Looking For Patio Furniture Covers
Have you ever looked for outside patio furniture covers? It's not as easy as it sounds. Every time my kids want to eat outside I feel like I need to wash down our patio table as it generally covered with squirrel prints and bird poop. I just wasn't comfortable with my family eating off the table before I had a chance to give it a scrub in some soapy water.
I have some lovely furniture that looks like it is made from exotic hard wood but it really isn't. I expect it is made with pine and stained to look exotic. I got a great deal on the furniture at Home Depot about six years ago. Another reason I desire some new patio furniture covers is that the rain and the sun can really destroy the finish on my wooden furniture. The furniture has really aged well and I have nothing to complain about. However, without annual or bi-annual maintenance it can show its age.
Almost every autumn I have a fall clean up ritual that involves the whole family. I lightly sand the table and chairs, re-apply a teak or walnut stain and then rub some furniture oil into the wood. The patio furniture really looks fresh and nice when I'm finished. Undoubtedly, this little effort has saved me money by adding years to the life of my furniture. I don't really mind the job and enjoy the fact that it has become a family tradition. However, having some new outdoor patio furniture covers might allow me the time to do other fall clean up jobs.
Basically I want new outdoor patio furniture so I can work less. I don't want to wash the table 3 or 4 times per week and I'd prefer not to have to refinish the table every fall. There are remarkably few stores that stock these covers. The covers I have seen were either overly priced, darn ugly or the wrong size. Furthermore, I have spoken to my extended family about buying covers and it would appear they aren't a must-have item for this year.
Now that I have realized the work these covers are going to save me I want them even more. I don't need to the covers for the winter as I am OK with using a big tarp to cover everything. This is what I need: 1- The covers need to be water resistant and machine washable, 2- They need to be a neutral but pretty colour. I have my heart set on light yellow but would also consider green; and 3- They need to be inexpensive. In my mind, I should be able to cover 4 chairs and a 4.5 foot square patio table for less than 50 bucks.
Buying outdoor patio furniture covers is not as simple as I first expected it to be. The covers themselves are fairly hard to come by. Finding something in your price range and colour and that fits your furniture can be daunting. On the advice of a friend, I'm going to continue to write articles and post on my blog on outdoor patio furniture covers until I finally find a set to call my own.