Best Time to Buy a Patio Set: Monthly Deal Guide

The absolute best time to buy a patio set is late summer, specifically August through early September. That window, anchored around Labor Day weekend, is when retailers like Lowe's, Walmart, and Wayfair are aggressively clearing outdoor inventory to make room for fall and holiday merchandise. Discounts routinely hit 40 to 60 percent off original prices. If you can wait until then, you'll almost always pay less than at any other point in the year. If you need something sooner, Memorial Day (late May) is the next best window, and early spring promotions like Wayfair's annual Way Day sale can catch you off guard with solid deals too.

The best months to buy a patio set (and why)

Patio furniture pricing follows a predictable seasonal rhythm every year. Retailers stock heavily in late winter and early spring, then discount as summer peaks and demand starts falling. Here's how the calendar breaks down:

The late August to early September stretch is the sweet spot. Lowe's, for example, runs outdoor furniture promotions with weekly ads that span from around August 22 through Labor Day (September 2), and that aligns with what you'll see across most major retailers. Walmart's clearance for patio furniture also tends to hit its lowest prices in this same window, sometimes following a secondary markdown phase after an initial post-Memorial Day discount. Basically, if your goal is price, aim for that last week of August into the first week of September.

September and October can go even deeper on remaining stock, but the catch is obvious: selection gets thin fast. DontPayFull also describes a clearance pattern after peak outdoor season, noting that September markdowns can deliver deeper discounts than spring pricing September and October can go even deeper on remaining stock. You might find a great deal on a table and chair set, but matching cushions or a specific configuration you wanted may already be gone. If you're flexible on style and color, waiting into October can pay off. If you have a specific set in mind, Labor Day weekend is your best shot at combining solid inventory with serious discounts.

Buy now or wait? A quick decision framework

This is the real question most people are wrestling with. Here's how I'd think about it based on where we are in the year right now (mid-May 2026):

• It's spring right now, which means you're past the early spring promo window but still ahead of Memorial Day. If a Memorial Day sale is live or starting this weekend, that's a reasonable time to buy, especially if you want to use the furniture all summer.
• If you can wait until late August, you'll likely save another 15 to 25 percentage points off whatever the Memorial Day price is. That could mean hundreds of dollars on a mid-range set.
• If you need it for a specific event (graduation party, summer gathering) in the next few weeks, buy during Memorial Day sales and don't second-guess it. Using furniture all summer is worth more than saving a bit extra by waiting.
• If you're flexible and not in a rush, flag your calendar for the last week of August and check Lowe's, Home Depot, Walmart, and Wayfair around that time. That's where the real clearance action happens.

How to find patio sets on sale or clearance

Knowing the right window is half the battle. The other half is actually finding the deals when they go live. A few approaches that actually work:

Watch weekly ads and sale pages directly

Lowe's and Home Depot both publish weekly ads that change every Thursday. During late August, those ads will almost always feature outdoor furniture prominently. Walmart posts clearance markdowns less predictably, but the outdoor living section of their website updates frequently. Get in the habit of checking those pages weekly once you hit mid-August.

Use price tracking tools

For online shopping, tools like CamelCamelCamel (for Amazon) or browser extensions like Honey can alert you when a specific item drops in price. If you've had your eye on a set at Wayfair or Amazon, add it to a list and set a price alert. You don't have to monitor anything manually.

Check clearance sections directly

Every major retailer has a dedicated clearance section online. Wayfair's clearance page, Walmart's clearance category, and Home Depot's special buy section are worth bookmarking. In-store, clearance patio furniture is usually moved to the back of the garden center or a separate outdoor clearance section starting in August. If you're near a Big Lots or Tuesday Morning-style store, they tend to clearance outdoor furniture aggressively and earlier than big-box retailers.

Don't overlook warehouse clubs

Costco runs special event promotions that include outdoor patio furniture categories. These aren't random, they're scheduled seasonal events. Costco's outdoor furniture typically appears in late spring and sells through summer, but they also run clearance-style pricing as the season winds down. If you're a member, check their Special Events and outdoor sections regularly from August onward.

Shopping across stores and online: timing and inventory

One thing I've learned shopping outdoor furniture: don't rely on just one retailer. Inventory varies wildly, and what's sold out at Lowe's might be fully stocked at Home Depot or available through a third-party seller on Amazon. Here's how to run a multi-channel search efficiently:

1. Start with a Google Shopping search for the type of set you want (3-piece bistro set, 6-piece sectional, etc.) to see who has it and at what price across all retailers at once.
2. Check Wayfair and Amazon simultaneously since they often carry the same brand sets but at different price points or with different shipping timelines.
3. Visit Lowe's and Home Depot sites to compare their outdoor furniture sections, then check whether local store inventory shows items in stock for same-day pickup. This matters a lot during clearance season when online quantities and in-store quantities differ.
4. Look at Walmart's in-store clearance separately from their website. Walmart clearance items often don't appear online and can only be found by physically walking the garden center section during late summer.
5. If budget is tight, check Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist for used patio sets. A lot of people sell barely-used sets every fall, and you can often find high-quality furniture at 30 to 50 percent of retail.
6. For local specialty retailers and patio stores, call ahead in August and ask when they plan to run their end-of-season clearance. They'll usually tell you, and smaller stores sometimes discount even more aggressively than big-box chains.

When inventory starts shifting in August, things move fast. A set that's available today might be gone in two weeks, and once clearance stock sells out, retailers won't reorder until next spring. If you find the right set at a strong discount, don't wait more than a day or two to pull the trigger.

Delivery timing and what to do if you need it right now

Here's something people don't think about until it's too late: delivery lead times on large patio sets can be 2 to 6 weeks, especially during peak season (May through July) when shipping demand is high. If you're buying in August for a September event, double-check estimated delivery dates before you order. Many retailers also offer in-store or curbside pickup as a faster option, which is worth the trip if the item is in stock locally.

If you need a patio set right now, in the next week or two, your best move is to filter for items available for in-store pickup or same-day delivery. Home Depot and Lowe's both show local inventory on their product pages. Buying in-store also means you can inspect the set for damage before you take it home, which matters more than people realize with large furniture that ships in multiple boxes.

If you're shopping in mid-May (right now) and want to use the furniture all summer, go ahead and buy during Memorial Day sales. The savings you'd get by waiting until Labor Day don't offset missing out on three months of use. However, if this is about furnishing a space for next year or replacing something that still works, hold off and revisit the market in late August.

Checklist: how to avoid overpaying or buying the wrong set

Before you buy, run through this list. It takes five minutes and can save you significant money and headaches.

• Measure your space first. Know the footprint you're working with, including clearance around chairs and pathways, before you look at any specific set.
• Decide on material before you shop: aluminum and all-weather wicker require almost no maintenance; teak is beautiful but needs annual oiling; steel is durable but can rust if the coating chips. Match material to your climate and how much upkeep you'll realistically do.
• Check the return policy before you buy. Patio furniture is bulky and return shipping costs can be brutal. Wayfair and Amazon have clear return windows, but restocking fees and return shipping on large items can eat into any discount.
• Compare the 'set' price vs. buying pieces separately. Sometimes a retailer bundles a table with chairs at a premium, and you can build the same combination cheaper by mixing pieces from different lines.
• Look at the total delivered price, not the listed price. Add shipping, any assembly fees, and taxes before comparing retailers side by side.
• Check reviews for cushion quality specifically. Many patio sets are rated well overall but have weak cushions that fade or compress quickly. If the cushion reviews are bad, budget for replacements or buy a set with separately sold cushion upgrades.
• Don't buy more than you need. A 7-piece dining set sounds impressive, but if you realistically host 4 people, a 4-piece set at half the price is the smarter call.
• If buying during clearance, verify the set is complete and all parts are included before finalizing. Clearance items sometimes have missing hardware or opened packaging.

The bottom line on timing

If saving money is the priority, late August through early September is the single best window to buy a patio set, full stop. If you're still deciding, this is exactly the question of when to buy patio furniture and which sale windows to watch late August through early September. That's when Labor Day sales, end-of-season clearance, and retailer inventory-clearing all converge. Memorial Day is the next best option if you want the furniture now and plan to use it all summer. Early spring promotions like Wayfair's Way Day are worth watching too, especially if a specific set you want tends to sell out. Whatever you do, avoid buying at full price in June or July when demand is high and retailers have no reason to discount. That's the most expensive time of year to buy outdoor furniture, and there are always better windows within a few weeks in either direction.