Best Patio Furniture for Windy Areas: A Complete Guide

Patio furniture can transform your outdoor space into a cozy living area where you can relax and have fun with family and friends.

However, many people make the mistake of overlooking features other than aesthetics when they choose patio furniture. The problem starts when these pieces keep moving out of place due to wind, which can cause all sorts of trouble from toppling over chairs to tables being blown away.

So, unless you want to end up with items scattered all over the yard or on the other side of the fence, you need wind-resistant patio furniture to avoid such messy -and sometimes costly- situations.

Luckily, there are many solutions in this department, from heavy materials to practical designs. Today, I’m sharing a detailed guide to help you find the best patio furniture for windy areas. Let’s jump in!

Best Heavy Outdoor Furniture for Windy Areas

Similar when shopping for the best outdoor furniture for snow, there are two main factors when choosing the best heavy outdoor furniture for windy areas: material and design.

Material

While it’s obvious that wind-resistant patio furniture should be heavy, some materials are better than others in this aspect.

Here’s a breakdown of the most suitable materials for outdoor furniture in windy conditions:

Wrought Iron

First on the list is wrought iron. This metal has been used to craft outdoor furniture for several decades.

Its weight makes it a very popular choice among homeowners who live in windy areas. Such furniture is naturally equipped to stand its ground, even if the winds are heavy.

What’s more, wrought iron patio furniture is one of the most durable options you’ll come across. It can last years in harsh weather without showing signs of wear (other than rust).

Not to mention, wrought iron furniture offers a classic, elegant look to any patio. It’s easy to maintain, but it retains heat and can get very hot to touch under the summer sun.

Stainless Steel

When it comes to wind-resistant metals, stainless steel comes right after wrought iron. This alloy makes for very sturdy patio furniture,  especially weight-bearing pieces such as sofas and dining tables.

Stainless steel can withstand frequent use over a long period thanks to its high density. It can also endure high temperatures (although it can get very hot to the touch) and is great at withstanding rust under most conditions.

Weight-wise, stainless steel patio furniture is quite heavy. It’s difficult to move and won’t blow away or tip over when the wind hits it.

If you’re looking to add a modern, weighted touch to your patio and don’t mind splurging a bit, go for stainless steel furniture.

Teak

If you’re in the market for wood patio furniture, the best choice when it comes to wind resistance is teak wood.

Teak possesses high density by nature. Not only does this make it sturdy and durable, but it also makes it heavy enough to withstand windy conditions.

Teak can also endure humidity and other elements thanks to the protection of teak oil. Not to mention, wood is the go-to option if you want a classic, timeless aesthetic.

Concrete

Finally, patio furniture made out of concrete performs flawlessly in the face of strong winds. Its heavy weight makes it almost impossible to tip over, whereas the smooth texture of its surface protects it against wind damage.

Granted, concrete outdoor furniture isn’t very popular, but it comes in a wide variety of shapes and designs to suit every taste.

Design

Here are some design ideas that improve the resistance of furniture against the wind:

Lattice Backs on Chairs

The lattice design on the back of such chairs helps them resist the force of blowing winds. The same goes for chairs or sofas with any type of cut-outs.

Barstools

Since barstools have no backs, they’re even better than lattice chairs in resisting wind because there’s less surface area for the wind to hit. Plus, you can easily store barstools under a counter or high table if things get too rough.

Wide Margin Fire Tables

Last but not least, if you want to include a fire table in your outdoor area, make sure it has wide margins.

Large platforms or lips surrounding the central flame serve as a buffer between people and the fire. It creates a safe zone in case a gust of wind stretches out the flames.

How to Secure Outdoor Furniture from Wind

Now that you’re familiar with the best materials and designs for heavy outdoor furniture for windy areas, here are some ways that can help you further secure your furniture:

1. Use Patio Furniture Weights

If your outdoor furniture is always sliding off or getting knocked down by the wind, one of the easiest, fastest, and most reliable solutions you can go for is adding some patio furniture weights.

These can make your outdoor furniture heavy enough to resist movement caused by wind.

Patio furniture weights can be small, discreet weights that you place on the corners of your cushions or conceal inside the cushions to hold down the furniture. They can also be weights that you hide behind pillows or leave sitting directly on top of the cushions.

Additionally, patio furniture weights can be larger in the form of cushion-sized weights that are filled with heavy materials; usually sand. You can simply put these weights on top of your chairs or tables and let them do their job.

Some folks choose to use decorative rocks or dumbbells to weigh down their furniture. You can do this too if you’re in a hurry, but keep in mind these weights are more challenging to hide with their irregular outline and don’t look very flattering.

2. Wrap with Bungee Cords

If you have some bungee cords lying around the house, you can use them to stop your outdoor furniture from moving with the wind.

All you need to do is simply wrap a bungee cord around a sturdy section of the piece of furniture (such as the base or legs) and then fasten its ends to a solid object in your outdoor space (such as a tree, fence, railing, or beam).

Be sure to wrap the bungee cord tightly to keep the furniture from slipping out of its grip. You can arrange a few pillows in front of the bungee cords to hide them, but remember to tie the pillows down.

If you have a porch swing, you can also use bungee cords to secure it on windy days by attaching its frame to a rail or side of your house.

3. Tie with a Rope

This method is very basic and pretty similar to the one where you use bungee cords. Not to mention, it may not cost you a thing if you happen to have some rope lying around.

All you need to do is grab the rope, wrap it around the furniture, and tie its ends to a study object in the space.  

Again, you can hide the rope using a few pillows to conceal the unflattering look, but don’t forget to tie them down so they don’t fly off.

4. Lay Down a Weighted Cover

You can resort to laying a weighted cover on top of your patio furniture when it’s especially windy outdoors. Not only will this prevent the furniture from getting blown away, but it’ll also protect it from getting wet if there’s rain.

You can cover each piece of furniture individually or get a custom size that’ll accommodate multiple pieces.

Choose a heavy-duty cover made out of a UV-resistant and waterproof material. Check its dimensions to make sure it has a tight fit over the furniture, otherwise, it could fly off if it’s loose.

Additionally, look for a cover with strategically placed vents that allow wind to move through it to effectively reduce the chances of coming undone.  A solid cover has potential to act as a parachute.

Instead of a weighted cover, you can also use a regular cover and secure it down with some patio furniture weights.

5. Place the Furniture Next to a Wall

A solution that doesn’t require anything but some muscles is to move the patio furniture as close to a wall as possible.

Walls are able to block wind from the side where your furniture is parked. This means less wind hitting the furniture and higher chances of it staying in place.

On the other hand, the wind can freely hit your patio furniture from every angle when it’s just left out in the open. This makes it more vulnerable to being pushed. 

By putting our outdoor furniture next to the side of your house or any wall, you can control the direction where the wind will hit it and prepare for that.

6. Stack the Furniture

Another trick that won’t cost you a dime is stacking the furniture. In this method, you’re using the collective weight of your patio furniture to resist wind as it’s harder to blow compared to each item’s separate weight.

As such, if you have stackable tables or chairs, arrange them into a pile. If your stack of furniture seems wobbly, use a rope or bungee cord to tie the pieces to one another and keep them from falling apart.

Stacking the patio furniture may not be completely wind-proof, but it should stand its ground well enough when winds aren’t extremely heavy.

For extra security, you can combine stacking the furniture with placing it next to a wall.

7. Apply Earthquake Glue

If you don’t mind a semi-permanent solution, then consider applying earthquake gel to your patio furniture. By semi-permanent, this means that you won’t be able to easily move or pick up the furniture afterward.

Earthquake glue or gel is a sticky substance that adheres to the ground, effectively securing an object to its place. It’s on the budget-friendly side and you can find it at many hardware stores or online.

Typically, earthquake glue is used to stabilize glass items and prevent them from falling or breaking during earthquakes. But it can also be useful in holding down chairs and tables in windy conditions.

Simply grab some earthquake gel and apply it to the bottom of each leg of the piece of furniture you want to secure. Then, firmly press the furniture against the floor to root it in place.

8. Install a Windbreak

A windbreak is exactly what it sounds like — an item that slows down the speed of the wind blowing. If you install one near your patio furniture, it’ll bring down the strength of the gusts hitting the furniture so it won’t move as violently.

A windbreak screen is a good option to install on its own, but you can also form one using plants and trees or build a fence for extra blocking of wind.

Still, this method may not be enough to fend off strong winds. A better method is pairing windbreaks with other solutions such as cords to reinforce the security of the furniture.

9. Secure with Patio Anchors

If you’re working with a raised patio or deck, then a great option is to use anchors to keep your outdoor furniture from moving whenever a somewhat strong gust of wind blows through 

A deck or patio anchor is a clip that you install between the slats of the wooden floor. After you slide it in, you just twist and pull it up to create a solid grip on the wood.

From this point, you can simply use bungee cords or ropes to attach the patio furniture to the anchor.

You can determine how many deck anchors you need depending on the size of the piece of furniture you want to secure. Usually, 2 or 3 units per piece will do the trick.

10. Hold Down with Stakes

If your furniture is on the lawn, then consider using lawn stakes to secure your patio furniture from blowing away.  

Lawn stakes come in lengths that vary from several inches to more than a foot.  The longer the stake, the tougher they are to remove from the ground.  

With the stakes digging into the soil, tie your patio furniture to them using bungee cords or some rope. This will secure the furniture in place. 

Keep in mind that the soil needs to be firm for this method to work effectively. If the soil is loose or wet, short lawn stakes won’t be able to get a solid grip and will be easy to pull out.

11. Try Zip Ties

Zip ties may not be the most effective solution in case of strong winds, but they can come in handy when it comes to securing cushions to patio furniture or fastening furniture together if there’s light wind.

Simply get a hold of a few pieces of zip ties and use them to attach furniture legs or frames together. You can also loop them through holes in the underside of the cushions and fix them around the frame to prevent cushions from falling off.

If possible, choose zip ties that match the color of the furniture to blend in with the look.

Final Takeaway

There you have it, a complete guide to help you find the best patio furniture for windy areas.

The most important factors to keep in mind are material and design. Wrought iron, stainless steel, teak wood, and concrete are all solid options, whereas chairs with cut-out backs or bar stools are harder to knock down.

That said, you can improve the resistance of your outdoor furniture using various solutions such as furniture weights, ropes, anchors, stakes, windbreaks, and earthquake glue.

In some cases, you may find that your patio cushions are falling off even without wind.  Fortunately, we have an assortment of tips to help keep your cushions in place regardless of the weather.

Happy Decorating!