough the fabric would crack. In addition, these covers would weaken in the sun and eventually tear. You could sponge wash the plastic surface but it was nearly impossible to clean the felt side. Also, these covers took a lot of space to store. Our back shed was stuffed full of dirty cracking furniture covers we were trying to hide.

Times have changed and so have patio furniture covers. Much of the change can be attributed to the development of different types of materials or fabrics. Now days you can find patio furniture covers in a variety of different colours, styles, and fabrics. There are covers to suit every taste and every shape of furniture.

You no longer have to worry about the ordeal of putting on and taking off the covers. The elasticized straps make this a breeze. Furthermore, you no longer need to devote 9 cubic feet to storing the covers when not in use. These days the covers are made in a very thin material and they fold down into nothing. The are convenient to use and convenient to store.

When choosing patio furniture covers I look for the following:

1. Is the cover colourfast? This is very important as you do not want to stain your furniture. These days it would be very uncommon to come across such furniture covers that were not colourfast but it's best to be sure.

2. Are they washable? These covers ought to be washed a few times per year to keep them looking their best. If they are not washable, they will quickly look old and unattractive. Furthermore, if they are not machine washable you are unlikely to wash the covers as often as they need it.

3. Look for durability in patio furniture covers. Look at all of the seams. Any loose threads are a bad sign. Are all of the seams double stitched? Try all of the zippers. All of the zippers should be heavy duty and pull smoothly. Don't consider buying any covers that have hard to pull zippers.

4. How do the covers attach to the furniture. Make sure the covers can securely fasten to the furniture. You don't want to have to leave your house in a storm to chase your furniture covers.

5. Make sure the covers are UV resistant and water resistant. This will protect your furniture from the harmful effects of the sun and shelter your furniture in the event of a light rain or dew.

6. Size. Measure your patio furniture including tables, chairs, stool, and end tables and bring the measurements with you when shopping. It goes with saying that you want the covers to fit your furniture. You would be surprised by the number of people who can't accurately say whether their pation table is 5 feet or 7 feet long.

With the above factors in mind you should be able to choose the perfect patio furniture covers for your family.