How do I protect outdoor furniture over the winter?
Clean it, let it dry completely, touch up chipped paint or finish, and store it indoors or under a breathable cover, off the ground. Moisture is what damages outdoor furniture: it wets wood and starts rust, and mold grows on anything left damp. Store cushions dry and indoors. Skip airtight plastic wrap.
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By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished
Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.
Step by step
Read when to stop and call a pro, further down this page, before you start.
Step 1: Empty and clean each piece
Scrub off dirt, bird droppings and mildew with detergent and water, rinse with a hose, and wipe down.[3]
Step 2: Let everything dry fully
Leave the furniture in an airy, shaded spot until it is completely dry before covering or storing it.[3]
Step 3: Touch up bare metal
Wire-brush any rust spots, then prime and paint them on a dry day, because rust will keep spreading under a winter cover.[2]
Step 4: Re-seal worn wood
If wood has gone dull or the finish has worn thin, restore the finish so water cannot soak in.[1]
Step 5: Tighten loose hardware
Snug up screws, bolts and joints now so a loose frame does not work itself apart while stored.
Step 6: Dry and bring in the cushions
Store cushions and fabric indoors once they are completely dry, as damp fabric grows mold.[3]
Step 7: Choose where it will sit
Move furniture under a roof, in a shed, garage or basement if you can; stack or fold it, and keep feet off wet ground.
Step 8: Cover with something that breathes
If it must stay outside, cover it with a breathable, water-shedding cover that is tied down and leaves the bottom open to air.[1]
Step 9: Check it mid-winter
On a dry day lift the cover, look for damp, mildew or rust, and let the furniture air before replacing it.
Clean the furniture, dry it completely, store it under a roof if you can, and keep cushions indoors. Winter does not wreck outdoor furniture by being cold; it wrecks it by being wet. Wood can get wet many ways, such as windblown rain, leaks, condensation, dew, and melting ice and snow.[1] A Virginia winter supplies all of them, usually in one week.
Why moisture is the whole problem
For wood, the Forest Products Laboratory says that preventing liquid water from entering wood and providing a way for trapped water to evaporate is the single most important step in ensuring good performance from wood products.[1] Water is usually involved if finishes perform poorly on wood.[1] So winter protection has two halves: keep rain and snow off, and do not seal damp furniture in a space where it cannot dry.
Metal has the same enemy. The minimum relative humidity necessary to promote rusting is 65%,[2] and outdoor air is often that humid. And once a rust film forms, its porous surface acts as a reservoir for liquids, which in turn causes further corrosion.[2] Chips you ignore in October are the rust you repair in April.
Fabric and wicker add mold. The EPA puts it simply: the key to mold control is moisture control.[3] It also says it is important to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.[3]
Before you put it away
Wash first. Dirt, leaf litter and bird droppings hold moisture against a surface all winter. For hard surfaces, the EPA's advice for mold applies: scrub mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry completely.[3] Then let the furniture sit somewhere airy and shaded until it is dry, including the undersides of seats and the insides of hollow tube legs.
Repair next, not after. Do not paint or caulk moldy surfaces.[3] Paint applied over moldy surfaces is likely to peel,[3] so clean and dry before you touch up. On steel and iron, any surface rust that has developed should be removed with a clean wire brush just before priming.[2] The fuller routine is in why metal patio furniture rusts. On wood, re-oil or re-stain worn patches so that water beads off rather than soaking in; how to restore faded outdoor furniture covers the finishing.
Tighten screws, bolts and joints now. A loose frame flexes in storage and is a bigger repair by spring.
Where it should spend the winter
In order of preference:
- Indoors: a garage, shed, basement or covered porch. This is the best option for wood, wicker and anything with cushions.
- Under a roof outside: a porch or carport, stacked or folded, with feet off damp concrete or soil.
- In the open: only with a proper cover. Choose one that sheds water and lets air through, tie it down so wind cannot pull it loose, and leave the bottom open so condensation can escape. A tight plastic wrap traps moisture against the furniture and invites the mildew you were trying to avoid.
Cushions, umbrellas and fabric go inside. Make sure they are completely dry first, because mold may cause staining and cosmetic damage,[3] and mildewed cushions usually cannot be restored to how they looked.
Check on it in winter
On a dry day, lift the cover and look underneath. Damp, a musty smell or white or black spots mean the furniture needs airing. Pull the cover off for an afternoon, wipe it down, and put it back. Ten minutes in January is cheaper than a repair quote.
Stop and call a pro if
- A frame has weakened. A leg or joint that flexes or a weld that cracks is a repair, not maintenance; see whether patio furniture is worth repairing.
- Mold has spread through wicker or upholstery. Heavily mildewed pieces are often cheaper to replace; a restorer can tell you.
- The piece is an antique. Do not strip or refinish it on your own.
- Old paint needs sanding. Furniture painted decades ago may contain lead; have it assessed first.
Getting help in Virginia
For what a repairer charges, see what outdoor furniture repair costs in Virginia. Browse outdoor furniture repair requests or more furniture repair answers.
When you are ready, describe the piece once and local repairers can quote it.
Common questions
- Is a plastic tarp a good cover for patio furniture?
- Usually not on its own. A tarp wrapped tight keeps rain out but also holds in the moisture that is already in the furniture and cushions, and trapped dampness is what lets mildew and rust get going. Use a cover that sheds water but breathes, leave the bottom open, and dry the furniture first.
- Do I really have to bring cushions inside?
- It is the single most useful thing you can do. The EPA says to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth, and cushions that sit under a cover all winter rarely get that chance. Store them clean, completely dry and off the floor.
- Does cold weather itself damage outdoor furniture?
- Cold matters less than wet. The Forest Products Laboratory lists melting ice and snow, along with rain, dew and condensation, among the ways wood gets wet, and says that keeping liquid water out and letting trapped water evaporate is the single most important step for good performance. Metal rusts faster where water sits in crevices.
- Should I paint or stain before storing furniture for winter?
- Fix worn spots now, but only on clean, dry surfaces. The EPA says not to paint over moldy surfaces because paint applied over them is likely to peel. Clean and dry first, then touch up, and use a dry day for it.
- What if I find mold or rust in spring?
- Mildew on hard surfaces scrubs off with detergent and water, and then the piece must dry completely. Rust needs wire-brushing, priming and repainting; see why metal patio furniture rusts. If the frame has weakened, see whether patio furniture is worth repairing.
Sources
- [1] Chapter 16: Finishing Wood, Wood Handbook (FPL-GTR-282), USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. Checked October 28, 2026.
- [2] Preservation Brief 27: The Maintenance and Repair of Architectural Cast Iron, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Checked October 28, 2026.
- [3] A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Checked October 28, 2026.
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