Bramblecrest Geneva casual dining suite
Angela Slater
Daughter of a farmer and market gardener so have always had a connection with the outdoors, whether it was keeping animals or producing fruit, vegetables and cut flowers. Along with my work at Hayes Garden World I also have a smallholding, mainly breeding rare breed pigs. I gained an HND and BSc in Conservation and Environmental Land Management, as a result I am an ardent environmentalist and have a keen interest in environmentally friendly gardening. In my time at Hayes I worked for several years in the Outdoor Plant and Houseplant areas

Do I Need To Cover Synthetic Rattan Garden Furniture In Winter?

Protect your synthetic rattan garden furniture in winter

Bramblecrest Geneva casual dining suite (pictured above)

Good quality synthetic rattan garden furniture does not necessarily need covering in winter as the higher grade polyethylene weave is completely resistant to rain and frost. However if you want your furniture to look pristine for longer, then Hayes recommends that it is covered. Stacking your furniture together and buying a cover large enough to encompass the whole set will prevent it blowing around in high winds; just make sure that the cover can be fastened down to the legs of the furniture.

Some companies, such as Bramblecrest, make dedicated covers for their furniture with some modular sets fitting together like a jigsaw and having just one cover over the whole set. It is always worth calling our sales team for advice on covering your garden furniture. We recommend that before covering your furniture you place a broom through the parasol hole in the centre of the table; this creates a tent-like shape which will shed the water easily.

Lower quality synthetic rattan furniture however will need covering in winter as the colour is only applied to the outside of the weave, whereas the dye on a good quality set is incorporated throughout the polyethylene. The poorer quality material is also more prone to splitting and breaking when there is a hard frost.

 

 

 

How to: Do I Need To Cover Synthetic Rattan Garden Furniture In Winter?

This short guide will assist you in making a decision as to whether or not you need to cover your outdoor garden furniture in winter

How to cover outdoor garden furniture in winter

All our outdoor garden furniture is specifically manufactured to be fully weatherproof so it does not need covering in winter. However, if it is sited underneath trees, is liable to blow around in high winds or you would just feel more comfortable having it covered then by all means purchase a dedicated cover for your particular set.

How to choose a cover

Much of our garden furniture has a corresponding cover available for that particular set; if you can't fathom out which cover you need just call our Customer Services team who will be happy to assist.

What to do if there is no available dedicated cover

Use a breathable tarpaulin, don't use plastic as this just attracts condensation which will lead to the growth of algae and mould.

How to cover the furniture

If using dedicated covers there will be instructions as to how to cover the furniture. If using a tarpaulin, gather together all the furniture in as small a group as possible. Place a bucket upside down on the table or insert a brush through the parasol hole in the table; this will enable the tarpaulin to shed water more quickly rather that it sitting in pools on the cover for long periods. Cover the whole set with one tarpaulin, pulling it as tight as possible running a length of rope around the bottom and securing to one of the table legs. Make sure there is a gap underneath to allow an airflow around the furniture.