Outdoor Furniture, Patio Furniture and more!

We’re having an uncommon winter, here, in Western Pennsylvania!  Normally, we just get a few inches of snow, here and there, now and then.  In fact, I rarely even store my outdoor furniture for the season, because I often use it on milder days (I love the cold weather!).  I simply throw some furniture covers on my picnic table, porch swing, outdoor sofa, and Adirondack chairs.

This winter, however, is the real deal.  Along with a good portion of the East, we just got slammed with about two feet of snow (some areas got more), with another foot coming later.  As I mentioned, shoveling snow can be dangerous for those who aren’t used to strenuous physical activity.  So, here are some tips for doing it safely (of course, you know I’m not a doctor, and these are just common-sense measures, not medical advice).

First of all, anyone who has heart trouble, or other high-risk factors, such as high blood pressure or cholesterol, should probably avoid shoveling altogether; and those who smoke, lead sedentary lives, or are truly out of shape, should use extreme caution.

Even if you’re completely healthy, and get regular exercise, one false move can strain your back, or something else.  So, warm up first, by walking for a few minutes, or marching in place, then doing some stretches; your muscles will work more efficiently, which will lessen the chance of injury.  You should also dress in layers.

Start slowly, so there’s not a sudden demand on your heart, and take frequent breaks.  Avoid stimulants, such as caffeine and nicotine, which can increase your heart rate, and cause blood vessels to constrict, placing extra strain on your heart.  Instead, drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

Keep in mind that shovels with smaller blades will prevent loads from becoming too heavy, and plastic shovels will be lighter, and less likely to allow snow to build up on them.

Remember, if you do it correctly, shoveling can be a great workout; and you may get one very soon, if you’re about to be dumped on again, as we are!  Or, you can just slip the kid next door a few bucks to clear your driveway, then sit back and enjoy a hot toddy by the fireplace.

And, hey, if you don’t even feel up to building a fire, that’s okay – with a hot toddy, the fire is optional

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: adirondack chairs, furniture covers, outdoor sofa, picnic table, porch swing

Although it’s important to winterize your home before the weather gets cold, life often gets so hectic that, before you know it, the year is over, the world is frozen, and you’ve already paid a fortune in heating bills.

The bad news is that the worst is yet to come.  The good news is that you can still do something about it; and the bitter cold and snow can give you a good idea of what needs to be fixed.  Now, you won’t have to search for gaps and cracks that let air in, because the bone-chilling gusts of wind that whip through your living room will help you to easily pinpoint them.  Just get some weatherstripping, caulk, or heat-shrinking plastic, and seal them.

A substantial snowfall can also tell you a lot.  If it melts rapidly from atop your shingles, and icicles form quickly, without a thaw, it means that heat is escaping in the exact direction in which your heating bills have been heading – through the roof.  Check your attic floor to see that it has adequate, evenly-distributed, gap-free insulation, of uniform thickness.  If you have to add more, be sure that the side with the vapor barrier is facing down, toward the rooms that you want to keep warm.

Break up any ice dams that form along the eaves, as they can cause melting snow to puddle and leak through your roof.  Wherever possible, sweep snow off roofs that have shallow angles, on your house, garage, gazebo, carport, cabana, pool house, shed, or sunroom.

If you have not taken measures to prevent your pipes from freezing, do it now.  You can use foam insulation sleeves, or electric heat tape, but don’t use the latter on plastic pipes.  If a severe cold snap is imminent, turn the sink and bathtub faucets on to a slow trickle, and cover exposed crawl space vents with plywood.

If your porch chairs, gliders, swings, and picnic tables are still outside, and they’re not the synthetic or metal types that are impervious to the elements, either store them, or put outdoor furniture covers on them.

Do this even if outdoor furniture is the last thing on your mind right now.  It may not happen today, or even tomorrow, but, believe it or not, the sun will come out again!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: cabana, cold, furniture covers, gazebo, gliders, picnic tables, Pool house, porch chairs, shed, snow, sunroom, Swings, winterizing

The lengths to which you will have to go to preserve the beauty of your outdoor furniture depend upon a few factors.  Naturally, the region in which you live has a lot to do with it; if it’s always warm, your patio chairs, picnic table, and porch swing may be going full-swing all year long. 

Then, there’s the more prevalent scenario, wherein the weather is less than pleasant in the winter.  In some areas, this may mean that temperatures go below 50º F, and there’s a fair amount of rain; in others, they can go from below freezing, to below zero, with rain, snow, hail, and ice, either present, or in the offing, at all times. 

Of course, even if you live in one of these places, you may be one of the millions of people who has an enclosed porch, gazebo, or sunroom that you use year-round.  If that’s the case, just as it is with those who live in warm climates, you don’t have to be concerned with storing your furniture for the winter; but if you do have to worry about the ravages of the elements, and you don’t have a garage or shed to put it in, the best solution is to use furniture covers.  

At CedarStore.com, we have the strongest, most durable furniture covers you’ll ever find.  Available in many lovely designs, colors, and patterns, they’re made from materials that include waterproof, UV-resistant Dernier polyester, as well as Tron-Weve, which is water-resistant, UV-inhibiting, and able to withstand any temperature extremes.

Our covers also feature a positive air-flow ventilation system, which allows moisture to evaporate, thus eliminating the threat of mold and mildew.  Moreover, they’re easy to clean, with mild detergent and a sponge, and equipped with buckles and snaps that will hold them securely in place, even on extremely windy days. 

One more thing to remember is that, even if you don’t have to worry about rain, snow, or ice ruining your patio furniture, the sun’s UV rays can come through a window or screen and cause it to fade drastically.  Therefore, you may want to use covers even if your outdoor furniture is indoors. 

Yeah, I know – it’s tough having to deal with all of that sun!

Yours Outdoors (or indoors – I’m confused now!),

Kathy

Tags: furniture cover, furniture covers, Outdoor Furniture, patio furniture

These days, outdoor furniture is generally much more durable than the porch swings, gliders, and patio chairs of the past; and it certainly outlasts those flimsy folding chairs that everyone used to have.  Geez – remember them?  They had aluminum frames that were collapsible (even though they weren’t supposed to be!), and seats and backs made from those stiff strips of plastic.

When you sat on them in shorts, they’d leave big, red, square patches on the backs of your thighs.  Moreover, there was a limited selection of colors, and only one style; but, if you wanted something really fancy, you could get the ones with gold threads running through the strips of plastic.  Yeah, those were great; they left big, red, itchy squares on your thighs!  Not many people know this, but those chairs were the true inspiration behind the Capri pants craze of the ‘60’s; it was not Mary Tyler Moore on ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show’ as is widely believed.  

Of course, those porch chairs rarely lasted more than a season, nor were they meant to; but even the more expensive pieces couldn’t come close to achieving the longevity of today’s outdoor furniture.  However, people have always tried to protect their patio furniture by storing it, or using outdoor furniture covers, in the winter; and, while that certainly helped, the covers back then weren’t much more durable than the furniture.

Fortunately, that’s all changed now.  Here at CedarStore.com, along with our long-lasting, decay-resistant wood outdoor furniture, and our nearly indestructible, polywood, aluminum, synthetic wicker, and vinyl porch furniture, we have a wide assortment of incredibly strong furniture covers that will keep your outdoor chairs, picnic tables, rocking chairs, sofas, loveseats, and accent tables looking like new (or whatever condition they’re in when you cover them!). 

They’re available in several ultra-durable, waterproof materials that are highly resistant to mold, mildew, and fading, and are easy to clean.  Besides providing shelter from the harshest elements, our furniture covers come in several striking designs, colors, and patterns that are almost as beautiful as your furniture.  Best of all, we offer free shipping on all of our covers; and many of them ship in just a few business days, so you can have them before the first snow flies.

And please don’t ask, “What are snow flies?”

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: furniture cover, furniture covers