Overview
Discovering the perfect protection for your outdoor furniture is not an easy task. It takes time, money, and efforts to acquire proper protection against the negative outside elements. The winter snow can be quite harmful to some types of furniture. The summer sun is also strong and dangerous. While there are a lot of different options to choose from, one of the best things to do would be purchasing special covers for this occasion. Our outdoor furniture cover buying guide will help you find the best-fitting cover. Knowing what you want and what you need are both of vital importance. We will guide your way so you can make the best decision possible; saving money in the process. Save time and efforts as well – out website has a unique category system which is easy to work with.
Why Choose ALCO's Custom Covers?
Unlike big box stores, we have quality and efficiency. Our covers are inexpensive, easy to use, and actually, offer amazing protection. With them, your furniture will remain safe under the harshest of weather conditions. Cheap covers might be tempting to buy, but they risk damaging your furniture – which should be much more valuable than them. They are usually not worth the money unless if you live in an area with calm and moderate climate and if your property has enough interior storage areas should a storm arrive. At the end of the day, spending some extra time will do wonders. With stable and reliable protection, you will enjoy great benefits in the long-term.
We Prepared A Special Buying Guide
Some people invest a lot of money in good quality patio furniture. It would be unwise to leave everything without protection against the negative outside elements. While storing the furniture inside can work, that is not always a possibility. Some types of garden furniture cannot be moved. Others take up too much space and require a lot of efforts to get them inside. The most cost-efficient option would be to purchase special covers, and we are here to help. We organized this amazing outdoor furniture buying guide to help you find the perfect cover and choose the best accessories to go along with it. There are six steps to take. Keep your garden patio safe at all times.
1. Go Through The Product Menu And Search For Your Furniture’s Type
What Type Of Furniture Do You Need The Cover For?
Selecting a good cover should not be a hard process – with some preparations and calculations, it might even be a fun experience! Take some time to go through the website’s product hierarchy. Discover the right categories and subcategories and keep searching until you find the cover which best fits your outdoor furniture.
Different Categories To Choose From
If you have yet to purchase outdoor furniture, do not hurry to buy a cover as well. Wait until the furniture arrives and take measurements (see information on how to measure below). There are a lot of possible shapes and sizes, and there is no such thing as one cover fits all. Some covers might be great for large sofas, while others for tall chairs. Some covers might have an L-shape while others are circular. Get the new patio furniture first and then look for a cover.
This table contains all our furniture cover categories. Browse through them until you find the best-fitting cover.
Fire Pits
Tables
Dining Sets
Sectionals
Sofas
Chairs
Curved Sofas
L-Shaped Sofas
Ottomans
Benchs
Chaise
Adirondack
Picnic Tables
Island Kitchens
Patio Bar
Grills | Smokers
Serving Carts
Daybed Covers
Umbrella Covers
Swing Sets
Water Fountain
Storage Box
Griddles
Hammocks
Porch Swing
2. Check The Potential Dangers For Your Furniture
The Potential Threats To Your Furniture
The number of threats for outdoor furniture is huge – the sun’s UV-rays, rain, wind, flying debris, snow, ice, mold, mildew, fungi build-up, dirt, dust, tree sap, bird droppings, pollen, wild animals, insect infestations, unauthorized access, and more. Some of these threats are rare while others wouldn’t be of much danger. However, it is worth it using proper protection. You will save money by avoiding potential accidents, save time from cleaning, and be able to enjoy your patio for more years to come. You could make a list of potential threats in your region. It would be wise to consider and research the historical seasonal behavior in your area. For example, a person from Las Vegas, Nevada will likely need protection against extreme heat, wind, dust, and sun exposure. These threats are more dangerous for patio sets in Nevada than other regions across the US. People from different states or countries have different weather hazards to deal with.
What Are The Potential Consequences?
Rain or high moisture levels will start slowly eating away at the furniture. They will also make it easier for mold, mildew, and fungi to expand. Over time, the damage could build up and make the furniture unstable. These threats will reduce the life of your patio set and cost you more money in the long-run. Heat can crack some surfaces. The UV light might slowly nullify colors and ruin how your patio looks. It can also cause surface cracks. If the sun shines directly at your patio, the surfaces will be too hot to sit on. Wild animals might make a mess or damage the patio directly. Other annoyances such as dust or durt will require cleaning; increasing expenses. Purchasing a cover will largely prevent all these issues. The process is easy, and everyone can do it. We take all the threats into consideration when designing covers. The next part of our buying guide will discuss the different features and accessories you can add for better security.
3. Make A Checklist With The Features You Need
If you want to get the best protection and know what the most common outside threats are for your region, it is time to make a checklist. What are the most useful features? If it rains often, a waterproof cover would be a must. If there are strong winds, tie-downs could do wonders. We can supply covers for those threats and more. The materials and designs we use make these covers strong, durable, and reliable. The thing you need to do is choose what features you need. Here are the main things to consider.
Here are the 4 most important questions to ask yourself:
Are the covers waterproof?
When buying furniture covers, you must always be sure it can keep your possessions safe, clean and dry. However, simply being waterproof won’t do. When you sew, the needle creates small holes while might lead to leaks during heavy rain. We from ALCO offer waterproof stitching sealing. Our heavy-duty covers will stop rain and moisture from entering and damaging your furniture. Our covers are made out of vinyl and not fabric. This is what we call true waterproofing. Most other covers you find on the market might be “waterproof”, but when put to the test, they can stand up a slight drizzle and nothing else. When the heavy rains arrive, your furniture will need a strong cover to prevent soaking. Vinyl allows water droplets to bead up and slide down the furniture cover. Neither water nor moisture will make its way to the surface of your furniture.
Breathability?
Mold and mildew will start building up fast should there be fresh air and moisture around. Here is where the vinyl material shines. Our covers are breathable and have air pockets. The goal is to prevent water condensation and stop moisture from entering. Good air circulation will help keep the covers clean and your furniture safe. Air will freely go in and out. Mold and mildew won’t be able to spread on the inside. If you live in an area with a moist climate, having a patio cover with good breathability will be of great help.
Reinforcements?
They will give your new cover the extra strength to survive in harsher conditions. Seams will make the cover more durable; ensuring it survives for years to come without any rips. We will discuss this process with you while designing your custom cover. Adding reinforcements against tearing is something we often do. You will only need to confirm which locations of the covers need to be reinforced.
What about the security?
No matter how good a cover is, if the wind can blow it away, it will be all for naught. Because of this, we can add tie downs and splits to our covers. If the weather outside gets rough with high or gusty winds, the cover won’t be able to stay in one place without some extra protection. For the occasion, we often use Velcro splits, grommets, or other accessories to ensure the cover stays in place no matter how strong the winds get. Without such security, the cover might get blown away and the furniture will remain exposed to the elements. To avoid losing your investment, it is important to use secure ties for each leg on every piece of furniture. You can choose between elastic bottom tie-down, drawstring tie-down, grommet bottom tie-down, Velcro split, and zipper split.
4. How To Measure Your Furniture
You will need to grab a tape measure. The process goes as follows:
- Take a picture of the portion of the product or quote page with the furniture model. The image you need is the one with the A,B,C,D, etc. lines
- Next, you will need to measure your furniture with a tape measure
- Once you have the exact numbers for all those lines, input them into the quote form
There is no need to add an extra inch allowance to your measurements. Once we receive your quote form, we will add 1″ buffer/slack on all sides including the height for a perfect fit. Also, please measure to the nearest inch. As an example, 31.5″ should be round up to 32″. We need the correct dimensions to build a perfectly-fitting cover. If the cover is too big, it could lead to water collection at the bottom. If the cover is too small, it won’t be able to cover everything. and an over-sized cover will create pockets for water to accumulate. The perfect cover should have no more or less than a few inches to spare.
5. Creating Your Own Custom Cover
We offer a wide range of choices when designing your own cover. Once you choose a specific cover type, it will be time to fill in a quote form. The options are as follow:
- Fill in custom dimensions based on the type of furniture you have
- Choose a material (usually between 18oz and 10oz vinyl)
- Choose one of many cover colors
- Add special accessories such as Velcro splits, grommets, and others
- Add any additional details and click on “submit form”
With nearly countless possibilities, we rarely make the same cover twice. Every client wants a different cover, and that is what makes our work even more enjoyable. Providing perfectly-fitting covers is what we do best. The best covers in the industry have designs for various styles and shapes. Our covers fit perfectly and will protect every part of the furniture from top to bottom. Your backyard is an extension of your home. It is natural to keep it as comfortable as your house is. , so naturally you want it to be as comfortable as the rest of the house is. After you’ve chosen the right cover for your patio, 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.
6. How Does Our Ordering Process Work?
Fill In A Custom Quote Form
The first thing to do would be to fill in a quote form. There are two ways to do that: either use the quote form on the product page you are on, or fill in the general patio furniture cover here.
You can choose custom dimensions, a material type, one of many color options, cover splits, tie-downs, and other applications. Once everything is ready, click on Submit Form.
Place Your Order
If your custom quote is ready, there are three ordering options to choose from:
- Option #1 – Order your quote with the credit card order form.
- Option #2 – Email or Fax a Purchase Order to 904-638-9412
- Option #3 – We also accept checks. You will have to include the shipping cost. As soon as we receive and clear the check, your order will be released and arrive a few days later. Please note your salesperson will have to calculate the shipping cost and send you an invoice.
Track Your Order
If you want an update on your order, feel free to fill this form here? We usually reply within 10 to 30 minutes after your request. If you need an emergency update, call our main line at (904) 290-8007.
The common ship times are as follows:
- For patio furniture covers it can take between 7 and 10 working days. During busier seasons, that period could be extended to 12 working days
- For curtains, it can take between 7 and 10 working days. Between 10 and12 during busier seasons
Conclusion
We hope this buying guide will help you in discovering the perfect cover for your outdoor furniture. Purchasing a proper cover will save you money, time, and trouble. Sit back and relax - your patio furniture will remain safe from the negative outdoor elements. The harsh winter cold or scorching summer sun will no longer be a threat. ALCO’s covers are custom made, durable, and flexible. If you like a particular design, we will happily craft it for you.