Storing Patio Furniture Before a Storm Hits

When a storm warning drops, you have a narrow window to secure your outdoor space. Storing patio furniture before a storm safely protects both your investment and your home, because airborne patio chairs cause more property damage than most homeowners realize. This guide covers what to move, where to put it, and how to prioritize when time runs short.

Priority Order: What to Move First

Start with the lightest, most dangerous items. Cushions, umbrellas, and decorative accessories become projectiles in winds as low as 45 mph. These items weigh little and take seconds to carry inside. Pile cushions in a bathtub or laundry room where they stay dry and out of the way.

Next, grab lightweight chairs. Aluminum dining chairs at 8 to 12 pounds each can travel hundreds of feet in tropical storm winds and crack windows, dent cars, or injure people. Stack them inside the garage or a storage room. Aluminum chairs from Palm Casual stack efficiently, which makes storm storage faster.

Tables and heavier furniture come last. If you cannot move them inside, flip them upside down on the patio to reduce their wind profile. The flat underside of a table catches less wind than the legs-up position. Group heavy items together in the most sheltered corner of your yard.

Where to Store Furniture During Severe Weather

The garage is the best option for most homeowners. Clear a section in advance during storm season so you are not reorganizing the garage under pressure. Mark a “storm storage” zone in your garage each June so the space stays available through November.

If the garage is full, move furniture into the house. Dining chairs fit along hallway walls. Small tables slide behind sofas. Cushions and umbrellas fill closets and bathtubs. It looks messy for a day or two, but replacing a broken window costs far more than the temporary inconvenience.

Pool cages and screened enclosures are not safe storage during storms. Screen panels blow out in winds above 70 mph, turning the enclosure into a wind tunnel that launches anything inside it. The National Hurricane Center recommends removing all loose objects from screened enclosures before any tropical storm or hurricane. Treat screened patios as outdoor spaces for storm prep purposes.

Securing Furniture That Cannot Go Inside

Ratchet straps anchored to concrete deck anchors keep heavy items in place during Category 1 and 2 storms. Install flush-mount anchors in your patio concrete before storm season starts. They sit flat and invisible when not in use but accept strap hooks instantly when needed.

Wrap furniture in moving blankets before strapping to prevent surface scratches from straps and debris contact. Avoid tarps as primary covers during storms because tarps act as sails and increase wind force on whatever they cover. If you tarp, punch ventilation holes and strap the tarp down separately from the furniture.

Remove glass tabletops and store them inside, even if the table frame stays outside. Glass tabletops shatter when hit by airborne debris and create dangerous shards across the pool deck. A $200 glass replacement is better than an emergency room visit. Read our patio furniture guide for more on protecting your outdoor investment. Visit a Palm Casual showroom for storm-prep accessories.

Apartment and condo residents face unique storm storage challenges. Limited interior space means creative solutions. Shower stalls hold stacked cushions. Closets accommodate folded bistro chairs. Under-bed space fits small side tables. If you live in a high-rise condo with a small balcony, start moving furniture inside at the 72-hour mark when space is still available, rather than trying to cram everything in at the last minute when the apartment is already full of other storm preparations.

Create a photographic inventory of your patio furniture setup before storm season begins. Take wide-angle photos from multiple angles showing the arrangement, individual close-ups of each piece, and detail shots of any existing damage. Store these photos in cloud storage. After a storm, compare your pre-storm photos to the current state to document any damage for insurance claims. Adjusters process claims faster when the policyholder provides clear before-and-after documentation.

Community preparation amplifies individual effort. Offer to help elderly or disabled neighbors secure their outdoor furniture when a storm approaches. A strong adult can clear a standard patio in 15 to 20 minutes, and the goodwill earned lasts far longer than the storm. Many Florida neighborhoods organize block-level storm preparation teams that systematically secure every home on the street, ensuring no one’s furniture becomes a projectile that damages another neighbor’s property.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I put patio furniture in the pool during a hurricane?

No. This common myth causes more problems than it solves. Chlorinated water damages powder coating and stains fabrics. Furniture in the pool makes post-storm cleanup harder and can damage the pool liner. Moving furniture into the garage or house is always the better option.

How much wind does it take to move patio furniture?

Lightweight aluminum chairs can shift in sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph and become airborne at 50 to 60 mph. Cast aluminum and heavier furniture stays grounded longer but can still move in Category 1 hurricane winds above 74 mph. When in doubt, bring it inside.

How far in advance should I start moving furniture before a storm?

Begin when your area enters the 48-hour forecast cone for a tropical storm or hurricane. This gives you enough time to act methodically rather than rushing. At 24 hours, you should already be finishing, not starting. Keep a plan taped to your garage wall so every family member knows the process.

Protect your furniture and your family when storms threaten. Visit your nearest Palm Casual showroom or call (800) 287-2567 to discuss storm-prep strategies and furniture built to weather Florida’s toughest seasons.