How to Take Care of Your Outdoor Furniture

Outdoor furniture as patio umbrellas, chairs and tables have to withstand the element of weather. Therefore, it is the basic feature of the outdoor furniture.

These items could be made of either steel, or aluminum or plastic but usually they are made from wood. They are destined to be exposed to the elements under the standard conditions.

These items have been designed in a way that they survive in the normal conditions but the irregular instance: contact with the elements like rain and sun over a long period may cause damage to the patio furniture.

Some frequently observed damages are the paints being peeled off, wooden or the plastic parts being deformed beyond the repairs or the rusting of the metal parts like the details. These damages may result to the replacement of the whole patio furniture including the patio cushions as well, because the parts are usually not replaced. This is more applicable to the wooden patio furniture.

The process of wear and tear of our wooden outdoor furniture could be ignored only if we know how to do it. Some very basic precautions that should be taken by all owners of the outdoor furniture or even wicker patio furniture are as follows:

First among these is that all wooden pieces should be sealed with a wooden sealer. The main purpose of wooden sealers is that they help maintain the integrity of the wood by preventing it from warping. After the first few layers of paint are applied to the wood a layer of wood sealer should also be applied.

Wood sealer can be applied as per the requirement, it either could be sprayed or could be used as paint directly to the wood through a brush and they are available in cans. Both the methods are efficient and effective. In case you want to save time, then spraying is the best option.

Even old patio furniture like the wooden frames of patio umbrellas can still be protected. Just scrape off the old paint and smoothen it out with sand paper. Then apply a fresh coat of paint and after the paint has totally dried you can now apply a fresh coat of wood sealer.

For the parts that are made of metal application of vegetable oil can also, be affective. The damage caused by the moisture is prevented by the use of vegetable oil. Metals have always been very vulnerable to rusting, so to prolong the life of the metal parts vegetable oil is an important content. Oil forms a coat on the metal - this does not allow rainwater to reach in. The metal nuts, bolts and hinges may require this protection.

Keep those outdoor furniture and patio heaters away from too much heat and moisture. Any furniture if exposed to the elements for long periods can cause its early deterioration. It is therefore important to keep these items in a shade or even inside the house when it is not to be used for long periods. In addition, preferably once the are stored for safekeeping they should have some furniture cover to help it against unnecessary scratches and damages.

The moment you see cracks in your furniture, seal it with putty. Putty would prevent the crack from becoming large and wide. Once the putty dries, apply paint and sealer over it. The three layers together protect the furniture.

Lastly, remember to apply a fresh coat of paint on your furniture every three years, at least. Since most patio furniture has been exposed to the weather elements all the time, they end up having peeled and faded paint. Hence, repaint the patio furniture regularly. This is also an excuse to go for a changed color scheme every few years.