How to Make Patio Furniture Covers

Make Covers for Lounge Chairs

• 1

  Purchase several yards of weatherproof fabric, such as tarpaulin, PVC-backed polyester, ripstop, nylon or specially treated canvas (for example, Sunbrella brand). You will need enough fabric to cover the entire surface of your chair as well as all four sides down to the ground.

• 2

  Lay your lounge chair completely flat, or, if possible, fold the back of the chair forward until it's lying against the seat. Measure the length and width of the collapsed or extended chair. (The typical size of an extended lounge chair is about 62 inches by 24 inches.) Cut a large rectangle of fabric to size, allowing 2 extra inches on each side.

• 3

  Measure the distance from the ground to the top of the chair. If your chair lies completely flat, you will only need to take one measurement. If the backrest is still angled up a bit, take two measurements, one from the lowest and highest parts of the chair to the ground. Using these measurements, cut four pieces of fabric to fit around the sides of your chair, again allowing 2 extra inches on each edge.

• 4

  Pin one of your side pieces to the top piece of fabric, 1 inch in from the edges, with the wrong sides of the fabric facing up. Use a sewing machine to stitch along the line of the pins using heavy-duty nylon or other outdoor thread.

• 5

  Repeat this process until you have stitched all four side pieces to the top piece. You should now have a flattened cross shape.

• 6

  Pin two of the side pieces together to form a corner seam. (You should still be sewing on the fabric's back side.) Repeat this process for the other three corners.

• 7

  Turn the cover right-side-out and test it on the lounge chair to make sure it fits. Pin up the hems on all four sides so that the bottom of the cover just brushes the ground. Turn the cover inside-out again and sew across the line of pins for a neat hem.

Make Covers for Patio Chairs

• 8

  Measure along the back of the chair from the top of the backrest to the ground, then measure the width of the widest part of the chair back. Cut a piece of weatherproof fabric to the size of this rectangle, allowing 2 extra inches on all four sides.

• 9

  Run your measuring tape from the bottom of a back chair leg to the top of the chair back. Note the number, then run the tape over the top of the chair and all the way down to the bottom of the front chair leg on the same side. (Do not go in to allow for the indent of the seat; the tape should remain diagonal.) Measure the distance between the front and back legs to get the width of the base. Cut two identical pieces of fabric to fit the shape described by your measurements, which should resemble an "A" with one flat side. Allow 2 inches of additional fabric on each edge.

• 10

  Measure from the center top of the chair back to the center of the seat edge to the ground. Then measure the widest part of the chair (probably from armrest to armrest). Cut a fourth piece of fabric in the shape of the rectangle described by your measurements, allowing 2 inches of extra fabric on each edge.

• 11

  Pin one of the side pieces to the back piece, 1 inch from the edges of the fabric. Use outdoor or nylon thread to sew along the pin line, making sure the seam is on the wrong side of the fabric. Repeat with the other side section on the opposite edge of the back piece.

• 12

  Pin the top of your front piece to the top of your back piece. Again, the fabric should be facing wrong-side-out and the pins should be 1 inch in from the edges. Sew along the pin line.

• 13

  Pin and stitch the two remaining seams of the chair cover in the same fashion.

• 14

  Flip the chair cover right-side-out, then fit it over your patio chair to test it. Pin the hems on all four sides so the bottom of the cover is just above the floor. Turn the cover inside-out once more before stitching the hem.

Make Covers for Patio Tables

• 15

  Cut a circle of weatherproof fabric to the size of your tabletop, leaving 2 inches of overhang all around. If you have a larger table, you will likely need to cut two half-circles and join them down the middle.

• 16

  Measure from the ground to the tabletop to get the height of your side piece. Since most bolts of fabric are at least 3 feet wide, you can simply cut the side of the cover from a stretch of fabric with the same length as the circumference of your table. Again, allow 2 extra inches on all sides to allow for a hem and seams.

• 17

  Pin one edge of the long piece of fabric around the fabric circle you made for the top, keeping the pins 1 inch from the circle's edge. You will need to tuck the fabric every 2 or 3 inches to maintain a neat circle shape. Stitch around the pin line using outdoor/nylon thread.

• 18

  Stitch up the seam on the side section, joining both ends of the long fabric piece. Turn the cover right-side-out, test it on your table for fit, then pin up the hems evenly. Sew along the pin line with your cover inside-out again.