That first sharp frost of the season can change your relationship with the garden overnight. One week you are sitting outside enjoying your morning coffee, and the next you are eyeing your rattan armchairs with a touch of concern as the Atlantic damp rolls in across Somerset. It is one of the questions we hear most at the garden centre, and the honest answer depends entirely on what your furniture is actually made from.

Natural Rattan vs Synthetic Weave: Know What You Have

The word rattan gets used loosely across the market, covering everything from traditional cane furniture to modern outdoor sets made from entirely different materials. Knowing which you have is the starting point for everything else.

Natural rattan

Natural rattan is a beautiful, organic material harvested from climbing palms, and furniture made from it has real character. The difficulty is that it is porous, behaving much like a sponge when moisture is around. In the damp UK climate, natural rattan absorbs water, causing the fibres to swell, weaken, and eventually develop mould or rot.

If you have a natural rattan set, the advice is clear: bring it indoors or move it to a dry garage before the autumn rains settle in. Leaving it under a cover outside rarely ends well. The lack of airflow beneath a cover traps humidity and can speed up the decay of the fibres rather than protecting them.

All-weather synthetic weave

Most modern outdoor rattan sets are crafted from synthetic polyethylene (PE) resin, sometimes described as all-weather garden furniture. This material is made specifically to handle moisture and temperature changes. A good-quality synthetic weave will not rot or develop mildew the way natural rattan does.

That said, a synthetic weave does not mean the entire set is indestructible. What is underneath the weave often matters just as much.

Why the Frame Matters

When people ask about protecting rattan furniture over winter, the conversation tends to focus on the weave itself. In practice, the lifespan of most sets comes down to the frame hidden underneath.

Budget sets often use steel frames to keep costs down. Steel is sturdy to begin with, but it can rust if moisture reaches the joints or seeps in through the weave over time. Better quality sets, including those we source for our own showroom, tend to use aluminium frames. Aluminium does not rust, even sitting on a damp patio through several months of wet weather.

If you are unsure which frame type you have, a magnet will settle it quickly. It will stick firmly to steel but not to aluminium. That simple test helps you decide just how much preparation your furniture needs before winter arrives.

A Simple Winter Readiness Checklist

Before the heavier frosts set in, ten minutes of preparation can save you hours of work in spring. Here is what to work through.

1. Identify your material Natural rattan needs to come inside. Synthetic rattan can stay outdoors with some care.

2. Check the frame Aluminium frames sit happily outside all winter. Steel frames need extra attention to stay ahead of rust.

3. Clean before covering Dirt, bird droppings, and leaf debris left over winter can cause permanent staining. A clean surface before storage makes all the difference.

4. Remove the cushions This is the step most people skip, and the one they most often regret. More on this below.

5. Fit a breathable cover A well-fitted, breathable cover protects the structure without trapping condensation underneath.

What to Do With Your Cushions

Even when furniture is described as all-weather, the cushions almost never are. Most outdoor cushion fabrics are water repellent rather than truly waterproof. Leaving them outside through a British winter tends to result in persistent black mould spotting that is very difficult to shift without damaging the fabric.

The habit that avoids all of this is simple: bring your cushions indoors before winter arrives. A dry cupboard, a loft space, or a well-ventilated storage box kept somewhere sheltered will keep them in excellent condition. Our garden furniture covers are designed to protect the frame and weave through the colder months, but they are not a substitute for keeping your soft furnishings somewhere dry.

How to Use Garden Furniture Covers Correctly

A good quality cover is one of the most worthwhile investments you can make for the longevity of your outdoor furniture. A few small details make a real difference to how well it works.

First, choose a cover that is water resistant but also breathable. A cover made from non-breathable plastic can trap condensation underneath, which creates its own problems over a long winter.

Second, try to prevent water from pooling in the centre of the fabric when it rains. Placing a soft object on the table before fitting the cover, such as a plastic bucket or a purpose-made water shedder, creates a gentle peak that encourages rainwater to run off to the sides rather than gathering in a heavy puddle that slowly seeps through the seams. It is a small step that can add years to your furniture.

Cleaning Before You Cover

A quick clean before putting your furniture to bed for the season is always worth doing. You do not need anything specialist. A bucket of warm, soapy water, a mild detergent, and a soft brush is all that is required.

Pay attention to the crevices of the weave, where dust and organic matter tend to gather during summer. Left over winter, this debris can encourage algae to take hold.

Rinse the set down with a garden hose (avoid high pressure power washers, which can damage the synthetic strands) and allow everything to dry fully before fitting the covers. This makes sure you are not sealing any residual moisture inside.

If you want to do the job properly and get the wider garden ready for the colder months at the same time, our gardening tips section has plenty of practical seasonal advice to work through.

Choosing the Right Spot on the Patio

If the shed is full and the furniture is staying outside, where you position it on the patio still makes a meaningful difference.

Where possible, move the set to a sheltered part of the garden that is protected from the prevailing wind. A covered dining table can act as a considerable sail in strong gusts, putting real stress on the legs and joints over the course of a long winter.

It is also worth checking that the feet are not sitting in standing water. If your patio does not drain particularly well, raising the legs slightly on small bricks or furniture risers keeps the frame away from pooled water and allows air to circulate beneath the cover.

Come and Talk to Us

A little preparation now means your garden is ready and waiting the moment a warm spring weekend arrives. There is real satisfaction in pulling back a cover in April to find your furniture looking exactly as it did in August.

If you are not sure which cover size you need, or you would like advice about a specific set, we would love to help. You are very welcome to get in touch or pop in and have a chat with one of our team. Sharing what we know is one of the things we most enjoy.

If you are considering a new outdoor set, come and browse what we have in the showroom. We choose our garden furniture with durability in mind, selecting pieces that are well suited to the British weather and built to last.

You might also like to take a look at our events calendar for seasonal workshops and garden inspiration throughout the year. And if you visit us regularly, our loyalty club is a lovely way to make the most of every trip.