Outdoor furniture, despite being designed for outdoor use and constant exposure to the open atmosphere, must not be left outside in extreme weather conditions. While this statement negates the purpose of the term ‘outdoor furniture’ entirely, the truth is if you want to make your furniture last longer, you must protect it even if it is designed for the harshest of weather conditions. Now, when it comes to protecting several types of outdoor furniture, you will be greeted with lots of heavy-weight items that are impractical to move several times a year. Also, not everyone is blessed with a storage shed or garage where you can keep your wicker outdoor coffee tables when the weather is not too kind.
Hence, one reliable solution that doesn’t require you to move your furniture is getting outdoor furniture with built-in covers. Especially if you live in a climate where your major problem is rain and snow and not heavy winds that can blow away your outdoor sofa covers, then outdoor patio furniture with built-in cover is the only wise solution. These covers conform to the shape of your furniture, not making it look like a giant under the sheet, and you also get proper protection without sacrificing too much on aesthetics.
If you are not able to find the right furniture covers for your garden furniture, then you can easily DIY your own. Below is all you need to know about DIY furniture covers to protect outdoor furniture.
DIY Ideas For Outdoor Furniture with Built-in Cover
Whenever the word DIY pops up, most of us lose our motivation then and there. But the truth is DIY projects aren’t only fun but also helpful in relaxing your mind. Such is the case with deck furniture ideas covering DIY projects. And the best part is you don’t need to be an expert to work on this. Just a few basic machine skills and a little knowledge of measurement, and you will be fine to make your garden furniture cover. Below, we have mentioned some steps you need to follow to make sure your garden furniture cover performs up to the task.
The Right Fabric
Before you start, choosing the right fabric to cover your furniture and perform the job is vital. There are plenty of outdoor fabrics suited for this purpose. It would help if you looked for qualities like waterproof, breathable, light fastness, lightweight, easy to clean, and resistant to heat. The camping and tent industries have some of the greatest fabric options. The option to choose something a bit more fashionable than black or dark green is another advantage over just purchasing outdoor furniture coverings.
Measure the Furniture Dimensions
The whole purpose of working DIY on outdoor furniture with built-in covers is to get a result that is suited just for you. Depending on the outdoor furniture trends 2023, it is understandable that garden furniture now comes in all shapes and sizes. Hence, it would help if you were proper with the measurements and did not make any mistakes that can make your covers look out of place. Measure the dimensions of your furniture precisely. These numbers will calculate how much fabric yardage is needed for each item.
The distance between the farthest point on each arm and the top or back of the chair or sofa should be measured. For accurate length or height results, measure the distance from top to bottom, counting the feet of the furniture, too. Simply determine each piece of furniture’s precise length, breadth, and depth. Make sure to leave a few inches gap when cutting the fabric for cover.
Cutting
This is a tough process and might want to make you throw away your scissors altogether. Make sure you are well prepared and patient when cutting the right fitting for your furniture. Make sure to allow an extra edge (from the actual dimensions) to construct the seams and for the subsequent sewing process when cutting the material using your length, width, and depth. Place all the parts together now and use your tacking pins (safety pins) to carefully tack them together before continuing with sewing and assembly. This will keep the components separate, save you a tonne of time, and prevent eventual frustration.
Sewing
The next step is sewing or just sealing the edges to make a fully functional cover. Start by sewing the seams on the length side, as it will help you secure the shape before proceeding to other shorter ends, widths, and heights. While sewing, don’t forget about the plastic piping, which helps keep your furniture covers from expanding and contracting around the furniture, thus keeping it secure in the right place.
Test your Covers
Most of us might be tired by the end of all this measuring, cutting, and sewing project, but what’s the point if your garden furniture doesn’t serve the job when needed? To make sure you haven’t done anything wrong and before you seal the seams, test your covers by gently placing them over the furniture pieces. Make sure they tuck in well and hide all the exposed parts of the furniture, protecting them from sun or rain.
Seal the Seam
No matter what thread you have used for this DIY project, it is important to seal the seams, as constant wind and rain can cause the thread to break. Use a seam sealing tape or a wax that can perform this job well. Make sure the seam sealant dries well before you use the cover or even move it to store it away.
What to Remember when DIY-ing Garden Furniture Cover?
The reliability and performance of a outdoor furniture with built-in cover for your cozy small balcony ideas depends on the choice of fabric you have made and the stitching of the material to fit your furniture size. A good garden furniture cover should be waterproof, breathable, fitted to the shape of furniture so no water can escape, and secure so you can depend on it to protect your expensive patio furniture.
It needs to be made of a material that will keep the rain off yet provide airflow to stop the formation of mold.
It is preferable to purchase individual coverings for each item of a sizable outdoor dining set or couch set rather than a single huge cover for the entire set. In case of a storm, you will have the freedom to go to a protected area of your garden and stack the pieces. Additionally, smaller coverings are simpler to put on.
A decent outdoor furniture cover should also feature a mechanism to secure it in place. It should have tie fastenings or tabs that you can feed bungee cords through to prevent it from blowing off in strong winds.
