Last month, the UK was battered by torrential rain and record-breaking winds of up to 120mph (cheers Storm Eunice!). And due to the effects of climate change, unfortunately, such extreme weather conditions are likely to become more common.
That’s why it’s worth being prepared.
If you’re tired of chasing your cantilever umbrella down the street or your home has been recently damaged by an airborne bistro table, you may be wondering how to secure your outdoor furniture – so the same thing doesn’t happen again. And here at RopesDirect, we have the solution.
Bungee cords.
These simple stretchy ropes are one of the most effective ways to hold down your garden sectionals in gale force winds – causing no damage to the furniture itself and making sure it stays firmly in place. And the best bit? They’re super affordable – starting from just 30p a metre.
How to tie down garden furniture with bungee cords
When it comes to securing your garden furniture, there’s safety in numbers.
Rather than having several individual chairs and tables, which the wind can easily whip up into the air, the trick is to somehow bring all the furniture together – into one large unit. The combined weight will then act as a natural anchor, preventing it from blowing away.
There are two ways that elastic bungee cords – or shock cords – can be used to do this:
- By tying smaller pieces together
Simply stack the furniture in one pile and, to hold it together, wrap a bungee cord around its entire circumference. Additional cords can then be used to attach the whole unit to a permanent structure in your garden – such as a strong tree or fence.
- By securing all furniture under a sheet of tarpaulin
Storing your rattan under a tarpaulin is another effective way to stop it from taking flight. Affordable tarp sheets that are pre-fitted with grommets can be purchased online, in a variety of sizes, and you can easily secure it down with bungee cords using a quick three-step process:
Step 1: Cover the furniture
Arrange the furniture evenly so that it’s as flat and uniform as possible. Then cover it with the tarpaulin, taking care to leave an equal amount of material on each side.
Step 2: Attach bungee ropes
Attach one bungee cord to at least every other grommet, along all four sides of the tarpaulin. You can either tie them to the tarp using a tight knot or use fixings, such as hook ends or bungee balls.
Step 3: Secure the cords into the ground
Finally, take the other end of each bungee cord and secure it into the ground using a metal stake. Ensure the stake is heavy-duty and long enough to grip into the soil firmly. Spiral anchors are particularly effective, as they twist into the ground and are unlikely to lose their hold.
Prepare for the next storm with our quality bungee cords
If you’d like to stay ahead of the next windy weather forecast and wish to tie down your outdoor sectionals using bungee cords, you’re in the perfect place.
Here at RopesDirect, we stock high-quality shock cords in a broad spectrum of sizes, ranging from 3 – 16mm in diameter. These can be bought by the metre or wound on 100m reels. And due to the durable materials from which they’re made, our cords are suitable for prolonged outdoor use and will hold down your garden furniture – come hail, rain, wind, snow or shine.
If you plan to use a tarpaulin, we also stock high-quality shock cord spiral hooks and heavy-duty spiral ground anchors to help you secure it firmly in place.
So why not take a look?
Invest in a couple of cords and make sure your garden is prepared for the next named storm. If you’re not sure which type or size to buy, have a look around our website. You should find the information you need to help you make a decision. But if not, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Just send an email to info@ropesdirect.co.uk and we’ll be more than happy to help.
We also love to see our bungee ropes in action. So if you do use them to secure down your airborne patio set, be sure to send us a couple of photos. We’ll post a couple on our social media pages, to show other customers how easy it is to do and how effective this simple solution can be.