Every long lunch ends the same way: plates in the sink, table wiped down, and eight chairs crowding a deck that suddenly feels small. This is the moment stackable outdoor chairs earn their keep — and also the moment most chairs collect the chips and scratches that age them early. Dragged across pavers, stacked wet with sand on their feet, left in a leaning tower behind the shed: the damage rarely happens while anyone is sitting down.
This is a practical how-to: how to tell whether your chairs are designed to stack at all, how to stack them without grinding grit into the frames, how high a stack should safely go, and where chairs should live through the wetter months. It applies to nearly everything in our outdoor chairs and benches range, from moulded resin to padded slings.
First, check they really are stackable outdoor chairs
Only stack chairs their maker says are stackable. A chair designed for it has a seat and legs shaped so the chair above nests neatly, with its weight carried on the frame rather than on the sling or paintwork of the one below. If the product page never mentions stacking, treat that as a no. Forcing chairs together is the quickest way to stretch a sling, crack a seat edge and rub powder coating down to bare metal.
The Italia Chair ($155) is the textbook stacker: moulded from sturdy UV-resistant plastic, light to carry, and listed as stackable on its product page. A few spares can wait quietly in a corner until guests turn up. If you are still choosing chairs rather than storing them, our comparison of stackable, folding and armchair dining styles covers the buying side — this guide is about looking after the chairs you already own.
How to stack chairs without scratching them
Grit does the scratching, not the stacking. A chair that comes off the lawn with sand on its feet will grind that sand into the seat of the chair below it, which is why the routine matters more than the technique:
- Brush or wipe each chair before it joins the stack, especially the feet and the underside of the seat.
- Stack dry — moisture trapped between seats marks paint and gives mould a shaded place to start.
- Lift straight up and lower straight down; sliding a chair into position is what leaves the long scuff marks.
- Keep the stack square, so the weight sits evenly on all four legs of the bottom chair.
- On painted aluminium frames, sit a folded towel or a strip of felt between every few chairs.
How high should a stack of chairs go?
Lower than you think. The practical ceiling is a stack you can still lift and carry in one go, which for most people is four to six chairs. Past that, stacks become top-heavy, awkward on stairs and vulnerable to a gusty change — one toppled stack can scratch a whole set in an afternoon.
| Chair type | Stacking approach | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Moulded resin | Happy stacked for months; keep the stack liftable in one go | Tall stacks catch wind; the top chair cops all the sun and dust |
| Aluminium sling | Short stacks between weekends, with soft spacers | Frame-on-frame rub wears painted finishes first |
| Padded or cushioned | Usually not stackable — store upright, cushions off | Weight on padding leaves permanent pressure marks |
| Folding chairs | Fold flat and stand or hang them instead | Sand and grit working into the folding joints |
Folding chairs are the reminder that stacking is not the only space-saver. A compact beach chair like the Lesands Beach Chair ($69.95) folds down, has a carry strap attached and a non-rust aluminium frame. It can hang on a hook in the shed rather than join a stack at all.
Storing chairs that are not built to stack
Padded sling chairs sit outside the stacking rules. The Callala Bay Chair ($169) is a good example: its comfort comes from a padded Textaline sling, its product page says nothing about stacking, and piling weight onto padding is how permanent pressure marks happen. Chairs like this store upright — pushed in around the table, or lined up against a sheltered wall.
If chairs that cannot stack are staying outside, a breathable cover keeps dust, bird droppings and UV off the slings without trapping moisture underneath — our outdoor furniture covers range is the place to start.
Where to store chairs in Australian conditions
Where a stack lives matters as much as how it is built. In Melbourne, Hobart and Adelaide, the wet half of the year is the enemy: a garage, shed or covered alfresco corner beats any spot in the open. Chairs should go into storage clean and completely dry. In Brisbane and further north, humidity is the bigger risk, so leave air moving around a stack rather than wrapping it tightly in plastic.
Coastal homes should rinse salt off frames with fresh water before chairs go into storage, because salt keeps corroding quietly under cover. On balconies, keep stacks low and against a wall — a tall, light stack is a wind hazard — and check your strata by-laws about what can be stored in view. Wherever you live, keep stacks off grass, which wicks moisture up through the feet.
Stacking and storing outdoor chairs — frequently asked questions
How many outdoor chairs can you stack?
Stop at the number you can comfortably lift and carry in one go — for most adults that is four to six chairs. Resin chairs will nest higher than that, but a taller stack is unstable in wind and awkward to take down without sliding chairs against each other.
Do stacked chairs scratch each other?
Only when grit or moisture is trapped between them. Clean, dry chairs lifted on and off a square stack can nest for months without a mark. Sand on the feet, or a chair slid sideways into place, will do visible damage in a single season.
Can you stack chairs with the cushions still on?
No — take cushions off before stacking. The weight above compresses the foam, traps moisture against the fabric and leaves creases that never quite recover. Store cushions dry in a bench box or cupboard and stack the frames on their own.
Should you cover a stack of chairs left outside?
Yes, if it will sit untouched for more than a week or two. A breathable fitted cover keeps UV and dirt off, while a tarp that traps condensation can do more harm than good. Tie the cover down so it cannot flap and rub against the frames.
Shop the range
If a chair has been stacked once too roughly and is past saving, replacements are easy to slot in — browse our outdoor dining chairs to match what you already own. We deliver Australia-wide, with free delivery on orders over $100 and most orders dispatched in 3-10 business days.
