Rattan garden furniture-do you have to bring cushions in every day?

[Mamaemmeline]

We're looking to buy some garden furniture. We really like the idea of a comfy rattan set but confused about the cushions! Do you have to pretty much take them in and out every day? I think we're after something that we can just have a quick sit on sometimes and know that we won't have the time to spend 5 minutes setting it up. But I can't quite believe that everyone who has rattan does this?! Any ideas, thoughts, experiences very much welcome!

It depends really, during the summer (dry) weather then no we leave them on. Although we do have covers which go over seat and covers.

But at the beginning and end of summer yes we do but we have storage boxes for them in the garden. And to be honest we may just put on a cushion for one seat rather then all of them.

Yes but it would be the same with wood or plastic, no?

It takes no time at all.

Over the summer we leave the cushions out but have a cover for the seats and table which we put back on when not using it everyday. It's a bit of a pain but we feel worth it to protect it from rain and bird poo.

We remove all cushions for the winter and store them away. Cover on over the winter too obviously but just in the rattan bit.

Yes but only if there’s rain forecast.

Also depends on the brand. Some are showerproof.

We have a 4SO table and chairs, seat pads showerproof but easily removed. The seats and table stay out all winter without being covered. Six years old, still look great.

We also have a kettler corner sofa but we bought covers for that. The covers tend to stay on a lot in summer, or we take them off and drop them down the back of the weather is settled.

The cushions have to come off in winter, they are huge and very hard to store.

We've got two sets of garden furniture with cushions. We bought a tiny shed to put at the end of the garden for the cushions. The set on the terrace can also be used without cushions so we just put them away until the nicer weather and the set round the fire pit at the end of the garden only gets used if the weather is nice as you need the cushions for that (but the cushion shed is very near to it so it's ok).

This is why I bought ikea garden sofas - it would be easy to buy replacement cushions. As it is, I haven't needed to. They have lasted since the summer of 2018.

There's spaces in the seats with waterproof bags for them, but we leave them on in the summer under covers. This winter DH put them in the garage, but I'm not sure why. Usually I just wash the covers a few times a year and they look like new.

Thank you all! What a complicated decision!

@Mamaemmeline

Personally I think if it's just for a few minutes, it's good to have a seat that's 'comfortable enough' without cushions. And nice lounging rattan style sofas with big comfy cushions for when you want to spend more time out there. Like you, I cannot be arsed getting cushions out for a quick cup of coffee. But I find it worth it if I'm going to either be out there all day or in & out. Big plastic storage boxes if you can't find ice ones with internal storage. Covers for the winter for the actual structure. Shower proof cushion covers for the summer (but out away if there's going to be a lot of rain.

But, for me, definitely one comfy (without cushions), all year around, chair for a 'quick sit'- no matter the weather

Yes we have to bring them in if rain is forecast. Which means every bleeding day of summer I have the "will it rain today" conversation with DH at least once a day plus before bed. We have a large sofa plus a 6 seater table and bringing the cushions in is all the time the worst bit of summer for me lol. Plus they clog up my living room when it is raining!!!!

We inherited our set from the previous house owners who left them behind. Because they weren’t in that great condition to start with we are lazy and often forget - they have various green stains (some predating us!) which mostly came off in the wash … but not completely.