The best garden furniture covers to protect your outdoor sofas, tables and chairs come rain or shine
To keep your outdoor space in tip-top condition, come summer rain or heatwave, it pays to invest in the best garden furniture covers. While it's easy to delay considering furniture care and storage until autumn, covering it in between use protects from rain, UV sun damage, falling tree sap, leaves and animal mess.
Many premium garden furniture stores produce bespoke fitted covers for everything from hanging egg chairs to rattan sofas. But universal designs are also available from retailers like Next, Argos and Dunelm, with prices ranging from just under £20 to £80.
'Protecting outdoor furniture properly is essential to maintain its condition and extend its lifespan,' says Ralph Aspin, Head of Product and Innovation for garden furniture brand, Kettler. 'A quality cover reduces the need for frequent cleaning and helps prevent long-term damage.'
We tested 11 garden furniture covers to find the best for your favourite garden chairs, tables and sofas. Pair with an approved parasol, patio heater and garden solar lights to complete your outdoor living space.
The best garden furniture covers: At a glance
How to choose the best garden furniture cover
Choose a design and size that suits the item of furniture you're looking to protect. Covers are available to for everything from dining tables to benches to barbecues. Ideally, the fit will be snug and secure. Aspin says: 'While universal covers are a cost-effective option that fit a range of sizes, they may not provide a close fit. Tailored covers designed for specific furniture types or sets offer better protection and a neater appearance. Modular options work well for flexible or corner seating layouts.'
The material should be breathable and at least weatherproof, if not fully waterproof. 'The most effective waterproof covers are made from materials like PVC-backed polyester or ripstop fabric with a waterproof coating,' explains Aspin. 'These are both durable and resistant to tears. Features like taped seams and secure fastenings are also important to stop water from seeping through. Meanwhile, breathability also lets moisture escape, reducing condensation underneath.'
Covers with a UV-resistant coating shelter furniture from direct sunlight, helping to prevent it from weakening, cracking or fading. A cover with 'high colour fastness' is more likely to maintain its appearance and resist discolouration, which can look shabby over time.
How we test garden furniture covers
I have reviewed a range of garden products, including hoses and solar garden lights. For this test, I tried furniture covers from a range of popular brands and retailers. I used them to cover my six-seat teak wooden dining set or a small modular sofa set, depending on the cover's size. Of course, your garden furniture may be a different size or shape, so while I considered the fit, I also looked for a wide range of sizes and a choice of colourways, so it's easy to find the right alternative for your garden.
I assessed durability, weatherproofing and overall design. I noted how easy it was to drape each cover over my furniture, how easy it was to fold and handle and whether I felt the material would tear.
To test how waterproof and effective each cover is at protecting furniture, I blasted each cover with a hose pipe (before any bans came into force) and monitored how well the water repelled or if it seeped through to the furniture underneath.
I noted added extras, such as drawstring ties and Velcro fasteners to secure the base of the cover, which is important when the wind picks up.
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1. Best Buy Garden Furniture Cover: Aerocover Rectangle Garden Set Cover
This cover is designed for use with a rectangular garden set, but there are lots of shapes and sizes within the wider Aerocover range. There's a nifty storage bag attached, but you'll need to practise how to fold it as I found packing it away harder than unravelling it. It draped neatly over my dining table and chairs without making a crunchy noise like that of some of the cheaper covers. I also liked the pre-threaded drawstring tie, which meant I could simply pull it tightly to secure the whole cover without any fiddly set-up required beforehand.
Made from pure polyester, there's a water-resistant lining which effectively held the water from my hose at bay. The furniture underneath remained dry and the cover itself dried reasonably quickly after being soaked, which meant I could pack it away in its bag soon after use. It boasts UV protection too, and it is designed to be breathable to prevent mould and mildew from finding a foothold. All told, I think this quality cover is reasonably priced with features that should suit any garden.
Key specifications
2. Best Value Garden Furniture Cover: Charles Bentley Black Garden Premium Rectangular Cover
Charles Bentley sells a substantial range of garden furniture covers (from parasols to barbecues) both directly on its website, and through retailers including Next and Amazon. I tested this larger design (215cm) as it's well suited to dining tables and modular sofas.
Made from polyester, the cover feels heavy duty and durable. Like the Aerocover above, it draped effortlessly over my dining furniture set, with plenty of wiggle room left at the sides to adjust and fix it into place. There are holes for a drawstring at the base, but you have to thread it through yourself first. Then it pulls tight to ensure the base of the cover stays secured.
While matte and smooth on the outside, the inside has a shiny coating which added to its durable finish. When I hosed down the cover, it repelled the water, which beaded on the surface making it easy to drain it away and shake it off. There's no UV protection or built in air vents, though.
Key specifications
3. Best Water Repellent Garden Furniture Cover: GoodHome Hamilton Grey Rectangular Dining Set Cover
Compatible with B&Q's range of Good Home Hamilton furniture, this sober grey cover comes in a range of sizes to suit various designs and sizes. I tried the Rectangular Dining Set Cover (now out of stock, but other sizes are available,) and found it to be a good size for a six-seater table and chairs. The generous dimensions would also work well for bulky rattan furniture.
Impressively, water beaded and bounced off the cover when I hosed it down. It also didn't take too long to dry in the hot sun afterwards. Two panels on either side let air circulate, ensuring that the furniture can breathe while preventing mould and mildew from building up.
There's a drawstring to tighten it securely at the base, but what I like most are the Velcro ties that fasten the cover to furniture legs. I didn't come across many others like this during my testing.
Key specifications
4. Best Breathable Garden Furniture Cover: Enzeno Garden Covers
For such a large furniture cover, this design arrives compactly folded into a small black carry pouch. Returning it back inside for storage takes time; there is a knack to folding it so neatly. While the black material feels thin and a little noisy when unravelling, it covered my dining furniture effectively. The waterproofing claim stood up to inspection too, withstanding a soaking from my hosepipe to keep the furniture underneath bone dry.
I was also impressed at how securely this design fixed into place. Velcro fastenings attached to the chair legs, while two large straps on each side of the cover clicked into place to prevent it from flapping in the wind. Another practical design feature is the air vent at the side that is intended to actively improve the air circulation and limit condensation.
I think this cover has a lot of useful features built in and there are some 35 different configurations to choose from. While I can't tell if it will stand the test of time after one month, I am surprised at its reasonable price given the initial quality.
Key specifications
5. Best Fitted Furniture Cover: Kettler Palma Low Companion Set Protective Cover
Kettler is a respected garden brand with a 35-year history selling a wide range of outdoor and conservatory furniture. All its garden furniture covers are tailored-made to fit specific pieces of furniture, although not every item has a specific cover to match.
To assess whether its covers have the quality and craftsmanship it claims, I trialled the Palma Low Companion Set and its matching cover. It made a good impression, arriving neatly stored in its own bag. The cover felt strong yet lightweight and was a snug fit on the chairs. Drawstring pulls at each corner ensure it doesn't blow away.
For added peace of mind (Kettler's furniture is expensive after all,) weights are available to secure the cover further. While this may be helpful on particularly blustery days, it's not entirely necessary as the fabric is long enough to fit underneath the furniture to secure it from below.
When I hosed down the cover, the water ran off effectively, keeping the furniture dry underneath. Vents at the side to encourage breathability and limit the build up of condensation within. This material is also designed to protect from UV, frost, tree sap and bird droppings, and I found it wiped down neatly. Incidentally, the grey finish doesn't attract the heat as much as many of the standard black covers I've tried either.
Key specifications
6. Best Heavy Duty Garden Furniture Cover: VonHaus Garden Furniture Cover
This affordable garden furniture cover ticks a lot of boxes. It's easy to manoeuvre and position, due to two handles either side of the cover. Small touches like this make all the difference, especially given the one I tried was pretty large, at 250cm wide.
There are also two strategically placed air vents on either side of the cover to encourage airflow making the cover breathable and less prone to condensation and the build up of mould. It's designed to be fade resistant, anti-UV and waterproof. When testing the latter, the cover seemed to keep furniture nicely dry, even when I gave it a good drenching. It just took a while to dry afterwards as the heavy duty fabric is rather thick.
Finally, it has fastening buckles, hook and loop tightening straps and a drawstring. Few covers seem to offer all three and these make it a secure buy, too.
Key specifications
7. Best Rectangular Garden Furniture Cover: Sol 27 Outdoor Patio Dining Set Cover
This design claims to have it all. It's made from a heavyweight polyester that is resistant to UV, water, weather, stain and heat. With a jet black finish, the fabric feels strong and well made. It's also smooth, which means minimal scrubbing is required to wipe away any marks. When I turned my hose to it, the water simply beaded away.
The tarpaulin doesn't have any air vents. But if you tighten the drawstring at its base so that the cover is gathered above the ground, there should be enough air flow throughout to let your furniture breathe.
It only comes in one large size (270cm) which would suit a table of up to six seats. The brand also sells a similar smaller cover that measures 84 by 104 cm and is similarly UV and water resistant.
Key specifications
8. Best Patio Set Cover: Argos Home Deluxe Rectangular Cover
This wide cover should suit a modular sofa set. Drawstrings secure it at the base, but set aside some time for the initial set-up as you need to feed them through yourself before use. A storage bag is included, making it simple to store away neatly, although I found it tricky to fold it up as tightly as it was when new.
When I hosed it down, water sat on the surface of this cover rather than running off. But it still prevented any seeping through to the furniture beneath it. Note, it's not completely waterproof, instead described as weatherproof, so provided it isn't sat out all month in monsoon weather, it should do the job. At under £40 and considering its eye-catching grey finish and practical design, it feels reasonably priced for such a good quality product.
Key specifications
9. Best Rattan Furniture Cover Set: Outsunny 600D Oxford Set Cover
I tested this cover on a small modular corner sofa set in my garden and as it was so large it draped over easily. The fabric is quite heavy duty, making it one of the bulkiest designs I tested when folded away. However, it wasn't much of a bother to unravel it or to fold it back again after use. Plus, it's so robust it feels like it will stand the test of time.
While it doesn't have an accompanying storage bag, it has a pull cord fastening at its base to fit it securely. A protective coating protects against UV and mild showers seeping through and causing damage. Water seemed to bounce off effectively when it faced the might of my hose.
Key specifications
10. Best Weather Resistant Garden Furniture Cover: Garland 6 Seater Rectangular Furniture Set Cover
This Garland cover is made from polyethylene, the same material found in many plastic bottles and bags, but it has a smooth, wipe-clean finish. A storage bag is included, as is a generous five-year guarantee which is unusual among the garden furniture covers I tested, and testament to the brand's belief in the product's longevity.
There are various iterations available, although it may take some hunting and cross referencing to find the best option for your garden. While the one I tested is designed for a six seater table and chairs, it was way too large for my dining set.
It is described as weather resistant, and this proved true on test; even when the water pooled on its top, none penetrated down to the furniture below. The material was a little noisy, but that's a small complaint. Perhaps more notable is the lack of loops or ties to secure it in place; you'd need a makeshift solution should the wind pick up.
Key specifications
11. Best Budget Garden Furniture Cover: Funshot Garden Furniture Cover
Much like the Garland cover, this green polyethylene cover feels like a camping ground sheet. But for under £20 (for the 170 metre-long version featured), it's a good budget solution. There are 14 sizes to choose from too, so it should be quick to find a size that will snugly fit your specific piece of furniture.
The fabric is a little crunchy, so it didn't drape over my furniture as smoothly as some of the more premium designs. But there's a nylon drawstring at its base threaded through brass, allegedly rustproof rings, giving ample scope to fasten the cover tightly to prevent it being caught by wind. The anti-UV material is waterproof and protected the furniture beneath when I hosed it down.
While the brand claims that its construction is stable and hard to tear, at first use, I'm not convinced that it will age as well as some others that I have tried. But given its wallet-friendly price, I wouldn't expect years of use and if you're bringing your furniture in during heavy rain or strong winds (as is recommended generally) it should still serve you well.
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