What To Do With Your Wicker Furniture In Winter

When it comes to lightweight, easy-to-use furniture, few materials can match that of wicker. There’s just something about wicker and its ability to blend into most design styles. It is also a fantastic option for indoor sunrooms and outdoor patios. But when the temperature turns cool and it’s time to migrate into the warmer areas of the house, what exactly are you supposed to do with the wicker furniture? If you have this furniture style or are thinking about purchasing it, you will likely want to know how to store outdoor wicker furniture in winter. Here are the ins and outs of what you need to do and how you should go about protecting wicker furniture during the winter months of the year.

Bring The Furniture Inside

Ideally, the best first step for you to follow is to bring the furniture into your home when the first sign of snow comes. If you have any garage space, a room in the sunroom or even a backyard storage shed, these spaces offer great ways to protect your wicker furniture from the outdoor elements.

Now, if you have synthetic wicker, you will have a bit more flexibility, as synthetic materials are more water resistant and can handle the cold and snow better. If this is the case, you can skip this step, but if you have natural fibered wicker furniture, then you will need to do what you can to protect it from the snow, and this begins, whenever possible, with bringing your furniture inside.

Covering Your Furniture

If bringing your wicker outdoor furniture in from the outside elements isn’t an option, then you will need to invest in coverings for your wicker furniture. These coverings are designed specifically for the design and type of your wicker. The coverings will go over your outdoor wicker coffee tables, your rattan sofas, or your wicker swivel chair to easily protect it from the snow. Snow is far worse than rain because it will collect on the furniture and sit, which will wear down the organic material faster than rain.

With your covering, you want to make sure it fully extends down to the ground. This is going to protect the feet of your furniture. It will also help defend against little critters making their way into the covering for warmth. While snow can damage wicker, a chipmunk, squirrel, mouse, or other small animals can infinitely cause more damage by chewing away at the fibers in order to build a nest. Securing the cover around the feet so there’s no room for the animals to wiggle into the furniture is desirable.

Now, even if you are bringing the furniture inside for the winter, you will want to use some kind of cover (unless you plan on using the furniture during this time). While moisture can damage the furniture material, extended sun exposure can also fade and dry it out as well. It is easy to forget about strong sunlight because of the dropping temperatures, but the fact of the matter is that extended sunlight is still present during the winter months, and you will want to protect it from this. You don’t need any kind of tacky coverings for the indoors, though. You can easily use a blanket or furniture cover or simply rotate the furniture so it is never in direct sunlight for days (or longer) on end.

Waterproof Your Furniture

If you are leaving your furniture outside for the winter, you should consider applying a waterproofing application on top of the furniture. This will provide an additional layer of protection against any moisture that might seep in during the winter. There are various kinds of waterproofing applications available for wicker furniture. Some even come in a spray-paint-like can, which is easy enough to apply. Simply follow the listed instructions on the can and you’ll be good to go.

Take The Cushions In

While you might not have room for your wicker furniture inside of the house, you should still bring the cushions in. Cushions are water resistant to a certain extent, but eventually, the cushions will begin to take on some moisture when exposed to months of snow and rain. This will lead to the development of mold and mildew, which means you’ll likely need to throw the cushions away. Replacing the cushions (or, at least, the cushion covers) every year is an unnecessary expense.

Let Us Help Answer Any Of Your Questions

Different kinds of wicker furniture will have various weatherproofing options. This is especially the case when it comes down to synthetic over natural weave. Synthetic wicker furniture has different kinds of general care instructions, and even certain brands will offer different tips. If you have questions about how to best protect the specific material and brand you own, don’t hesitate to ask, as we are here to answer. We can offer you more tailored instructions for your furniture, and even suggest where to store your furniture if you’re not totally sure where to put different pieces. Sometimes you may even be able to break up the wicker furniture and keep one chair in your sunroom while placing benches and ottomans inside the backyard shed. Whatever your wicker furniture questions and needs are, we’re here to help.

Find Your Next Piece Of Wicker Furniture Today

If you are currently on the market for new wicker furniture, or if you are just curious as to what options are available, there’s never been a better time to purchase beautiful furniture additions for your home than right now. With a wide selection of furniture options, colors, and designs, you will find everything you’ve been searching for (and more). Plus, if you have any questions about the products and what might work best for your particular setup, our friendly team is here to help. So take your time poking through the various furniture options on the site and if you ever have a question, don’t hesitate to ask by Requesting A Quote or giving us a call: 800-603-7133.