How to Choose Patio Furniture Covers: Finding the Right Size in 5 Steps

Knowing how to choose patio furniture covers comes down to three measurements and one honest look at your climate. Get the right size and the right material, and the rest of the decision gets a lot simpler.

Finding ways to protect all the things you love from life's little hazards can be a daunting task. Comparing products, prices and reviews requires a lot of time and energy, so naturally you'll want to be sure that the protection you end up choosing actually 'protects'.

At Coverstore, we believe knowing what you want and what you need are equally important. Knowing both will increase your chances of making the right decision and save time and money in the long run.

We've put together a 5-step guide to help you quickly sort through any product assortment and choose the right outdoor furniture cover, the first time around.

1. Review the Product Hierarchy

Selecting an outdoor furniture cover should not be time consuming or overwhelming, as long as you know what to expect. Take a minute to review the website's product menu and how those products are merchandised, or organized, across categories.

We also encourage you to check out any supplemental information provided, such as comparison charts and informative web pages.

Coverstore's outdoor furniture cover assortment is divided into 6 sub-categories (Patio Furniture, Grill and Heating, TV, AC and Equipment, Vehicle, Storage and Organization, and Custom) and generally follows this hierarchy: style, size, material, color.

2. Understand Potential Threats

UV-sun rays, rain, wind, snow, ice, dirt, dust, tree sap, bird droppings, pollen, falling limbs, insects, and wild animals are just some of the threats your outdoor furniture might be exposed to throughout its lifetime.

We recommend making a list of all the elements that your outdoor furniture will potentially be exposed to.

If you're not sure where to start, do a quick internet search on historical or predicted seasonal behavior for the region that your furniture will be located in. To make a realistic comparison between each material collection we offer, select the top two most concerning elements from that list and use our material comparison chart to determine which material is best for you.

For example, a person located in Las Vegas, Nevada will likely be concerned with protecting their patio furniture from extreme heat, snow, rain, wind, dust, and sun exposure. While all of these elements will affect your furniture, the implications of harsh sunlight and dust carry the greatest concern in this region.

3. Measure Your Furniture

Did you know that outdoor furniture covers are intended to not touch the ground so air can properly circulate underneath the cover to prevent mold and mildew? Or that an over-sized cover actually encourages water to pool?

Just like the shoes on your feet, selecting the right size cover to protect your furniture is crucial. Naturally, a cover that's too small simply won't be able to provide enough coverage, and an over-sized cover will create pockets for water to accumulate. We recommend choosing a comfortable fitting cover, with no more or less than 4 inches to spare.

How to Measure Patio Furniture for Covers

Knowing how to measure for outdoor furniture covers takes about five minutes with a tape measure. Every style uses the same three dimensions:

• Width. Measure the widest side from left to right, starting at the leg base or the arms, whichever is the widest point.
• Depth. Measure the deepest side, adjacent to the width, from back to front. If the furniture has a curved back, start at the deepest point of that curve.
• Height. Measure from the ground to the top of the piece, not from the seat or the base.

Round pieces are the one exception. For a round table, round fire pit or round ottoman, measure the diameter across the widest point instead of width and depth, then take the height as normal. Do the same for a round dining set, measuring diameter from the back of one chair to the back of the chair directly opposite.

Round every dimension up to the nearest inch. Published dimensions for our cover styles refer to furniture dimensions, and each cover is designed to leave hem-to-ground space for necessary air circulation, so you do not need to subtract anything for clearance yourself.

For step-by-step diagrams by furniture style, use our How to Measure Guide.

What Size Patio Furniture Cover Do I Need for My Furniture Type?

The measuring method stays the same, but a few styles have quirks worth knowing before you order:

• Dining sets. Push every chair in to its normal position first, then measure from the back of one chair to the back of the chair farthest across the table. That span, not the tabletop, is the dimension your cover has to clear.
• Sectionals. Measure the full assembled configuration you plan to leave outside. If you rearrange the pieces seasonally, individual covers give you more flexibility than one large sectional cover.
• Chaise lounges and Adirondack chairs. Both have low, angled backs and long footprints, so depth is usually the dimension that decides the size, not width.
• Egg chairs and hanging chairs. Measure the widest point of the shell and include the stand in your height measurement.
• Round tables and round dining sets. Diameter is the number that matters. A six-seat round set needs a cover that clears the chair backs on every side, which is always considerably wider than the tabletop.
• Stacking or nesting chairs. Measure the stack at the height you actually store it. A stacking chair cover is often the better answer than several individual covers.

If no cover matches your exact dimensions, choose the one that is slightly larger in width or depth rather than sizing down. When nothing standard works, custom sizing is available across most styles.

Common Sizing Mistakes

• Guessing from memory. Furniture dimensions vary between manufacturers, even on pieces that look nearly identical. Measure every time.
• Measuring only the table. This is the most expensive mistake on a dining set, because the chairs add width on all four sides.
• Sizing down to save money. A cover stretched tight tears at the seams and leaves arms and legs exposed.
• Throwing one large cover over separate pieces. Water collects in the gaps between furniture, which is exactly what a cover is supposed to prevent.
• Forgetting to check the fit after a season. Cushions compress and furniture gets rearranged, so re-measure before you reorder.

How to Stop Water Pooling on a Furniture Cover

Water pools when a cover has slack in it. A cover sized close to your measurements keeps enough tension across the top for rain to run off instead of collecting, and the drawcord or buckle straps take up whatever slack is left. If you already see standing water on your cover, the fix is usually a snugger size or a tightened drawcord rather than a heavier fabric.

What Are the Best Outdoor Furniture Covers to Protect Against Rain?

The best rain protection comes from a cover that keeps water out and still lets moisture escape. Those two jobs pull against each other, which is why the answer is not simply the most waterproof fabric you can find.

A fully sealed cover with no ventilation will keep rain off your furniture and then trap whatever humidity is already underneath it. Warm air, damp cushions and no airflow is how mold and mildew start, and that damage happens under a cover that looks like it is doing its job. It is the most common way a well-intentioned purchase goes wrong.

What you actually want is a water repellent outer fabric paired with covered mesh vents and hem-to-ground clearance, so rain runs off the outside while air keeps moving underneath. That combination protects better in sustained wet weather than a heavier, fully sealed cover does.

How to Keep a Cover On in High Wind

Wind is the threat most people underestimate, and it is usually what finally destroys a cover. Loose fabric catches air like a sail, and the stress lands on the seams and attachment points until something gives.

Three things keep a cover in place:

• Correct size. A cover with less slack has less to catch the wind. This matters more than any accessory you can add.
• A drawcord. A 360 degree drawcord cinches the hem underneath the furniture and takes up remaining slack.
• Buckle straps. Straps anchor the cover to the furniture itself, which is what holds through sustained gusts rather than a single squall.

If wind is one of your top two threats from step 2, treat drawcords and straps as requirements rather than nice-to-haves, and check the product description to confirm which fastening system a given cover includes.

4. Know the Important Features

If you're as serious as we are about protecting your outdoor patio furniture, we encourage you to review all of the resources provided to ensure the cover you're considering meets your individual needs. For example, if your patio furniture has unusual angles or if wind is a concern, you might consider choosing a cover with a 360 degree drawcord to ensure flexible on and off and to make securing the cover against high winds.

Our materials include different features, so be sure to read the product descriptions to know exactly what you are getting. You should also consider other factors like warranty term, color, price, and availability.

What Features Should I Look For in a Durable Outdoor Furniture Cover?

Durability comes from construction, not just fabric weight. These are the features worth checking on any cover before you order:

• Covered mesh vents. Let trapped moisture escape without letting rain in. The single most important feature for preventing mold and mildew.
• A 360 degree drawcord. Cinches the hem for a secure fit and makes the cover easy to get on and off.
• Buckle straps. Anchor the cover to the furniture in sustained wind.
• Fabric denier. The higher the denier, the more durable the fabric. Useful for comparing polyester covers directly against one another.
• Warranty term. The most honest signal of how long a manufacturer expects a cover to last.

The features that matter most depend on the piece. A chaise lounge sits low and long, so hem clearance and a secure drawcord matter more than height. An egg chair has an irregular shape and a stand, so a drawcord that adapts to odd angles matters most. An Adirondack chair has a sloped back that sheds water well already, so ventilation and fit are the priorities.

What Materials Are Best for Outdoor Patio Furniture Covers?

The best material is the one matched to the two threats you identified in step 2, not the most expensive one on the page. Outdoor furniture covers are typically made from vinyl or polyester. Vinyl is the more affordable option and handles rain and dirt well. Polyester generally lasts longer, and the higher the fabric denier, the more durable the cover. Think of denier the way you would think of thread count in sheets.

The same logic applies whether you are covering a full patio set, a chaise lounge or a single Adirondack chair. The furniture changes the size, the climate changes the material.

For a side-by-side breakdown of how each of our collections performs against these threats, along with fabric, construction and warranty details, see our material comparison chart.

5. Select Your Cover

Now that you've chosen the right cover for you and your outdoor furniture, simply add it to your shopping cart and follow the checkout process. You can view the items in your cart anytime by clicking on the cart icon in the top-right corner of your screen.

Still Have Questions?

If you have any questions, please visit our FAQ page or contact us.