How to Make Your Own Outdoor Furniture Covers

What You'll Need
PVC vinyl material
Sewing machine
Tape measure
Nylon thread or fishing line
Elastic piping
Tacking pins or safety pins
What You'll Need
PVC vinyl material
Sewing machine
Tape measure
Nylon thread or fishing line
Elastic piping
Tacking pins or safety pins

Outdoor furniture covers are usually made from water resistant or weatherproof PVC vinyl material. Some have tie around cords to keep them from coming off and others have elasticized seams which serve the same purpose. Finding the right kind of material to make your own outdoor furniture covers can be tricky. You need to find material which is weatherproof, but not so much so that it actually traps moisture underneath the covers and makes your furniture grow moldy. It still needs to have a certain amount of air circulating so that the furniture can breathe.

Step 1 – Measurements

Obtain correct measurements for your furniture. Measure the length from the top or back of the chair to the furthest point on both arms. Measure the length of the top to the bottom at the highest and lowest points.

Step 2 – Material

PVC vinyl material is normally the sort of material used in the manufacture of outdoor furniture covers. The vinyl is water-resistant and requires no extra form of treatment. PVC vinyl is used in the making of furniture as well as covers and it is a highly robust material with many years of use in it. The best type of material to use, when it comes to making your own outdoor furniture covers, is a material which has natural water resistance. If you cannot find suitable material you can also use tarpaulin for the same purpose. Cutting it out to create your pattern or simply just using tie cords around the bottom to trap the furniture inside and keep it dry.

Step 3 – Cutting

Cut the material leaving enough edging to create seams. Place all the pieces together and tack them with tacking pins or safety pins. Once the piece has been assembled, test it over the furniture and gauge how well it fits. You can make minor adjustments if you need to and tack up and other left over pieces.

Step 4 – Sewing

Take the vinyl material cover to the sewing machine and sew the seams together. Use nylon fishing line or strong nylon thread because it is not only water proof but very hard to tear or destroy. It will mean the seams of your material will hold for longer and withstand higher usage.

Step 5 – Piping

Sew the piping into the seams so that they are doubly protected. The piping will offer a little elasticity in the cover and prevent tearing when you pull it over the furniture. Trim the edge of the piping once you have sewn on the amount you need.

Step 6 – Seams

Make sure the bottom edges of the cover are sewn into seams so that the edges do not get torn or start to fray. Test the cover again for fit and if you are happy you can proceed to making another cover. You can treat the seams with a wax coating which is water resistant and will prevent water from seeping inside.