Living in a high-rise apartment with an outdoor balcony is a wonderful urban luxury until a windy day threatens to send your carefully chosen furniture flying. Securing your outdoor pieces is crucial for safety, preventing damage, and avoiding the loss of your belongings. Fortunately, several effective strategies can anchor everything from a bistro set to a full lounge suite.
The most common and versatile solution is adding weight. For furniture with hollow legs, like many metal frame chairs and tables, consider using furniture weight bags. These sand-filled bags are designed to slide onto chair or table legs, significantly lowering the center of gravity. For a DIY approach, fill durable bags with sand or pebbles and secure them to the furniture's frame with strong straps. Alternatively, you can use concrete ballasts disguised inside planters. Placing large, heavy pots around your seating area also acts as a natural windbreak.
Direct attachment is the most secure method. If your balcony has a permanent railing or wall, use weather-resistant straps, bungee cords, or guy wires to tether larger items like sun loungers or sofas. Always check with your building management before drilling into any surfaces. For freestanding pieces, furniture anchors—similar to those used for televisions or sheds—can be screwed into the furniture base and then attached to a heavy, separate weight.
Beyond securing individual items, think about modifying your environment. Installing a windbreak screen made of perforated metal, tempered glass, or a sturdy synthetic mesh can drastically reduce wind speed on your balcony without completely blocking the view. Strategically placing tall, heavy plants or a vertical garden can achieve a similar effect.
Finally, your choice of furniture itself is a primary defense. Opt for heavy, low-to-the-ground materials like solid wood, concrete, or stone instead of lightweight aluminum or plastic. Avoid furniture with large, flat surfaces, like big tabletops or broad umbrellas, which act like sails and catch the wind. When high winds are forecast, the safest practice is to temporarily move smaller items indoors.
By combining these methods—adding weight, using straps, installing windbreaks, and choosing appropriate furniture—you can create a safe, stylish, and storm-proof outdoor oasis high above the city streets.