Garden cushions in winter: leave them out, cover them or store them?
Frost does not hurt an outdoor cushion. Four months of wet leaves, algae and no sun do. Here is what to do with each type.
Short answer by cushion type
| Cushion | November to March |
|---|---|
| Sunbrella® cover, hollow-fibre filling | Can stay out. We still advise storing them dry to save cleaning in spring. |
| Olefin cover, quick-dry foam | Can stay out under a roof; store if exposed. |
| Printed polyester, standard foam | Store, dry, indoors. They will not survive a winter outside. |
Option 1: leave them out
Possible with fade-proof, mildew-resistant fabric and a draining filling. Expect green algae on the north side and leaf tannin marks by March. Both come off Sunbrella® with a 1:9 bleach solution, so this is a cleaning job, not damage. Under a covered balcony or pergola, many customers simply leave them all year.
Option 2: cover the furniture
A breathable furniture cover keeps leaves and most rain off. Two conditions: put it on when the cushions are dry, and choose a cover that lets air through. A cheap PVC cover over damp cushions is a mould incubator. Check under it once a month on a dry day.
Option 3: store them (our advice)
Clean in October, dry on their side, then on a shelf in the shed or in a breathable bag. In April they come out ready to use. The full routine is in how to store garden cushions.
Quality fabric: store because it is convenient. Budget fabric: store because it is necessary.
What frost actually does
Frozen water expands. In a cushion with water trapped in foam, that slowly breaks the foam structure down and the cushion goes lumpy. In a hollow-fibre cushion that has drained there is little water to freeze. Fabric fibres themselves are not harmed by cold; acrylic, polyester and olefin all stay flexible well below freezing.
Using the garden in winter
If you sit outside on dry winter days, keep two or three cushions in a box by the door rather than the whole set in the shed. Darker colours warm up faster in low sun. Our grey and charcoal Sunbrella® cushions are the ones we see used year round.
158 Sunbrella® colours in 45×45, filling included, shipped next working day. Browse the collection or ask about made to measure.
