The Complete Guide
Custom Made Outdoor Stool Covers — The Australian Owner's Complete Guide
Outdoor bar stools and kitchen stools take a lot of sun and weather, particularly when they sit at an outdoor bar or kitchen bench that faces north or west. The seat material fades, the frame corrodes, and the footrest ring often rusts before the rest of the stool does. A cover that fits well solves most of this. The challenge is that stools are not a standard size. Bar height, counter height, and cafe stools all differ, and round seats and square seats need different approaches.
This guide walks you through measuring your stool correctly for both round and square or rectangular seats, and covers what you need to know about the material and care.
Width
Width is the widest point of the seat from side to side. For a square or rectangular stool, measure across the seat from the outer edge on one side to the outer edge on the other. For a round stool, measure the diameter of the seat across its widest point. If the seat is slightly oval rather than perfectly round, measure the widest point.
If your stool has a lip or edge that protrudes beyond the seat surface, measure to the outer edge of that lip. The cover needs to clear the widest point of the seat to slip on and off cleanly.
Depth
Depth is the front-to-back measurement of the seat. For a square or rectangular stool, measure from the front edge of the seat to the back edge. For a round stool, depth is the same as width. Enter the diameter for both measurements. The cover is made to the footprint of the seat, so for a round stool you enter the same number twice and we handle the rest.
Height
Height is from the ground to the top of the seat surface. Hold a tape measure vertically beside the stool and measure from the floor up to the seat top. Do not measure to the top of any backrest if your stool has one, and do not include the footrest ring. The cover runs from the top of the seat down to the ground, enclosing the legs, footrest ring, and frame on the way. Your height measurement just needs to be the ground-to-seat distance so the cover reaches the right length.
Footrest rings are common on bar and counter stools. The cover fabric will pass over the ring as it drops down the legs. The ring sits inside the cover, so you do not need to measure around it or account for it separately.
The material
All our covers are made from 200gsm solution-dyed polyester. For a stool cover, the main challenge is that the cover needs to be tall enough to hang to the ground from a seat that may be 70 or 80 centimetres up, while still being easy to put on and take off. At 200gsm the fabric has enough weight to drop cleanly and stay in place without being so heavy that it is awkward to handle.
Solution-dyed construction means the colour runs through the fibre rather than sitting on the surface. Many outdoor covers start to look tired after one or two Australian summers because the surface coating fades unevenly or cracks and peels. Solution-dyed fabric holds its colour far longer and stays flexible through heat and UV rather than going stiff or brittle.
The fabric is waterproof for normal outdoor conditions. Rain runs off the surface and does not soak through under standard rainfall. If your stools sit fully exposed and receive a lot of driving rain, a position under an overhang will extend the life of the cover. For most outdoor kitchen or bar setups there is at least partial overhead cover, which suits a stool cover well.
Care
Wipe the cover with a damp cloth for routine cleaning. For heavier soiling, use a soft brush and mild soap and rinse thoroughly with the hose. Always let the cover dry fully in the air before putting it back on the stool or folding it for storage. Folding a damp cover and storing it will shorten its life.
If you remove covers to use the stools during the day and put them back on at night, fold them loosely and keep them out of direct sun while they are off. Consistent UV exposure affects any outdoor fabric even when it is not in use. A simple bag or a shelf in a shaded spot is enough. With routine care a set of stool covers should give you several years of reliable use.