Keep Your Deck Chair Divine with our Helpful Deck Chair Care Tips
Whether you have had one for years or have just bought your very first, the right deck chair care will keep it looking brand spanking new - a goal almost every owner has.
Naturally, over time little bits of wear and tear and a little bit of fading is going to happen, but this is not something to worry about and can actually complete the look. However, what you do not want is bleached canvases and wood, rot setting in, or general dirt building up on it. We have put this short piece together to help you prevent these problems before they even begin!
1. Storage
Rule number one of deck chair care is when you are not using it, store your deck chair somewhere dry, and ideally away from the sun. This will stop it from getting dirty, but also reduce the amount of time the deck chair is out getting bleached by the sun and elements.
Luckily storing them is the easiest bit of deck chair care as they fold flat, but working out the folding mechanism can be a bit tricky at first.
Firstly, lift the bar out of the notches on the back legs of the deck chair, you may have to tilt it forward slightly to do so, and raise this up so it is flat against top of the frame, where your head would be resting. Then gently lower the frame down so that the top of the frame (head area) is flush with the back feet of the chair, and you are good to store! Check out our Guide to Deck Chair Assembly here for a more thorough walk-through!
Storing your deck chair inside properly is the best method of maintaining proper deck chair care, which is great as it is easy - there's no excuse!
2. Maintenance
There are only 2 elements that need to be maintained for keeping up with your deck chair care, the wood and the canvas. The wood of our deck chairs is a very hard-wearing, FSC certified beech wood.
If you don't know what FSC means, it stands for Forest Stewardship Council, they're an international non-profit organisation that promotes responsible management of the world’s forests. So you can shop with peace of mind that your deck chair is sustainably sourced.
We have found that rubbing down the chairs in linseed oil or Danish oil every year or so extends the lifetime of the frame (exactly what you look for when maintaining deck chair care). Linseed oil is a very light protective agent used to finish wood, rather than varnish or stain. It dries slowly and shrinks very little upon hardening, as it actually soaks into the pores of the wood, leaving a shiny (not glossy) surface that really shows off the grain.
Linseed oil is very easily scratched off, but just as easily repaired. Water and water vapour will penetrate through linseed oil, but if your deck chair is stored inside, this should not be too much of an issue.
Danish oil is a much better finishing oil, it dries hard and becomes an actual barrier on the surface of the wood. It is water resistant (not waterproof) which gives the wood a satin finish. Unfortunately, it does tend to darken the wood, which when working with a lighter wood like beech is very noticeable, but this is the trade off with most of the oils you can work with. Choosing either of these oils will certainly improve your deck chair care, and make it the envy of your peers to boot!
The second element is the canvas, the Rinkit deck chairs are made with a polyester seat canvas that will withstand wear and tear for longer periods than a material canvas without a polyester base. This makes deck chair care even easier!
The best defence a polyester canvas can have is proper deck chair care – don’t leave it out in the sun when not in use, as and when a mess occurs, quickly clean it off there and then to avoid staining and lasting damage, and of course, store it inside when not in use. This will extend the lifespan of it for longer than you would think! Unfortunately, when a canvas starts to break, be it organic or synthetic, deck chair care will only patch it up so much.
3. Cleaning
The Rinkit deck chair canvas is removable for easy cleaning! Simply take it off the frame for a quick and easy hand wash, before hanging to dry and then reattach. Be careful to not use any harsh chemicals that may degrade the canvas. Follow this and your deck chair care will be easier in the long run.
And that’s it! It’s that easy to maintain deck chair care. Just remember: with the correct care and storage, your deck chair will last for years.
Sincerely yours, Jack Maile