How do I Choose the Best Outdoor Chair Covers?

Outdoor chair covers are meant to protect your outdoor furniture from warping, weathering and other types of damage that can compromise its aesthetic or functional value. Great outdoor chair covers are made out of durable materials and contain other features that help ensure the protection of your furniture. You can find outdoor chair covers at local stores, but, if you have custom furniture, you might have to have your chair covers custom-made, as well.

The best types of outdoor chair covers are those that are durable. Remember that your first priority is to find chair covers that protect your furniture from the elements. For this reason, you need to look for chair covers that are made out of materials designed to do just that. Polyester and vinyl are materials that can effectively protect your furniture against harsh elements such as rain and snow. Try to look for covers that have reinforced seams, ties, ventilation features and ultraviolet (UV) protection.

You most likely will be able to find outdoor chair covers at your neighborhood stores. Covers found at local stores tend to be simple yet effective. These covers can come in plain, solid colors and in one-size-fits-all dimensions.

If you're looking for more options, though, you can visit home improvement stores. The garden and patio sections of these stores likely will provide many different covers to purchase. It's not uncommon to find stylish, colorful and interesting patterns on outdoor chair covers in these types of stores.

Your options might be limited if your outdoor furniture was custom made. If this is the case, you might have to have your covers designed specifically to fit your furniture. A benefit of having your covers customized is that you can include zippers or Velcro® in the design to ensure that your furniture will be protected. Store-bought covers are usually of the slip-on variety, and if they are too large, they can be blown upward by powerful gusts of winds, exposing furniture to the elements and decreasing their effectiveness.

If you're a frugal shopper, you can also buy one large outdoor chair cover and place several small chairs underneath it. This can help you save money and keep your chairs all in one place. If you're concerned about a large chair cover seeming generic, you can decorate the outside of the cover using safe paints. A little creativity can go a long way in making the chair cover seem like an indispensable part of your outdoor furniture collection.