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.

Without annual or bi-annual maintenance my patio furniture really can show its age. I have some great patio furniture. It’s the kind that looks a lot more expensive than it really is. I was able to get it for half price at Lowes about five years ago and I have loved it ever since. The other reason I am searching for some new patio furniture covers is that the elements can be unkind to the finish. The furniture has really aged fairly well but it takes some diligent annual maintenance.

Almost every autumn I rough sand the table and chairs, re-apply a teak or walnut stain and then rub some tung oil into the wood. The whole procedure generally takes 2 half days and the furniture really looks brand new when I’m finished. I have no doubt that this little effort has added years to the life of my furniture. I don’t really mind the job but having some outdoor patio furniture covers might make it less necessary?like maybe every three years.

The other day I called a few patio furniture shops and remarkably few of them sell covers for the furniture. The covers that were available were either far too expensive for my needs or the wrong size. I didn’t even both to go to the shops. Most of the staff at the patio furniture shop only thought about covering the furniture for the winter. Furthermore, I have spoken to a lot of my friends about buying covers and it would appear they aren’t a must-have item.

Given that I have thought of new patio furniture covers for almost a year now, I have been able to pin point what I need to get out of the covers. I’m ok with covering the furniture with a tarp during the harsh winter so the patio furniture covers don’t need to stand up to snow. The covers need to be water resistant and washable. They need to be a neutral but pretty colour. I have my heart set on sage but I’m fairly flexible in the regard. They need to be inexpensive. In my mind, I should be able to cover 4 chairs and a five foot circular patio table for under $85US.

Finding outside patio furniture covers in your price range and that fit your furniture can be a seriously difficult task. It is much harder than I would have thought. It has become a bit of a project for me. On the advice of my sister and best friend, I’m going to continue to post on my blog and write about my experiences in looking for patio furniture covers until I finally find a set to call my own.

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