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Condensation under a garden furniture cover

Updated: 22 October 2026

You lift the cover after a wet week and the rattan is damp, with no tear you can find. Condensation under a garden furniture cover is that pattern: rain stayed outside, and moist air under the shell wetted the furniture. A thicker cloth is the wrong first answer. The listings are on the [garden furniture cover comparison](/hub/garden-furniture/garden-furniture-cover). Peter F. read the amazon.co.uk lines captured on 19 October 2026. This is not a laboratory test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You lift the cover after a wet week and the rattan is damp, with no tear you can find. Condensation under a garden furniture cover is that pattern: rain stayed outside, and moist air under the shell wetted the furniture.

Our top picks

BEEWAY BEEWAY 200 × 160 × 73 cm

Best overall

BEEWAY BEEWAY 200 × 160 × 73 cm
7.6/10about £15.19
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Aoretic Aoretic 180 × 120 × 74 cm

Best value

Aoretic Aoretic 180 × 120 × 74 cm
7.4/10about £6.79
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AWNIC AWNIC 3-seater 220 × 85 × 71 cm

Rank 3

AWNIC AWNIC 3-seater 220 × 85 × 71 cm
6.8/10about £18.88
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On this page
  1. 1.Water on the inside is often condensation
  2. 2.What UK care guides tell you to do first
  3. 3.Vents help, and they are not on every listing
  4. 4.PVC linings and mould on the cloth

Water on the inside is often condensation

Warm, damp air sits under the cover. Overnight the cloth is colder, so moisture forms on the inside and drips onto the table. The coating can stop rain and still hold vapour in. On Dokon's 90 cm cube a buyer revised not waterproof to sweating and asked for airflow. That is this listing, not a different Dokon size. A seam leak is a track from a stitch, a corner or a pool on the lid. Condensation is more even, often after a temperature drop. If the lid is clear and the frame is wet, you are on this page. BS EN 581-2:2026 excludes removable covers and weathering. Measuring and straps are on how to fit a garden furniture cover.

What UK care guides tell you to do first

Harbour Lifestyle says to use a breathable, air-vented cover rather than a sealed or PVC-backed one, especially on hardwood and metal, and to dry the cover before storage. Cushions come indoors. Do not cover wet wood. Check at least monthly through the winter. Plot & Patio uses the same order: clean, dry, lift the feet, and cover only if the cover can breathe. The RHS says to work when the furniture is dry. Gardeners' World's 2025 guide includes a cushion bag at £59 that is not in this set. Leaving pads under AWNIC because it is a sofa cover works against those guides.
BEEWAY BEEWAY 200 × 160 × 73 cm

Testsieger

BEEWAY BEEWAY 200 × 160 × 73 cm
7.6/10about £15.19
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Vents help, and they are not on every listing

A vent is claimed on Dokon, SIRUITON, PATIO PLUS, Aoretic, all three BEEWAY sizes and the 500D RICHIE. It is not claimed on the 170 cm RICHIE, either Funshot round, or AWNIC. A higher denier does not invent an air path. Yarn and coating are on the 420D versus 600D page. Dokon says vents on two sides, SIRUITON a zip opening, PATIO PLUS mesh, Aoretic a hidden vent, and each BEEWAY one large vent. None of that is measured airflow. Mesh can let driving rain in. AWNIC has the only 3500 mm figure and no vent named. A vent on a 90 cm cube does not fix a dining set that needed 200 cm.

PVC linings and mould on the cloth

PATIO PLUS names a PVC lining. It blocks rain, and Harbour warns that a PVC-backed cover traps moisture on wood and synthetic rattan. Both can be true. Harbour says mould can establish on damp folded fabric within days, so dry the cover before you pack it. For surface mould the guide says warm water and a little white vinegar, not bleach. That does not cure mould in cushion foam or hardwood. Replace the cover when the coating has cracked, a seam passes water in a visible track, or mould has gone through the cloth. A sweating review is a reason to dry the furniture and use a vent where one is claimed.

Common questions

Why is the furniture wet if the cover has no hole?
Moist air under the cover meets a cold skin and condenses. The coating can stop rain and still hold that vapour in. A Dokon review describes this as sweating and asks for airflow. A true leak usually shows as a track from a seam, a corner or a pool on the lid, which you can see if you watch the cover in the rain.
Should cushions stay outside under the cover?
No. Harbour Lifestyle says cushions come indoors to a dry space, and the RHS times care for when the furniture is dry. Gardeners’ World lists a separate cushion bag because seating covers often expect the pads to come off. Leaving them under a sofa cover such as AWNIC works against those guides.
Do air vents stop mould?
They are the seller’s answer to trapped air, and they are claimed on some listings in this set and not on others. A vent is not a measured airflow and it is not a lab certificate of breathability. Mesh can admit driving rain. You still need to cover dry furniture and look underneath through the winter.
How do I clean mould on the cover?
Dry the cloth first. Harbour’s cover guide says warm water and a little white vinegar for surface mould, not bleach. That does not cure mould inside cushion foam or deep in timber. If the growth is through the fabric, replace the cover. If it is through the furniture, ask the maker or a restorer.
Is condensation the same as a leaking seam?
No. Condensation wets the inside after a temperature change, often with no tear. A leaking seam lets rain through at a stitch or a corner, especially under a pond on the lid. Raise the centre and refit a loose hem for pooling. Dry the furniture and use a vent, where one is claimed, for sweat.

Related pages

Garden furniture cover buying guide

Garden furniture cover

420D vs 600D garden furniture cover: yarn, not water

Best garden furniture cover for the shape you have

How to fit a garden furniture cover so it stays put

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines captured on 19 October 2026. There is no laboratory test.

  1. Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods remedies (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. BS EN 581-1:2017 outdoor furniture safety (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. BS EN 581-2:2026 seating tests (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. ASA CAP Code 3.7, objective claims (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. RHS, maintaining garden seats and tables (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. Harbour Lifestyle, furniture cover care (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. BBC Gardeners' World, outdoor furniture covers (retrieved 19 October 2026)