How to Store and Protect Garden Furniture in Winter

Winter is fast approaching, and it’s unlikely that you will get as much from your garden during this time. Some may prefer to keep their furniture additions protected from the harsher elements, and others will choose to store their garden furniture away.

So, how should you store and protect your furniture? Of course, you’ll want it to last for years to come - and this will require taking good care of it. Cotswold Teak is here to explain not only how to protect it throughout the colder months, but also how to store it until spring if you choose to do so.

Read on to find out how to protect your teak wooden furniture for winter and how to store it during cold and wet weather…

Preparation for winter

You will most likely need to start with preparing your wooden garden furniture by giving your additions a good cleaning.

Give your wooden garden furniture a thorough wash to get rid of lichens and bird droppings. You may only think of doing this before you want to use it, but it’s also a good idea to clean it before storing it for winter. This is particularly beneficial if your furniture is positioned beneath a tree.

The reason for giving your garden furniture a thorough cleaning in preparation for winter is because excess moisture thrives on dirt for much longer than on a surface that’s clean. It's moisture that brings on premature decay.

Think of thoroughly cleaning your garden furniture as a preventative measure, and you will also be getting it in a state where it can dry out on a sunny day - even in winter. If you are putting it under a cover, removing any dirt will also mean that it does not dry hard onto the furniture.

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How to clean wooden garden furniture

Solid teak is one of the best hardwoods for outdoor furniture, thanks to its exceptional quality and its ability to withstand changes in moisture levels, heat, and humidity - making it the ideal timber for British weather.

Keeping solid teak furniture clean means there is less chance of it being damaged or eroded from any grime that can sit on the surface of the wood. But, how do you ensure that your solid teak garden furniture is thoroughly clean? To do so, you will need the following:

A scrubbing brush or cloth.
A bucket filled with hot soapy water or a hardwood cleaning fluid.
A few hours of sunshine in the garden or a sheltered area.
Solid teak is highly durable, so you can use a pressure washer - but on a low setting.

Use a dry cloth or dry brush to get rid of any surface dirt, dust, and cobwebs. You may be surprised at how much of a difference this makes already. Cleaning doesn't have to be complicated, so simply take a bucket and fill it with warm soapy water.

Use a new cloth or brush to clean the furniture down. Start on the top and then clean the underside of the furniture. If it’s a bench or seat, turn it over to make it easier. Again, you will see how much of a difference this makes to the state of the furniture straight away.

Then, give it a rinse with clean water. Once you have completely removed the dirt and grime, allow your outdoor furniture to dry for a few hours. This is why it’s always best to do this job on a sunny day.

Storing wooden garden furniture

When it comes to storing your teak and wooden garden furniture through autumn and winter, there are certain steps you need to take.

Your options for storing furniture are:

Storing it inside a garage or shed.
Protecting it with special covers.
Moving it to a sheltered position.

Before moving or even dismantling your furniture, you need to decide where you will store it from the above options. If you're choosing a shed or even your conservatory, is it large enough to fit everything in? Just remember that keeping items in your shed over the winter may lead to a musty smell.

To avoid this, make sure you let some air in every now and then to prevent an unpleasant smell from forming. If you want to avoid this, or don’t have space, you could consider moving the furniture to a covered location outdoors, such as under a veranda or a porch area. Always check your furniture for whether it can fold or be stacked to make storing easier.

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Outdoor storage

If you do have to leave your garden furniture outside during the winter, you should invest in some appropriate covers to protect it from the worst weather. An alternative, if you can’t find a matching cover, is to try using a large sheet of tarpaulin.

You should never leave your teak garden furniture on damp ground because this could eventually lead to it rotting from the legs up. Instead, try laying a plank of wood, blocks or any item on the ground and place the furniture legs on top of it, propping it up.

Before covering your furniture, make sure it is bone dry and that there is enough ventilation so that air can circulate around it. This means that if any moisture does get underneath the cover, it will be able to escape. So don’t try wrapping the furniture tightly in a cover or tarpaulin.

Outdoor location

Finally, you need to consider the location if you are keeping your garden furniture outside throughout winter - covered or uncovered. Move it to a more sheltered part of your garden to protect it from wind gusts and rain.

Tip: Throughout the winter, always check your garden furniture to make sure it is still covered and in good condition.

If you can, avoid keeping your garden furniture on the grass. Locate it on a flat surface, to reduce any exposure to moisture. If your wooden furniture must stay on the lawn, treat the feet and legs with preservatives and place a flat stone under each leg to raise it off the grass.

Teak care and protection

Although teak is a highly durable timber, it’s always a good idea to have professional care and protection products to hand when you have invested in high-quality outdoor furniture.

At Cotswold Teak, we offer a selection of the best teak care products, which are specially designed to provide superb protection and care for your outdoor furniture. Our range will ensure that your outdoor furniture preserves its immaculate condition for years to come.

Teak Protector

This professional Teak Protector is a non-oily and non-greasy solution, which will allow you to maintain the beautiful natural golden tone that solid teak is renowned for. Our solution is also EcoSafe, which means that it’s a water-based formula that’s free of any solvents.

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Teak Cleaner

For a helping hand when cleaning your solid teak outdoor furniture thoroughly, we highly recommend the Golden Care Teak Cleaner.

Our Professional Teak Cleaner not only thoroughly cleans your outdoor additions, but it will also restore the colour of your furniture. Additionally, our Teak Cleaner is highly concentrated with brightener included, meaning that you’ll be able to restore your furniture to its former glory with minimal effort.

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Teak Shield

For the best protection, we highly recommend our Golden Care Teak Shield. Our professional formula is specially designed to protect your solid teak furniture from any potential damage caused by spillages. You’ll never have to worry about stains or discolouration from occurring ever again.

What’s more, our Teak Shield will also help you to protect the integrity and natural beauty of your outdoor furniture, as it allows moisture and vapour transmission. Your outdoor teak furniture will appear golden brown for years to come.

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If you’re looking for the perfect outdoor furniture for your garden, you can find it here at Cotswold Teak

We hope you’ve found our article on how to store and protect garden furniture useful.

At Cotswold Teak, we not only offer a beautiful range of teak furniture but all of the oils and treatments you need to keep it looking at its finest.

If you have any questions or want to know more about any of our collections, feel free to contact our friendly team who will be happy to help with any queries you may have. Call us on 01608 682 191 or email [email protected].