Outdoor furniture that is built to stay outside still ages faster if it is left to it. Most of the damage people blame on winter is really water that was trapped and froze, cushions that went into a box damp, or a tarp that held moisture against the frame for four months. This guide covers what a good cover is and is not, the breathable-versus-waterproof question, how to store cushions, what each frame material wants over winter -- teak, aluminum, wicker, concrete -- and the handful of things that actually crack in a freeze.

What a fitted cover does that a tarp does not

A tarp is a sheet; a cover is a garment. A fitted cover follows the shape of the piece, so it sheds water off the top instead of letting it pool in a sag, it stays on in wind because it is strapped or cinched at the legs, and it has vents so the air under it changes. A tarp does none of that: it pools, it flaps, and it seals moisture in. The covers sold here include a fitted Telescope Casual or Castelle cover for each seating piece, table and dining set, at the vendor's own price; a cover can be added from the furniture page or from the cart and ships separately from the furniture. A generic cover is the fallback for a piece with no fitted option; measure the furniture's length, depth and height and buy the cover one size up rather than one down.

What to look for in any cover: a solution-dyed or UV-treated fabric, so the cover itself does not rot in the sun; taped or double-stitched seams; mesh vents under a flap, so air moves but rain does not enter; and a cinch cord, buckle straps or leg ties. Padding at the corners where a chair arm would wear through is the sign of a cover built to last more than a season.

Breathable or waterproof?

A fully waterproof, unvented cover keeps rain off and keeps condensation in: warm days and cold nights pull moisture out of the cushions and the ground and leave it on the inside of the cover, where it sits against the frame and breeds mildew. A breathable cover, water-resistant fabric with vents or a breathable panel, lets that moisture out. The right answer for furniture left outside over a wet winter is a water-resistant, vented cover, not a sealed one. Prop the cover so water runs off (a ball or an upturned bucket under the center of a sofa cover works), check it after storms and lift it on a dry day now and then to let everything air.

Cushions: the part that really needs to come in

Frames survive winter; cushions survive a dry winter. The routine is the same for every fabric:

• Clean them first. Dirt and sunscreen left on a cushion over winter set permanently. Mild soap, rinse, dry fully in the sun, upright so the bottom seam drains.
• Store them completely dry. A cushion put away damp comes out speckled with mildew in spring regardless of fabric.
• Store them somewhere dry and ventilated: a garage shelf, a closet, a deck box raised off the floor and vented. Not a sealed plastic bag, which traps the last of the moisture; a breathable storage bag is fine.
• Stand them on edge rather than stacking them flat so they keep their shape and air moves between them.

If a cushion is past saving, the replacement cushions sold here are sewn by the furniture's own maker to the original pattern, so the frame outlives several sets. The cushions and fabrics guide covers cleaning in detail.

Winter care by material

Teak

Teak can stay out all winter. Clean it, let it dry, and either leave it to silver or apply a teak protector before the cold; do not oil it just before winter, because oil on damp wood over a wet season can feed mildew. Lift it off wet ground onto blocks or glides so the end grain is not standing in water, and expect some fine surface checking, which is normal. Cover it loosely if you cover it at all; teak likes air.

Powder-coated aluminum

Aluminum does not rust and does not mind cold. Wash the finish, rinse off any salt or pool residue, and make sure the frame's drain holes are clear so water does not sit inside a tube, freeze and split it from within. Touch up chips so moisture does not creep under the coating. The real winter risk to aluminum is wind: a light frame goes over the railing. Cover it, strap the cover, and stack or group chairs out of the wind.

Resin wicker

All-weather wicker on an aluminum frame can stay outside; the resin does not absorb water and the frame does not rust. Vacuum the weave, wash it, let it dry and cover it to keep debris out of the weave over winter. Do not drag a wicker piece across a rough deck; the weave at the feet is the first place it wears.

Concrete, stone and GFRC tops

This is where freeze actually does damage. Water in the pores of a concrete or natural stone top expands as it freezes and can crack an unreinforced slab or lift the sealer. Glass-fiber-reinforced concrete flexes and survives; plain cast concrete may not. Either way: clean and reseal the top before winter, cover it so water cannot pool on the surface, and set the cover so it sheds. A fire table top is the same material story; disconnect and store the propane tank and cover the burner, as the fire table guide explains.

Rope and sling

Rope and sling do not hold water and need only a clean and a cover. Check that any rope is tensioned and not frayed before covering, so a loose strand does not wear over months of wind. The materials guide has the year-round care for each of these.

Umbrellas, rugs and planters

Umbrella canopies come in, dry and furled. Outdoor rugs are cleaned, dried fully and stored rolled, not folded; the rug guide covers drainage. Ceramic or unreinforced concrete planters are emptied or moved under cover; wet soil freezing inside a pot is what splits it.

A spring checklist

• Uncover on a dry day; let everything air before cushions go back.
• Wash frames; rinse the covers themselves and dry them before folding them away.
• Check welds, feet, glides, straps and cushion ties; replace missing glides so the frame does not scrape.
• Oil teak now if you want the honey tone; the wood is dry.
• Order replacement cushions or a fitted cover now rather than in June, when every piece is in use.

Delivery

Covers ship separately from the furniture. Delivery is free curbside in the continental US on every order. Built-to-order pieces from Castelle, Lloyd Flanders and Telescope Casual ship 6 to 8 weeks after the order is placed, so a sofa ordered in late winter is ready for the season; each product page shows its own shipping note under the price.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should outdoor furniture covers be waterproof or breathable?

Water-resistant and vented. A sealed waterproof cover traps condensation against the frame and cushions and causes the mildew it was meant to prevent.

Can I leave cushions outside under a cover all winter?

You can, but they will be damp by spring in most climates. Clean them, dry them fully and store them indoors on edge; the frame can stay under the cover.

Does teak need to be covered in winter?

No. Clean it, lift it off wet ground and let it air. A loose cover keeps debris off; a sealed cover is worse than none.

Will a concrete outdoor table crack in winter?

A glass-fiber-reinforced top flexes and survives freezing; an unreinforced cast slab can crack when water in its pores freezes. Seal it, cover it so water does not pool, or bring it under a roof.

How do I keep covers from blowing off?

Use a fitted cover with leg ties or a cinch cord, prop the center so it sheds water, and group light aluminum pieces together out of the wind.

Shop covers and cushions

Find a fitted cover in outdoor furniture covers and renew worn seats from replacement cushions. Fitted covers exist for the Telescope Casual and Castelle pieces sold here.