Outdoor pillows and cushions help create comfy seating on a deck, porch, or patio. Outdoor furniture is made from a variety of natural and manufactured materials. Most buyers are looking for patio furniture that is long-lasting, looks new and fresh for years to come, stays attractive despite exposure to the elements, and is easy to maintain. Here are the 3 most important things to think about when choosing the right patio cushions:
Customizability
How can your yard represent your unique personality? The possibilities are endless, and choosing your corresponding furniture should never be limited. Few companies allow you customizability; for instance, cushion covers or slipcovers are interchangeable and allow you to switch between each outdoor party, family get-togethers, and your daily routine based on the mood that you want to present. Can outdoor replacement cushions do that?
Damage From the Elements
Changing climate and weather conditions can certainly harm furniture, so what are some tried-and-tested techniques for damage prevention to patio furniture?
States such as Arizona and Florida have more than 300 days of sunshine on average every year and “enjoy” temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer. This will ultimately ruin patio furniture due to the direct sunlight or the constant heat. Think melted plastic, faded fabric, and even cracked wood frames. Two fabrics are especially fade-resistant. We’ll cover those later in the article.
Make sure to also have patio furniture that has top quality materials and is wheater resistant. You can find a list of patio furniture that is weather resilient, UV resistant, and durable on the Globo Surf website.
You deserve to truly enjoy your time in the sun while preventing damage to your patio chairs, tables, and other furniture by inspecting it regularly. For fabrics, check for wear and tear in areas that experience direct sunlight. An obvious solution is shading your furniture with umbrellas, awnings, ramadas, your house’s roof, etc.
Remember that rain can promote mildew, mold, and fungus growth. Dirt can leave undesirable patterns on your furniture. Do your chosen patio cushions repel fungal growth and allow for an easy cleaning process?
Best fabrics
Outside furniture will inevitably suffer partial to full exposure to these natural elements, but some can withstand wind, rain, dirt, and sunshine better than others.
EBay recommends, “changing cushions [which] can give you a whole new look…quality materials that are long-lasting, sturdy, and durable…that look good despite coming into contact with a variety of weather conditions, and is easy to care for.”
For all outdoor features, you need material that won’t melt or be too hot to the touch. Choose a fade-resistant fabric for your fabrics. Jo-Ann Stores, inc. declares solution-dyed acrylic and Sunbrella acrylic as the best fabric for outdoor pillows and cushions. Acrylic is a soft, comfortable, and breathable material that will both remain colorfast after sun exposure. For outdoor pillows and cushions, the second best is vinyl coated synthetic fiber mesh-phifertex, and the third most recommended is polyester. Polyester is a strong fiber that is resilient when wet or dry, quick drying, and resistant to stretching, shrinking, wrinkling, and to chemical damage. It repels rot from outdoor elements and is used as a base cloth. According to Jo-Ann’s, “the most decorative of the outdoor fabrics is also the most affordable” (i.e. polyester).
Are you ready to transform your patio?
Photo by Sonnie Hiles
