Winter is almost upon us and protecting the patio furniture should be one of the tasks we need to do before winter really sets in.
After all the furniture is not cheap and it should be long lasting, without needing for replacement every year.
While winter is a great season, it is usually quite detrimental to the patio furniture.
It can crack it, wear it off, warp it and make it lose its color.
So here are some of the most common issues that the backyard furniture can have due to winter conditions and how to prevent - or fix - them.
The furniture, particularly the one made of hardwood, can easily crack due to winter.
This is because the winter is usually dry and the wood fibers will dry out and will crack.
Some people actually like this aged furniture look, however for many, this is a sure sign that the furniture will need eventual replacing if not maintained properly.
To keep the wood from cracking you need to oil the wood so that it gets enough moisture to resist the winter conditions.
Also you can add to it an extra coat of finish for added protection.
This leads to the next problem, the actual finish on the surface of the furniture pieces.
The finish can be wearing away due to the strong winds that usually winter brings along.
The winds can bring along all sorts of dirt, dust and debris that can chip away from the finish.
One way to deal with this problem is to use patio furniture covers that protect the furniture pieces during winter times.
Also you can take the furniture indoors to a garage, attic, shed or basement to keep it safe in the next months.
Of course one of the best ways is to use furniture that can easily withstand any weather conditions, such as synthetic pieces.
These can be left easily outdoors no matter the time of the year.
The man-made synthetic materials can easily keep the furniture from cracking, chipping, buckling or losing the colors.
Also they are usually cheaper than real wood.