Wondering when is the best time to buy patio furniture? You might be asking because you want to be able to shop when there’s the widest choice available online or in store. Or maybe you’re thinking about timing your order for the best garden furniture so you’re ready for the first holidays of the year.
Of course, you might equally have getting a great deal in mind and want to know the best time to buy outdoor furniture at a reduced price.
Whatever your aim, you’ll find top tips and advice from the experts right here so you can make your garden a comfortable and stylish outdoor dining and living space.
The best time to buy patio furniture
Patio furniture that’s comfortable and stylish is a must for every home, creating living and dining areas for the yard.
If you live in a climate that doesn’t allow year-round outdoor living, the best time to buy patio furniture will be in good time for the Memorial Day holiday, or, if you’re in the UK, the Easter weekend, and the start of the outdoor living season.
But bear in mind that we are all spending more time in our backyards than previously, and you might want to think about buying earlier in the year than you would have done in the past. ‘Whether for relaxing, entertaining, or quality time with the family, people have invested in their gardens, yards, patios, and balconies like never before – and this trend shows no sign of slowing down,’ says Janet Major, marketing manager at outdoor furniture designer and manufacturer Zest.
‘One of the effects of this is that the “season” for everyone enjoying their outside space has extended and with it demand for comfortable and attractive products.’
Joe Shrimpton of Extreme Lounging agrees, saying it’s best to start planning your purchases as early as January. ‘Demand for bringing the indoors outdoors has increased tenfold on previous years,’ he says.
Enjoy the widest choice of patio furniture
If you want to be able to browse a wide range, the best time to buy patio furniture begins early in the year, according to retailers. ‘In our opinion, the best time to purchase garden furniture is early spring when garden centres and home stores have a wide range of stock available,’ says Jilly Firman of UK furniture designers Firmans Direct.
‘Typically their displays go out post January sale, ready for the new spring season and well in time for Easter. You can expect to see displays of patio furniture in store from early March or even end of February. This is a good time to purchase so you can take advantage of choosing from a full range and of course you will have the whole season ahead of you to enjoy your purchase.’
Dawn Ritchie, garden leisure and structures category manager at B&Q, agrees. ‘We suggest opting for mid-March as the optimal time to purchase your outdoor furniture to ensure your home is equipped to host as soon as the spring season blossoms,’ she says.
But, as Lauren Sheridan of the product marketing team at outdoor furniture designers LeisureGrow Products points out, you might want to invest early in order to take advantage of spells of good weather at the beginning of the year. ‘We see warmer temperatures in February and March, so it’s great to be prepared for early warm spring days,’ she says.
‘In the last two springs, our retailers have sold out of garden furniture completely and the demand is greater than ever. Customers may want to consider that whilst it may not be quite warm enough to sit and eat in February and March, there is often a day where sitting in the sunshine with a cup of tea is possible.’
And Janet Major has observed that patio furniture purchases are happening sooner. ‘Easter has historically always been the trigger for customers to begin purchasing products for their gardens,’ she explains. ‘However, we are now seeing purchases of garden furniture much earlier, so doing research into the designs and materials available cannot begin soon enough.’
Here at Gardeningetc, we see sales peaks in late March and mid-April, as well as a bump for Memorial Day, and editor Beth Murton advises early action. ‘Don’t get behind the curve if you want to enjoy the largest choice when it comes to outdoor furniture,’ she says. ‘There are hit designs every year, and you won’t want to miss out on the furniture style you’ve fallen for.’
To help you get your hands on your perfect buy, our guide on where to buy garden furniture has plenty of top tips on finding items in stock, whatever the time of year.
Save on outdoor furniture
If you’re looking for garden furniture deals, you might be wondering when the best time to buy patio furniture in a sale is. There are definitely bargains to be had if you’re open to checking out different designs and can store or cover your new purchases as necessary to keep them pristine if your climate means you won’t be using them for a while.
‘If you don’t require furniture early on and you don’t have a fixed style in mind, hold off until July, when retailers start their summer sales,’ suggests Lauren Sheridan. ‘You can usually still pick up a great steal in September, too, before the last garden pickings are taken off the shop floor to make way for Christmas purchases again.’
Summer’s also the time to save, according to Colette Gelman of Lowe’s. ‘Lowe’s offers special values in-store and online every day, but during the warmer months, customers can find deals on products from brands customers know and trust like Weber and Char-Broil smokers and grills, patio sets, outdoor décor, tools and outdoor power equipment from top brands like EGO, Craftsman and Honda,’ she says.
There are savings to be made on outdoor furniture items at the end of the season, advises Dawn Ritchie. ‘But be sure to keep them safe during the winter months and keep an eye on stock levels as our popular products can sell out quickly,’ she advises.
Thinking of waiting for the top Black Friday garden deals? Even if you will be waiting to sit or dine out, it’s definitely an opportunity to make savings on stylish patio furniture options if you’ve missed the summer’s deals. It’s worth knowing that most people’s attention will have turned to other buys by then, so the field is wide open to keen bargain hunters.
If you can't wait for the next garden furniture sales to start, you can shop our top our buys at the best prices below.
