Storing Garden Furniture Through The Winter
For many people, their garden furniture is quite an expensive investment, and not an outlay they plan to repeat very often. The choice is almost entirely a matter of taste, although price can also be a factor, and maintenance is also something that should be considered. Sadly, this is often forgotten when, usually in spring, garden furniture leaves the retailer for its long term home.
At the cheapest end of the scale of garden storage sheds is plastic, which can now be very attractive, and is not too difficult to maintain. However, if the furniture is neglected, black mould can grow on plastic, and this is not only unsightly, it is hazardous to health. Plastic garden furniture needs to be cleaned thoroughly and disinfected to prevent this problem.
Cast iron has been popular for years, and it is strong and durable for garden storage sheds, provided it receives proper care. Chips and scrapes in the paint will lead to rust, which will reduce the life expectancy of the tables and chairs by many years. They need to be inspected at the end of the season, and damaged paintwork repaired. The feet also need attention, particularly if the furniture has been sited on a hard surface, which will almost certainly have scratched the paint.
Wooden furniture is usually seen as high maintenance, but this is not necessarily the case. Certainly, it needs to be kept clean, but a good quality sealant will certainly have been applied before it is sold, and after that normal cleaning, followed by oiling at the end of the season, is usually adequate to keep hardwood tables and chairs serviceable and attractive for many years.
All garden furniture should be stored in a dry environment over the winter. A good quality garden shed will be necessary, as damp and frost will damage even the best furniture. C & S sheds are robust, maintenance-free, and frostproof, and the attractive shed that may have been used as a summer house from spring to autumn is the ideal place to keep garden furniture safe and dry during the cold months. C & S sheds come with a choice of insulation and with strong locks for security, so when the cherished garden furniture is brought out again in the spring, it will need little more than a wipe-down or a quick polish to make it as good as new.