Outdoor Furniture Covers | Patio Furniture Covers | Waterproof Furniture Covers

An outdoor furniture cover has one job: keep rain, snow, sun, pollen and bird droppings off furniture that cost real money. A cover that does that job well is not the most expensive one or the thickest one. It is the one that fits. This guide explains what the words on a product page mean, how to measure your furniture, what fabric weights and closures to look for, and what matters for each type of cover we sell, so you can choose once and forget about it.

Measure first, then shop

Take three numbers in inches: the longest length, the widest width and the height at the tallest point. For a sectional, measure each arm of the L or V separately and note which way it faces when you stand in front of it. For a dining set, push the chairs in and measure the whole footprint, chairs included. For an umbrella, measure the closed canopy from the top to the bottom of the fabric. For a fire pit or hot tub, measure across the widest point and the height.

Then pick a cover 1 to 3 inches larger than your furniture in each direction. Too tight and it stretches at the corners, strains the seams and is a fight to put on. Too loose and it pools water and catches wind. Every product page on this site lists the cover's own dimensions and the furniture size the maker says it fits, so you compare numbers, not photographs.

Fabric weight: what 420D and 600D mean

The D stands for denier, a measure of the thickness of the yarn the fabric is woven from. 420D polyester is the everyday weight: light enough to handle easily, strong enough for chairs, umbrellas and heaters. 600D is noticeably heavier and more tear-resistant, and it is what you want on anything large or anything that sits out all winter: sofas, sectionals, dining sets, hot tubs. A few covers on this site are 900D or 1000D, which is overbuilt in a good way for fire pits that get knocked and heavy snow loads. Heavier fabric also hangs better, so the cover drapes instead of flapping.

Waterproof versus water-resistant

Polyester on its own soaks through. What makes a cover waterproof is the coating on the inside face, usually polyurethane, and the way the seams are finished. A water-resistant cover sheds a shower and wets through in a long rain. A waterproof cover has a coating that holds standing water and, on the better ones, taped or double-stitched seams so the needle holes do not leak. Every cover here is sold as waterproof by its maker, and we quote the coating and seam detail the listing gives. Look for vents as well: a sealed cover with no vents traps warm, damp air underneath, and that is how mildew starts on cushions.

Straps, hems and vents

Wind is what kills covers, not rain. A cover that lifts in a gust flaps against the furniture, wears through at the corners and eventually leaves. There are four ways a cover holds on, and most good ones use two of them. Buckle straps or click-close straps clip under the furniture or around a leg. A drawstring hem with a toggle pulls the bottom edge tight. An elastic hem grips without adjustment. Air vents are not a fastening but they do the same job, because they let a gust pass through instead of turning the cover into a sail. Padded handles are a small thing that matters on a big sectional cover, which can weigh several pounds and is awkward to lift on and off.

Cover by cover: what to look for

Sofa and sectional covers. Get the orientation right: a left-facing sectional cover will not fit a right-facing sectional. Measure the long side and the short side of the L separately. Look for 600D fabric, vents and straps, because this is the largest piece in the yard and takes the most wind.

Table and chair set covers. One cover goes over the whole set with the chairs pushed in. Measure the footprint with the chairs in place, not the table alone. Rectangular covers run from about 88 inches long for a six-seater to 126 inches for a big eight-seater; round covers are sized by diameter. Vents are essential on a set cover because of the air trapped under the table.

Chair and chaise covers. Single dining chair covers are sized to one chair; stackable covers go over a stack of four to six. Chaise lounge covers are long and low, and a pair pack is the usual buy. Check the height, because a chaise with a raised back needs the taller size.

Umbrella covers. A cantilever or offset umbrella needs a cover with a rod, because the closed canopy hangs away from the pole and you cannot reach the top without one. Measure the closed canopy length. A zip the full length makes it far easier to fit.

Patio heater covers. Dome heaters and pyramid heaters are different shapes and need different covers. Measure the height and the width of the dome or the base. A zip and a drawstring base are the useful features; a heater cover with neither will not stay on through a windy night.

Fire pit covers. Measure the diameter and the height. Let the pit cool completely before covering it, every time. A heavier fabric, 900D or 1000D, earns its keep here because the cover gets dragged across stone and metal edges.

Hot tub covers. A cover cap goes over the top of the existing hard lid and the sides of the tub, protecting the lid from UV and snow. Measure the lid across and the drop you want down the side. It is not a replacement for the insulated lid itself.

Egg chair, TV and swing covers. Hanging egg chairs are sized single or double; measure the basket, not the stand. An outdoor TV cover is sized by screen size and should have a cutout or flap for the mount and cables. A porch swing cover is sized by the number of seats; measure the full width including the arms.

Color and sun

Dark covers hide dirt and bird droppings; light covers run cooler and show them. Both fade in strong sun over a few seasons, and UV is also what eventually stiffens and cracks a polyester cover. Every cover here lists UV resistance where the maker claims it. If your yard gets full sun all afternoon, that line on the product page matters more than the color.

Looking after a cover

Hose it down a couple of times a season and let it dry in the sun before you put it back on. Do not machine wash, bleach or tumble dry; heat and bleach strip the coating. Brush snow off before it gets heavy. Store it in the bag it came with over the months you do not need it, dry, out of the sun. Treated this way, a 600D cover lasts for years.

Your buying checklist

Measure your furniture: length, width, height, and orientation if it is a sectional. Add 1 to 3 inches. Match the shape: rectangular, round, L-shaped, dome, pyramid. Check the fabric weight, the coating and seam finish, the closure and the vents on the product page. Pick the size that fits. Then order, knowing you have 14 days to change your mind.

The short version

Measure first. Go an inch or two bigger, never smaller. 600D for anything large or left out all winter. Straps plus vents for wind. Read the dimensions twice. Everything we sell lists them.