How do I look after garden furniture?

Garden furniture is destroyed by moisture and ultraviolet light, and the specific failure depends on the material. Most of the maintenance is the same either way: clean it, protect it, and get it out of the winter.

Step by step

1. Clean everything in spring.Warm soapy water and a soft brush for most materials. A fungicidal wash for green algae, which is normal after a winter outdoors.
2. Treat hardwood annually.Teak and similar hardwoods silver naturally, which is harmless. If you want the colour, clean and re-oil each spring — it does not affect the lifespan either way.
3. Treat softwood more thoroughly.Pine and other softwoods need a preservative rather than an oil, and they need it more often. They are the material most likely to rot.
4. Check metal for rust and treat it early.Wire-brush any rust spots, prime and touch up. Steel furniture fails from small chips that spread; aluminium does not rust at all.
5. Wash rattan and check the weave.Synthetic rattan is largely maintenance-free but degrades in ultraviolet light. Natural rattan should not live outdoors permanently at all.
6. Bring cushions in whenever they are not in use.They are the first thing to go mouldy and the most expensive thing to replace. A box by the door makes this practical.
7. Use breathable covers, not plastic sheeting.A sealed cover traps condensation against the furniture, which causes more rot than rain does. Covers should be waterproof on top and ventilated.
8. Store it over winter if you can.A shed, garage or against a sheltered wall, raised off the ground. Winter is when nearly all the damage happens.

Tips

• Raise furniture off the ground for storage, even in a shed. Standing in a puddle is what rots the legs.
• Silvering on teak is purely cosmetic and does not affect the wood. Do not feel obliged to fight it.
• Check and tighten the bolts each spring. Loose joints are what break furniture, and it takes ten minutes.

Questions people ask