Upholstery is an essential part of your outdoor furniture, bringing comfort to your patio, balcony, deck, or open air seating area. By choosing a well-designed and attractive upholstery material, you can make your outdoor furniture inviting and comfortable. North Gold Coast Upholstery has pulled together a comprehensive guide for choosing the best upholstery materials for your outdoor furniture. In addition, we will also go through some essential tips for the maintenance and care of outdoor upholstery fabrics.
In order to curate an inviting outdoor space with outdoor furniture that will be frequently used, you should consider some essential features in fabric material such as its weather resistance, breath ability, durability, aesthetics, cleaning, and maintenance requirements. If you want to get all these features right in your outdoor furniture fabric selection, read on.
When choosing material for outdoor furniture, the most important point to consider is its weather resistance. Is the material intended to be outdoors? Can it withstand sunshine and rain? Any material that is kept and used outside needs to have outdoor weather properties in order to withstand the varying temperatures and weather conditions in South East Queensland. Without properties such as UV ratings and mould and mildew barriers, you will find that the material will likely not stand up to the test of time outside.
Therefore, choosing a material that can effectively resist dust or dirt particles, moisture, UV rays, mold growth, and color fading when undertaking outdoor furniture upholstery, is imperative. Acrylic, Olefin, Polyester, Warwick outdoor (Sundeck), solution-dyed textiles, and their blends are highly robust and resilient, hence favorable for outdoor furniture upholstery, coverings and cushions.
Choose a breathable outdoor upholstery fabric that has micro-pores for smooth airflow. Having breathable fabric also prevents the accumulation of dust particles, moisture, and mold. Moreover, the porous surface also allows the outdoor furniture upholstery to dry quickly just after heavy rain because it doesn’t accumulate raindrops or moisture content.
The accumulation of moisture content in outdoor furniture leads to mold or mildew growth, rendering outdoor furniture un-hygenic and un-useable. Ensuring you select breathable outdoor upholstery fabrics will help to ensure your outdoor furniture upholstery lasts longer and looks great. Outdoor fabrics such as those in the Warwick fabric outdoor ranges are great choices when considering outdoor upholstery fabrics.
Durability, cleaning and maintenance requirements are also an important aspect to evaluate when choosing outdoor furniture fabrics. Always select a material that comes with maximum durability and resilience to make your outdoor furniture upholstery investment last.
To ensure longevity in your outdoor furniture upholstery and cushions, it’s also important to undertake regular cleaning and maintenance. Outdoor upholstery materials can be cleaned by professional fabric cleaning companies, or the covers removed and lightly hosed off or hand washed and then shade dried. Never use harsh chemicals or detergents on outdoor upholstery fabrics.
In this era of innovation and style, having unique decor in residential or commercial spaces is valued. Just as being UV rated and weather resistant are important, so too are style and aesthetics for outdoor furniture upholstery.
When selecting outdoor furniture fabrics, focus on materials that compliment your other furniture, chairs, tables, flooring and accessories in terms of color, texture, and pattern. Upholstering outdoor with complementary colored and patterned fabric will help to make your seating area more luxurious and elegant.
To enhance the durability of your outdoor furniture, regular dusting/cleaning is important. You can use a heavy-duty vacuum cleaner to remove dust or dirt particles from the upholstery surface. For any surface stains, wipe promptly with any suitable fabric cleaner, taking care not to leave water marks on the fabric. It is also best practice to coat your outdoor furniture upholstery in a good quality fabric protection, to help repel liquid spills.
Try to store your outdoor upholstered furniture and cushions in a well-ventilated and dry area to prevent damage and deterioration from bad weather. Doing this will prevent your upholstery material from staining, color fading, and establishing mildew growth. Furthermore, it will also prevent your outdoor furniture upholstery from accumulation of dust or dirt particles.
You can also enhance the lifespan of your outdoor furniture upholstery by utilising high-quality, water proof protective coverings. When outdoor furniture is not in use, you should shield it with durable and weather-resistant covers. Polyester, Vinyl, or PVC-made covers are highly waterproof and dust-resistant, making them perfect to protect your outdoor furniture.
While cleaning or maintaining outdoor furniture, never use harsh chemicals or toxic cleaning agents as they can lead to color fading, fabric damage, and possible health issues. Try to avoid bleaching solutions and ammonia-based chemicals for upholstery cleaning.
After cleaning/washing or extended exposure to rain, you should ensure that outdoor fabrics are allowed to completely dry. There should be no moisture content remaining in cushions or upholstery material, as moisture residue can lead to swift mold or mildew growth, musty smells, and discoloration.
