By far, the most challenging furniture to protect is outdoor furniture. Not only do you have to worry about negligent people or pets ruining it, but the outside elements and weather as well. If the furniture is made out of metal or plastic, you don’t have as much to worry about, but sitting outside in one of those types of chairs isn’t very comfortable. That’s why many people opt to get chairs with cushions. However, figuring out which material is the best choice can be difficult. There are so many aspects to consider. That’s why we’ve brought you an outdoor cushion cover fabric guide to help you figure out what type you need for your outdoor furniture.
Resistance To Water
Unless your outdoor furniture is in an enclosed area, water is the biggest problem you will face. It’s impossible to remember to bring the cushions inside every time it rains. Plus, you won’t even be home every time it does, even if you do remember. That’s why you need water-resistant fabric. Most acrylic or polyester fabrics are resistant to water and mildew. Almost any type of fabric can be made with water-resistant materials, but unless it specifies that it does, don’t assume that it will.
How Much It Will Fade
When they’re in constant sunlight, the material of outdoor cushions tends to fade. Black and navy blue are two examples of colors that fade fast in the hot sun. If putting your chairs and their cushions in a shaded area isn’t an option, you might need to find a material or color that won’t easily fade over time. Cover materials that don’t quickly fade are fabrics with built-in acrylic or polyester. If those aren’t an option, though, aim towards using a lighter-toned color scheme.
Overall Comfort
This section of our outdoor cushion cover fabric guide is the one that seems to be forgotten about the most, but in a lot of ways, it’s the most important. Why bother making your chairs weatherproof if you don’t enjoy sitting in them? If comfort is all you care about, then cotton fabric is definitely the way to go. However, if you want the best of everything, a fabric with an acrylic blend is the way to go. Not only does it protect your furniture from the elements, but it’s not half bad to sit on either.
Ease of Cleaning
At the end of the day, none of this matters if the cushions are hard to clean. Trying to wash a whole pad is no easy task. That’s why many people buy ones that have slip-on covers. Slipcovers that have zippers and those zippers make it a breeze to pull the covers on or off your cushions. Our store has a whole section of outdoor cushion covers with zippers. There are many different types of fabrics available for these, so you will be able to find the one best fits your needs.