There is nothing more wonderful than relaxing on a couch after a long, hard day at work. But sometimes, the weather is too beautiful to miss, and if you have a nice deck, you may wonder: how long will a couch last outside?
Due to weather that can be harmful to furniture, only certain couches are able to last outside. The couches that can withstand outdoor use depending on the materials they are constructed out of and can last up to thirty years.
Knowing what couches can offer you the best of comfort and novelty outdoors can be difficult. Luckily, we have divided the issue into two easy-to-understand categories:
- What types of weather pose a threat to couches outside?
- What types of couches can last outside?
Once you decide to place a couch on your deck or patio outside, it is essential to determine the answer to the question: how long will a couch last outside? By breaking down the answers to the above questions, we’ll help you be sure!
What types of weather pose a threat to couches outside?
Hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes don’t have to occur to ruin an outdoor couch. In fact, something that is only as extreme as a windy day can ruin perfectly good couches. Let’s break down the different kinds of weather your outdoor couch may go through, and how these types can affect it.
Rain
Rain is experienced no matter where in the world you live. If your deck is covered, you have only bought your couch a bit of time before the ill effects of rain set in.
Rain causes wetness: no surprise there! It is the moisture that really harms couches. Moisture can cause a buildup of mould, which can, in turn, harm visitors enjoying your couch by causing health issues.
Mould can be identified as dark or fuzzy discoloration in shades of brown, green, black, white, or even a reddish hue. You don’t want rain causing mold to seep into couch cushions, disrupt guests’ breathing, or cause rashes.
Wind
The wind might not seem like it has the power to do much if a hurricane or tornado is not actively bearing down on your deck or patio. However, a couch that is left outdoors under windy conditions could still be in danger of getting yanked away.
Even if the main section of your outdoor couch stays put during a windy day, you could still find your couch full of leaves, branches, and other debris if your deck is not covered. In our living rooms, we find the remotes between cushions. Outside, you might find anything that the wind has carried to your couch!
Snow
Snow presents a similar problem for outdoor couches to those inflicted by rain. However, not only is snow wet, affording an opportunity for mould to grow; snow is deceptively heavy.
It may look fluffy and pretty, but snow on a lightly framed couch can cause cracks in the structure of your piece of furniture. This is because the snow has a tendency to build up and weigh down any surface it settles on. Then slowly saturating the couches with water as it melts.
Temperature
On nice days, a nap on the couch is just what the doctor ordered. But if your outdoor couch stays outside on days that aren’t so nice, it can be damaged easily.
Metal and wooden couches both run the risk of warping in hot weather, and wooden frames can even crack or splinter. This is not only unattractive but unsafe.
What types of couches can last outside?
Just because the great outdoors offer formidable challenges like rain, wind, and snow, this doesn’t mean you have to give up on your dream of keeping a couch outside! It only means that you need to be sure the couch you plan on leaving out of doors is sturdy enough to handle it.
Wood Couches
Wood couches come in many different types. The most popular choice is teak wood because teak is durable and easy for woodworkers to work with. However, redwood and cedar also boast durability like teak.
If teak, redwood and cedar are what your couch is made of, they can resist the effects of water better than other types of wood. You can even stain your couch’s framework to prevent the inevitable fading that wood outside suffers from.
Remember, even if you have a wooden couch frame, the cushions that make the space comfortable can be susceptible to mould. Either treat the cushions regularly, even after covering them or swap them out often!
Resin Couches
Resin couches are beautiful and classy. They give off a lovely farmhouse vibe with their interwoven, wicker style. They are popular because they don’t retain heat as well as looking classy.
Resin can last a long while outside because most synthetic resin couches are already treated with chemicals that make them weather-resistant. This means rain is well defended-against.
Composite Couches
With many of the benefits of composite decking built into your couch. Such as durability, resistance to fading and insects.
Often designed to imitate wood but without the maintenance of wood couches. What did I say like the decking but for your deck.
Metal Couches
Metal couches are popular thanks to their weight. This can keep a couch safe from getting blown around by particularly strong gusts of wind. Remember, however, the danger of rust.
If a couch is made of aluminum, it withstands not only the tendency of metal furniture to rust, but it is also easy to shift around. That is great if you’d like to move your couch a little to the left, but not so great if a heavy wind storm blows through.
Still, aluminum is the longest-lasting type of outdoor couch. It can last for more than thirty years if you find a quality frame!
Summary
Outdoor couches really do provide the best of both worlds. They are comfortable and transport the subconscious happy place of your living room to the different but delightful happy place a backyard produces.
Still, with so many benefits to owning an outdoor couch, there are risks and doubts involved when weather presents its problems. Luckily, now you know how to determine which couch not only works with your outdoor space but will last the longest outside!
