Chair Covers for Outdoor Use — What to Buy and What to Avoid

Most garden chair covers look fine on the product listing. They look less fine by February, when the seams are splitting, the fabric has gone stiff and the cover has blown off twice already. Getting this right is not complicated, but there are a few things worth knowing before you spend money.

This guide covers what actually matters when choosing outdoor chair covers — material, fit, fastening — and where most people go wrong.

Why Outdoor Chairs Need Proper Covers

Garden chairs sit outside through some of the worst weather the UK and Europe offer. Even well-made chairs deteriorate fast without protection:

• 1.) Metal frames rust at the joints and fixings — especially where paint has been scratched
• 2.) Resin and plastic crack from repeated freeze-thaw cycles over winter
• 3.) Fabric cushions absorb moisture, grow mildew, and lose their shape
• 4.) UV fades both cushions and frames from spring through summer
• 5.) Bird droppings are highly acidic and eat into surfaces if left

A decent chair cover handles all of this. The catch is that most chairs vary enough in size that a “standard” cover is always a compromise.

What Material Should You Choose?

600D Polyester with PVC Coating

This is the standard for most garden chair covers. It handles UK rain reliably, is light enough to put on and take off without effort, and holds up through a couple of seasons minimum. The PVC coating is what makes it waterproof rather than just water-resistant — that distinction matters in prolonged heavy rain.

18oz PVC Coated Vinyl

Heavier and more durable. Worth it for chairs that stay outside year-round, or in areas with harsher winters. It costs more and weighs more, but it lasts considerably longer under sustained exposure.

Avoid Thin Polyester Without Coating

Uncoated polyester repels light drizzle but soaks through in proper rain. You will find these in garden centres and discount retailers. They work for occasional use but are not built for a full British winter outdoors.

The Fit Problem — Why Standard Sizes Fall Short

Dining chairs, stacking chairs, armchairs, Adirondack chairs and bistro chairs are all completely different shapes. A cover sized for a standard dining chair will not fit a high-backed armchair. It will not sit properly on a stacking chair either.

Standard cover sizing works for the most common shapes but leaves a lot of chairs poorly covered — too much fabric bunching at the base, gaps at the back, or a cover so loose it blows off in any wind.

Custom made-to-measure chair covers solve this by being cut to your specific chair dimensions. You measure the height, width and seat depth, and the cover is made to fit that chair. No excess fabric, no gaps, no guessing.

What to Look for in Fastenings

The cover needs to stay on. A cover that lifts off in the first October storm was a waste of money. Look for:

• – Drawstring hems at the base — pull tight under the chair legs to secure
• – Velcro straps — good for chairs with unusual leg shapes
• – Elastic corners — useful for dining chairs with four straight legs
• – Reinforced eyelets and rope — best for covers that stay on through winter

The heavier the cover material, the more important the fastenings. A light cover might stay put with just an elasticated hem. An 18oz PVC cover needs proper tie-downs.

Stacking Chair Covers — A Different Problem

If you stack your chairs for winter storage, you need a single cover for the whole stack rather than individual covers. A stacking chair cover is made to the full height of the stack and the dimensions of the widest chair. This is one of the cases where a custom cover makes the most practical sense — stack heights vary, and no off-the-shelf cover will account for your exact number of chairs and chair model.

Curtains & Covers UK makes stacking chair covers to the exact dimensions of your stack. Just measure the total height and the width of the widest chair in the stack.

How Long Should a Chair Cover Last?

A well-made 600D polyester cover with PVC coating should last three to four years outdoors with reasonable care. An 18oz PVC vinyl cover will last five years or more. The main things that shorten cover life:

• Storing the cover folded and wet — fold dry, store dry
• Dragging covers on rough ground — always lift
• Leaving the cover on chairs that are actively used and then covered again damp

Frequently Asked Questions

  Q.1: What size chair cover do I need?

Measure the height (floor to top of back), width (widest point, usually the arms or back), and seat depth (front edge to back). If the chair is adjustable, measure at its largest. For a made-to-measure cover, send those three measurements and the cover is cut to fit exactly.

  Q.2: Can I get a cover for an L-shaped or unusual chair?

Yes — custom made-to-measure covers can be made for any chair shape, including high-backed armchairs, Adirondack chairs, egg chairs and bench-style garden seating. The process is the same: measure the overall height, width and depth, and note anything unusual in the order.

  Q.3: Do chair covers work in heavy rain or just drizzle?

  It depends on the material. Water-resistant polyester handles light rain. A fully waterproof cover uses PVC-coated fabric — that handles sustained heavy rain. If your chairs stay outside all winter in the UK, PVC-coated is worth the extra cost.

  Q.4: Should I remove cushions before covering outdoor chairs?

  Yes, if possible. Cushions store best indoors over winter. If you cannot remove them, make sure the cover has ventilation to prevent moisture building up underneath — trapped damp causes mildew on cushion fabric far faster than open-air exposure.

  Q.5: Can one cover fit a set of stacking chairs?

  Yes. A stacking chair cover is made to fit the full height and width of the stacked pile rather than individual chairs. Measure the total stack height and the widest chair in the stack, and a single cover can protect the whole set.

  Q.6: Do you ship chair covers to Europe?

Yes. Curtains & Covers UK delivers to mainland UK as standard, with shipping available to Europe. Contact us before ordering if you need delivery to a European address and we will confirm the shipping cost.