Can You Put Garden Furniture on Grass?
Words by
Emma Hughes
July 20, 2026
|
9m
:fill(white):quality(75)/https://www.barkerandstonehouse.co.uk/static/cms/media/Can-You%20Put%20Garden%20Furniture%20on%20Grass_hero.jpg)
There’s nothing better than enjoying your garden furniture in the baking summer sun. After all, isn’t that what it’s for? Not only do garden day beds and sun loungers offer a comfortable place to relax, but they bring style and finesse to your outdoor space that can transform your garden into a relaxing retreat.
The most tempting area to place your garden furniture is on the grass, but is this truly the optimal place? If you’re thinking about buying a new garden dining set, or simply looking to relocate an old garden sofa, you may be wondering where the best place is to put it. Or you may be wondering if the grass is a safe place to put your garden furniture at all!
In this guide, we will explore if it’s safe to put garden furniture on grass, and if not, what are the best places you can keep it without causing any damage. We’ll also look at some furniture pieces that are recommended for grass.
There are so many different ways you can style and design your outdoor space, and our guide on how to turn your garden into the perfect entertainment space is full of handy advice on achieving this particular design.
The most tempting area to place your garden furniture is on the grass, but is this truly the optimal place? If you’re thinking about buying a new garden dining set, or simply looking to relocate an old garden sofa, you may be wondering where the best place is to put it. Or you may be wondering if the grass is a safe place to put your garden furniture at all!
In this guide, we will explore if it’s safe to put garden furniture on grass, and if not, what are the best places you can keep it without causing any damage. We’ll also look at some furniture pieces that are recommended for grass.
There are so many different ways you can style and design your outdoor space, and our guide on how to turn your garden into the perfect entertainment space is full of handy advice on achieving this particular design.
Is it recommended to leave garden furniture on grass?
In short, no. Garden furniture is not recommended to be left on grassy areas for long periods of time. Take a look at some of the main reasons below:
It can damage the furniture
If you’ve recently bought a brand-new garden lounge chair, the last thing you want is for it to get ruined. Unfortunately, if you leave it on the grass for too long, this will eventually happen.
Due to the high levels of moisture in the grass from the frequent British rain, damp stains, rust, and mould can soon turn up on your garden furniture if you are not careful. And if your furniture set has been allowed to sink into the grass, then it will be covered in mud as well before you know it. You want to be diligent, as nobody wants a stained piece of furniture that they have spent their hard-earned pennies on!
The furniture you’ll notice this decline in most is wooden garden furniture, as this absorbs the water and dirt the quickest. Metal garden furniture won’t absorb water and dirt, but it can rust if left on the grass for long periods of time, turning your sparkling new furniture into a rust-coloured nightmare before long. In the summer months, the garden grass will be a lot tougher and harder, meaning it won’t cause as much damage as it would in the winter or autumn.
The only exception is aluminium garden furniture, as this material doesn’t rust at all.
Due to the high levels of moisture in the grass from the frequent British rain, damp stains, rust, and mould can soon turn up on your garden furniture if you are not careful. And if your furniture set has been allowed to sink into the grass, then it will be covered in mud as well before you know it. You want to be diligent, as nobody wants a stained piece of furniture that they have spent their hard-earned pennies on!
The furniture you’ll notice this decline in most is wooden garden furniture, as this absorbs the water and dirt the quickest. Metal garden furniture won’t absorb water and dirt, but it can rust if left on the grass for long periods of time, turning your sparkling new furniture into a rust-coloured nightmare before long. In the summer months, the garden grass will be a lot tougher and harder, meaning it won’t cause as much damage as it would in the winter or autumn.
The only exception is aluminium garden furniture, as this material doesn’t rust at all.
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It can damage the grass
A lot of us put blood, sweat and tears into making our gardens and grassy areas perfect, but leaving garden furniture on top of it for a long time can undo all that hard work. This is why, even though aluminium garden furniture won’t be ruined, it’s still not advised to be kept on the grass for a long time.
Furniture with thin, pronged legs can create holes in the ground that, if not taken care of, can collect rainwater and quickly turn into muddy puddles. But what about larger pieces of furniture?
Well, it may not cause small holes in the grass, but it will stop any sunlight or air reaching it. This will eventually kill the grass and turn it from that ripe green to straw-like yellow, which is not ideal. Leaving large furniture on the grass for too long will also flatten and discolour it, making it uneven and patchy in certain areas.
If this discolouration has already happened, you can try and revive it with a bit of TLC and watering, but holes left by thin furniture legs are a little harder to deal with. The best decision is to avoid this entirely and don’t keep the furniture on the grass for too long, or at all.
Furniture with thin, pronged legs can create holes in the ground that, if not taken care of, can collect rainwater and quickly turn into muddy puddles. But what about larger pieces of furniture?
Well, it may not cause small holes in the grass, but it will stop any sunlight or air reaching it. This will eventually kill the grass and turn it from that ripe green to straw-like yellow, which is not ideal. Leaving large furniture on the grass for too long will also flatten and discolour it, making it uneven and patchy in certain areas.
If this discolouration has already happened, you can try and revive it with a bit of TLC and watering, but holes left by thin furniture legs are a little harder to deal with. The best decision is to avoid this entirely and don’t keep the furniture on the grass for too long, or at all.
It can compromise comfort and safety
You may be worried about damaging your grass or the furniture, but it should be your friends and family you are worried about, as grass is often uneven terrain. Because of this, your garden chairs may become unstable or wobbly, and someone could easily lose their balance and fall. Not only this, but wobbly chairs or uneven seating are uncomfortable to sit on, and nobody wants that when they’re trying to enjoy some summer rays.
The wobbly nature also makes it harder for people with reduced mobility, as there won’t be a solid foundation to push off from. If the legs sink deeper, it will make it especially hard. Add this on top of the fact that wobbly furniture is frustrating to use, then you’ve a handful of reasons why garden furniture should not be left on grass.
If you find yourself looking for the best garden seating ideas, our helpful guide should give you some more advice.
The wobbly nature also makes it harder for people with reduced mobility, as there won’t be a solid foundation to push off from. If the legs sink deeper, it will make it especially hard. Add this on top of the fact that wobbly furniture is frustrating to use, then you’ve a handful of reasons why garden furniture should not be left on grass.
If you find yourself looking for the best garden seating ideas, our helpful guide should give you some more advice.
When can you put your garden furniture on the grass?
But that doesn’t mean you can’t put your garden furniture on the grass at all. Sometimes, it’s the only sensible place to put it, and you can keep the grass alive and healthy if you consider these factors:
Utilise furniture that is made for grass
Despite all the reasons why we don’t recommend garden furniture on grass, there are a few items that work much better than others.
Sun loungers, for example, are built to be placed on grass thanks to their large frame being spread out and their U-shaped legs that have a hard time sinking into the ground. So, not only are they a stylish way of basking in the afternoon sun, but they can also minimise the damage done to your garden. Reclining chairs also have these benefits.
To make sure you’ve the best seating experience possible, try looking for sun loungers and reclining chairs with thick seat pads and breathable fabric for optimal comfort. These sorts of garden chairs are also usually portable, so once you’ve finished with them, they can be easily folded up and stored away.
This will keep your grass looking healthy with minimal damage. For more information on which garden furniture material is best, check out our guide.
Sun loungers, for example, are built to be placed on grass thanks to their large frame being spread out and their U-shaped legs that have a hard time sinking into the ground. So, not only are they a stylish way of basking in the afternoon sun, but they can also minimise the damage done to your garden. Reclining chairs also have these benefits.
To make sure you’ve the best seating experience possible, try looking for sun loungers and reclining chairs with thick seat pads and breathable fabric for optimal comfort. These sorts of garden chairs are also usually portable, so once you’ve finished with them, they can be easily folded up and stored away.
This will keep your grass looking healthy with minimal damage. For more information on which garden furniture material is best, check out our guide.
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Try furniture caps
You may be wondering if there’s anything to stop your furniture sinking, or what to put under garden furniture on grass? Well, we have the answer!
Furniture caps are usually used to prevent damage to your laminate or lino flooring, but they can also be used effectively with garden furniture.
If you install some soft furniture caps on the bottom of your garden chairs or recliners, it will help spread out the weight while also preventing it from sinking into the grass. This is less important on warm, dry days, but it still is a good measure to put in place no matter the time of year. By doing this, it will help stabilise the furniture piece, so you don’t find yourself wobbling around when you’re trying to enjoy a good book or an ice-cold drink.
If you don’t have any furniture caps on hand, loose slabs can be used to keep the furniture in place and to stop it sinking into the ground. However, this is not a long-term solution as you will need to remove the slabs before the end of the day to prevent your grass from becoming dehydrated and crushed.
Furniture caps are usually used to prevent damage to your laminate or lino flooring, but they can also be used effectively with garden furniture.
If you install some soft furniture caps on the bottom of your garden chairs or recliners, it will help spread out the weight while also preventing it from sinking into the grass. This is less important on warm, dry days, but it still is a good measure to put in place no matter the time of year. By doing this, it will help stabilise the furniture piece, so you don’t find yourself wobbling around when you’re trying to enjoy a good book or an ice-cold drink.
If you don’t have any furniture caps on hand, loose slabs can be used to keep the furniture in place and to stop it sinking into the ground. However, this is not a long-term solution as you will need to remove the slabs before the end of the day to prevent your grass from becoming dehydrated and crushed.
Move your furniture around often
If you’ve no other choice than putting your garden furniture on the grass, then it’s recommended that you don’t keep it in one spot for too long.
If you move it at least weekly, it should minimise the damage that happens to your grass. This is especially important in the summer months as you want your garden to stay bright and healthy, and if covered for too long, you may compromise your grass’s health for the sake of a lounge chair.
If you move it at least weekly, it should minimise the damage that happens to your grass. This is especially important in the summer months as you want your garden to stay bright and healthy, and if covered for too long, you may compromise your grass’s health for the sake of a lounge chair.
Where should you place your garden furniture?
If your garden’s grass is not the optimal area for placing your garden furniture, then where is? We’ve listed below some of the best alternatives to grass, and what makes them so effective at keeping not only your furniture and grass safe, but your friends and family as well. Take a look:
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Even though we don’t recommend keeping garden furniture on your grass for long periods of time, sometimes there is no other option. In that case, you can browse our wonderful collection of garden furniture at Barker and Stonehouse and pick one that’s more suited for grass and for your personal needs. There are times when online shopping is not enough, and if that’s the case for you, you can visit your nearest Barker and Stonehouse store and come and see our collection for yourself.
Don’t be caught out when summer comes along! Get out there and enjoy it, while keeping your grass strong and healthy at the same time.
Don’t be caught out when summer comes along! Get out there and enjoy it, while keeping your grass strong and healthy at the same time.