Care: Can I Leave My Furniture Outside During Winter?

If you’re wondering whether you can leave your Devon outdoor furniture outside all year round, the answer is yes!

Unlike many brands, Devon furniture is designed to endure New Zealand’s harsh conditions. Crafted from solid teak and premium fabrics, we stand by the quality of our designs and construction process.

However, while you can leave your furniture outdoors and a little weather won’t hurt it, it’s important to understand the care and maintenance involved. Like an expensive vehicle, you leave it outside or park it in your garage. Leaving it in the weather won’t harm it, but storing it inside will ensure it stays in the best condition for a much longer time. So we recommend at least moving your furniture into a sheltered or covered area over winter if possible.

Teak is a durable hardwood, used by boat builders for centuries. So it’s natural ability to withstand water and insect infestations due to it’s high oil content is what makes it our choice of material for outdoor furniture.

When exposed to the elements, the natural honey colour of teak will slowly ‘silver off’. This grey-silver patina is a natural ageing process and does not impact the quality of the wood. If you wish to maintain the golden teak colour you can read our Guide on How to Clean Outdoor Furniture here.

Like any timber left outside in damp conditions, mildew and moss is likely to grow on your furniture over winter. This occurs when the wood absorbs moisture from the air, leading to the growth of mould or fungus. This is perfectly normal and can be easily removed with the correct cleaning equipment. Find out more about Mildew on Outdoor Furniture here, and follow our Guide on How To Clean Outdoor Furniture.

If you wish to cover your outdoor furniture, covers can be purchased from local hardware stores like Mitre10, or custom made by marine upholsters.

We’ve been making furniture for New Zealand outdoors since 1976, and proud to discover many of our original designs still survive to this day!

Discover our outdoor furniture at Minaret Station, high in New Zealand’s snowy Southern Alps.