Prepare For Damage to Your Patio Set Finish
The severe winter weather we're getting this year means one more thing is about to be added to your list of spring chores. This one thing is likely going to be repairs to your patio set.
You see, winter weather can have a number of negative effects on your patio furniture. In this article were going to take a look at some of the possible damage you may experience and what you may have to do to repair it.
Fading
One of the first things you may have to deal with is fading on the finish of your patio furniture. Between the sun that can be just as intense in winter as it is in summer and winter precipitation and high winds, the finishes on your patio set are going to get quite a workout. While everyone knows the damaging effects the sun can have, few people consider the kind of damage that can be done by wind and snow. Winter is known for being windy and that wind can throw debris into your furniture time and time again. This can actually begin to chip away at paint, varnish and other finishes making them look dull.
If you are lucky repairing this kind of damage will include relatively simple touch ups. But often, it will be necessary to completely refinish the piece.
Cracking
Another thing you may not consider is that your furniture may have a lot more cracking after winter. Many times this happens because of the constant melting and freezing that's going on. Precipitation that falls gets inside any holes, cracks or other openings in the furniture. When the temperature drops, it freezes. The process of freezing water is an expanding process. So, as it expands, it also forces the furniture to expand, which can lead to more cracking and splitting, damaging the furniture.
The best way to fix this is by preventing it from happening in the first place. If you cover your patio set or bring it inside for the winter you don't have to deal with this problem at all.
Hardware Problems
Something about that constant freezing and thawing process in winter causes the hardware on your furniture to loosen and tighten as well. Over the course of a complete winter screws, bolts and other hardware pieces can become extremely loose or even fall out in some cases.
Therefore, one of the first things you should do as spring rolls around is to make sure that you have retightened all pieces of hardware on your furniture. If you fail to do this, any weaknesses may lead to damage in the furniture as pressure is applied.