Do you have outdoor furniture ...
Do you have outdoor furniture that you'd like to protect from natural elements like snow, heavy winds, dirt, sand, etc.?
If so, shrink wrapping is a great way to keep your furniture looking its best for years to come - regardless of the environment you live in.
It's a cost-effective and straightforward solution to help preserve the investment you made in your outdoor living space.
In this article, we'll explain what shrink wrap is and how you can use it to protect your outdoor furniture. We'll also prepare some of the nuances of shrink wrapping to discuss , such as:
Read on to ensure that your outdoor furniture stays in top condition even when exposed to aggressive weather conditions, environmental hazards, or simply long-term use.
Shrink wrap is a transparent plastic film made from one or multiple of these four materials: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyolefin, polypropylene, or polyethylene.
People use shrink wrap - otherwise known as "plastic wrap" or "shrink film" - to cover items and protect them in various ways, such as:
preventing dust and dirt on items like furniture
waterproofing items
keeping items secure during transport or storage
covering food products
When it's exposed to heat, shrink wrap contracts and conforms snugly around whatever it is covering.
This tight fit helps protect items from the environment, keeping them clean, dry, safe, and secure.
Now that you're up to speed on what shrink wrap consists of and some of its key purposes, it's time to uncover how exactly to use it on outdoor furniture.
Before you can shrink-wrap your outdoor furniture, there are a few things you'll want to do first to ensure it goes off without a hitch.
First, you must clean your outdoor furniture thoroughly in order to get rid of any debris or dirt that might be present, as you don't want to lock that in under the wrap!
Next, you'll need to measure the furniture. Measuring the furniture is helpful so that you know how much shrink wrap you'll need to cover it properly.
Finally, make sure you have a heat gun available to apply the shrink wrap. Heat guns help give the wrap an even, tight fit over your furniture.
Other items that are not absolutely necessary but are certainly helpful include vents and securing bands.
Vents help keep condensation from building up inside the shrink wrap, while securing bands helps keep the shrink wrap in place.
Once these steps are complete, you can now start to shrink-wrap your outdoor furniture.
Once you've cleaned and measured your furniture and gathered all the necessary materials, it's time to start shrink-wrapping. Here are the steps:
1.Start by cutting off a section of shrink wrap that's large enough to cover the furniture entirely.
2.Place the shrink wrap over the furniture and use your hands to make sure it's lying flat on the furniture's surface.
3.Turn on your heat gun and begin going over the shrink wrap in a slow, sweeping motion, making sure the heat is evenly distributed over the surface.
4.Continue until you can see the shrink wrap starting to conform to the furniture's shape.
5.Once the shrink wrap is tightly in place, you can turn off the heat gun and allow the wrap to cool down.
6.If you're using a securing band, this is when you'll want to wrap the band at the base of the furniture to keep the wrap in place.
7.Finally, if you're using vents, you can cut small holes into the shrink wrap and insert the vents for additional protection against condensation.
And there you have it! The step-by-step guide to shrink-wrapping your outdoor furniture like a true professional.
For items with more intricate shapes, like cushioned chairs, decorative tables, or other furniture pieces, you may need to get a little creative and incorporate additional materials, such as duct tape, to make sure the shrink wrap stays in place for longer.
While you can shrink-wrap almost any piece of furniture, shrink-wrap works best on materials that can withstand extreme heat, such as metal, cotton, and some plastics.
Softer materials like wood are not ideal for shrink wrapping since the heat from the gun can damage them. You can still wrap these items but leave the heat gun aside.
While the benefits of shrink-wrapping furniture are clear, some people don't like the look of shrink-wrap on their furniture and thus want to be more selective with when they choose to shrink wrap it.
The best time to shrink-wrap your furniture is just before the winter months hit, especially if your furniture isn't winter-proof.
That way, you can ensure your furniture will be well protected from the elements and will be ready to use when spring comes around.
Often, these items aren't used in the winter anyway, so it's a great time to wrap them up and put them away for safekeeping.
The amount of time that shrink wrap protection lasts depends on a variety of factors, such as the type of material and how often it is exposed to the elements.
Generally speaking, it should last anywhere from 6 months up to a year.
It's important to note that shrink wrap is not a permanent solution; eventually, it will break down and need to be replaced.
That's why it's important to check your furniture periodically and reapply the shrink wrap if necessary.
To wrap up (pun intended!), shrink-wrapping outdoor furniture is an effective, easy way to protect it from the elements and extend its lifespan.
All it takes is a little know-how and the right materials, and you can make sure your furniture is ready to use when the weather turns warm again.
So next time you're prepping your outdoor furniture for fall or winter, consider giving shrink wrapping a try. It might just save you a lot of time and money in the long run!
Do you have any tips or tricks for shrink-wrapping outdoor furniture that we didn't mention? Feel free to share them with us in the comments below!
Spring Nee is an outdoor furniture expert with 18 years of experience.
She has extensive experience in outdoor design, including choosing furniture materials, following trends, and adding useful elements.
As a thought leader in the outdoor furniture industry, Spring has been a regular contributor to various blogs, magazines, and design forums
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