Protecting Your Deck or Patio Furniture From the Elements in Phoenix

Outdoor furniture is a worthwhile investment that can maximize your patio or deck’s functional potential. Well-maintained furniture can make your home’s outdoor spaces feel more inviting, enabling you to use it more and get more value from it. However, these pieces of furniture are also highly vulnerable and can become easily damaged, ruining your investment and forcing you to spend money on replacements.

Taking the time to maintain your deck and patio furniture and prepare it for Phoenix’s harsh summer weather can save you the time, money and stress of repairing or replacing it.

Threats to Your Outdoor Furniture

Rain

Rain can penetrate porous materials like wood, causing it to warp and rot, and the resultant rise in humidity levels during monsoon season can accelerate the deterioration of even less porous materials. Furniture is far more susceptible to water damage than wood decking. Without proper protection, just one monsoon can ruin your outdoor furniture, cutting your purchase’s usually long lifespan short.

Pests

Rain can also bring pests. Termites, carpenter ants and other wood-boring insects can infest wooden furniture, burrowing small holes and hollowing the wood. Rodents like mice and squirrels, as well as birds, can also be attracted to wet furniture, chewing on wooden components, nesting in cushions or leaving droppings that stain and corrode surfaces.

Mold

With rain and high moisture comes the risk of mold and mildew growth. If wet furniture is neglected, not only can it develop stains, but it can also become a prime environment for mold, which releases a musty odor that can negatively affect you and your family’s health.

UV Exposure

Arizona weather is not kind to outdoor furniture. Even the fall, winter and spring months, which are typically the prime seasons to make the most of your outdoor furniture, can be harmful. Prolonged UV ray exposure can accelerate aging and cause the furniture’s materials to deteriorate faster, especially in intense heat. Colors fade, finishes degrade and structures corrode, compromising the integrity of your outdoor furniture.

Scratches

Jostling and rough use aren’t the only source of scratches. Strong winds (such as during a monsoon) can knock over furniture, and dust storms or wind-thrown debris damage decks or scratch outdoor furniture. Abrasions can mar your furniture’s appearance or cut upholstery, exposing underlayers and increasing the risk of further deterioration, water damage and mold growth – especially if their waterproof coatings are compromised.

Different Types of Outdoor Furniture and Their Weaknesses

• Wood: Wood furniture is susceptible to moisture, UV rays and insect damage. Teak is a type of wood that has a high durability to moisture and humidity, making it an advantageous alternative to traditional wood furniture. However, even a resilient material like teak can degrade. Utilizing a varnish or sealant can help safeguard your investment.

• Metal: Metal furniture is prone to rust and corrosion from moisture and harsh weather conditions. Applying a rust-resistant coating or paint can lower this risk.

• Wicker and Rattan: Wicker and rattan furniture are extremely vulnerable to weather due to being made of organic and porous plant fibers. Applying a sealant or wax can help preserve them. Wicker and rattan furniture also tend to last longer when it’s not left in direct sunlight, meaning placing them under the shade of a deck or patio awning can extend your furniture’s lifespan.

• Plastic: Plastic furniture can become brittle or even warp when subjected to prolonged UV ray exposure and high temperatures. Choosing UV-resistant materials can help reduce fading, but the best solution is to keep plastic outdoor furniture in the shade. Years of triple-digit heat will still shorten the lifespan of this furniture, but shade will help it last longer than it otherwise would in direct sunlight.

• Fabric: Fabric cushions are susceptible to moisture absorption. Opt for water and mold-resistant fabrics to safeguard your furniture. Keeping fabric and upholstered outdoor furniture under patio awnings is the best way to prevent exposure to monsoon rain and the damage that can result.

How to Preserve Your Deck and Patio Furniture

Regular cleaning and investing in furniture coverings is crucial. Storing your furniture indoors can help prevent deterioration, but some pieces of outdoor furniture are too big or heavy to move easily. Storing outdoor furniture every time it rains or there’s a dust storm is also a chore, and it’s not uncommon for Phoenix homeowners to simply forget to do it ahead of a storm’s arrival.

Buying patio furniture with removable and washable cushion covers can help, and they make cleaning afterward less exhaustive and time-consuming. However, removing cushions prior to a storm can also be bothersome, and forgetting once or twice might be enough to ruin the cushions.

The best protection comes in the form of awnings, since you don’t have to take any extra steps to protect your outdoor furniture from UV rays and water damage. They can provide comprehensive coverage from rain and sun for your outdoor furniture as well as your deck or patio.

A patio or deck awning also provides sun protection for the connected part of your home’s exterior, reducing heat transference by blocking the sun’s rays on that part of your house. This can reduce utility costs and the strain on your HVAC system during the summer and the hotter parts of the spring and fall.

Plus, an awning can be customized to seamlessly match or enhance your exterior’s aesthetic, making it an attractive and functional addition to your outdoor space.

Hire Trusted Phoenix Awning Installers Who’ve Been Designing Custom Awnings for Nearly a Century

Arizona Awnings has been optimizing shading solutions for Phoenix homes and businesses since 1928. Get consistent and reliable relief from monsoon rain, unrelenting UV rays and other harsh weather conditions with robust, affordable and stylish shading.

Explore our gallery of previous work and call 602-252-3430 today to discuss your vision and receive a free in-home estimate.