Cushions in for the cold frames under cover

Winter does its damage to outdoor furniture in places you cannot see: the underside of a cushion that stayed damp for a month, the corner where wet leaves pile against a frame. Minotti furniture for terraces uses teak, cord, stone and coated metal, and those materials handle cold well. The fabric and the foam need the most thought. A good winter plan splits the job in two: soft parts inside, hard parts under cover.

Bring the cushions in first

Pick a dry week in late fall. Take the seat and back cushions off, brush away leaves and grit, and let them dry through in the sun or in a garage with the door open. A cushion that goes into storage damp comes out in spring with mildew along the seams.

Store them flat or on their edge, off the floor, in a dry room. A basement shelf works. A shed works if it stays dry. Skip plastic bags: foam and fiber need air, and moisture trapped in a bag condenses on the inside.

Several Minotti families make this part easier. Halley has upholstery covers that come off for washing. Florida cushions hook onto teak supports with metal fasteners and come away in seconds. On Yoko Cord the cushions are optional, and the strung teak seat can stay in use through the cold months with no pad on it.

Frames under breathable covers

Teak, cord and stainless steel can stay outside. A breathable cover keeps snow, leaves and grit off them and lets water vapor escape, so the frame does not sweat underneath. A plastic tarp traps that vapor. Look for a fitted cover with vents, or a woven fabric made for outdoor furniture.

Minotti Trio by Marcio Kogan / Studio MK27 shows the split well. The frame is teak, shaped so each member thickens and thins along its length, with a woven wicker-effect cord panel inside it. The collection notes say it in one line: in a snowy climate the cushions belong indoors for the winter, and the teak frames can stay out under a breathable cover. Teak without oil turns a soft silver gray over a season. A yearly treatment in spring brings back the golden tone if you want it. See the Trio collection.

Minotti Emmi Cord by Hannes Peer is a sofa and an armchair that comes with a footstool. A thin metal tube leaves the floor, runs under the seat and rises into the back in one curve, and woven cord in one color covers it end to end. The cord sheds rain and dries fast after a storm, so the frame needs little more than a rinse before it goes under its cover. The loose seat and back cushions go inside with the rest. See the Emmi Cord collection.

Stone, metal and leather

Stone tops on Minotti coffee tables, such as the Pietra del Cardoso on Block and Florida or the Basaltina on Lido Cord, take cold without trouble. Brush off leaves before they rot and stain the surface, and cover the table along with the frames. A heavy stone top stays put in a winter gale.

Coated metal frames, like the pewter paint on Aston Cord or the powder coat on Halley, need a wipe to clear salt and grime before they go under cover. Klasen has seats woven from saddle-hide straps with a water-repellent treatment. Wipe them dry after rain, skip harsh cleaners, and use the optional rain cover. The collection notes suggest keeping it on all year, which keeps the hide in better shape.

A winter plan for a terrace

A short checklist keeps the whole job to one afternoon:

• Wash the cushion covers that come off, and dry the cushions through.
• Store cushions off the floor in a dry room, out of plastic bags.
• Rinse cord frames and wipe the metal ones.
• Clear leaves from stone and teak tops.
• Fit breathable covers on the frames and look at them after each storm.
• In spring, uncover on a dry day, rinse, and decide about oil for the teak.

If you have no dry room for the cushions, plan for that before you order. Sling and cord seats with thin pads, or strung seats like Yoko Cord, leave less to carry in each November.

Spring

Uncover the frames on a dry day and let them air for a few hours before the cushions go back. Check the covers for tears, so next winter starts with sound ones. If the teak has turned silver and you prefer the warm brown, clean it and oil it now, before the season fills the terrace with guests.

Use the form below to describe your terrace and your winters: the pieces you are considering, the storage room you have and how much snow falls. We price each piece in writing and list covers for the collections that have them.