It shouldn't, whether for a few weeks or a year, if it goes in clean and dry and is packed so it can breathe. What cracks and warps wood, or grows mould on leather, is moisture in the air more than cold: wood swells when the air is damp and shrinks when it's dry, and it's the repeated change that splits tops and lifts veneer. Our units aren't climate-controlled, so preparation is what protects your furniture: clean and dry, a breathable cover rather than plastic, off the floor, a gap to the walls and between pieces, and a look at it when you visit. Veneered, inlaid and antique pieces need the most care.
Can furniture get damp in a storage unit?
Yes, it can. Our units aren't climate-controlled, portable heaters aren't allowed in them (clause 19), and our guide to climate-controlled storage names damp as the real UK risk, most noticeable from late autumn through winter, "when condensation is most likely to form on cold surfaces in any building". Damp also goes in with the furniture: a piece moved on a wet day, or cleaned and covered before it has dried. The steps below keep both out.
Why moisture, not cold, is what moves wood and marks leather
The Institute of Conservation (Icon) explains that wood reacts "to changes in the moisture content of the air around them". Very dry air shrinks most timbers, damp air makes wood expand, and "a fluctuating environment has the greatest potential to cause damage". It also names the signs: "Cracks and splits in furniture or lifting veneers may be a sign of an unstable environment."
Temperature matters mainly through the moisture it brings. Icon warns that the air near a radiator is "very dry". Cold surfaces work the other way: they are where condensation settles. Leather has its own risk: the US National Park Service's conservation guidance says leather "is particularly susceptible to mold and can be stained and weakened by it", and that poor air circulation and accumulated dirt speed mould up.
Our terms say you must not use a portable heater in the unit (clause 19) or connect any utilities, including power, unless we've authorised it (clause 22(e)). So an electric heater or dehumidifier is out, and passive moisture absorbers, which need no power, are the practical option. We don't control or publish the temperature or humidity inside our units, so the steps below do the work.
Choosing a container? Check your site's page to see whether it has them, or ask us; do I need a dehumidifier in a container unit? covers which are insulated.
Solid wood, veneer, antiques and leather
| Piece | Main risk | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Solid wood (oak tables, unpainted pine, wardrobes) | Swelling in damp, shrinking and splitting in dry air | Clean, dry, breathable cover, off the floor. No special treatment needed |
| Older veneered or inlaid pieces (Victorian or Georgian sideboards, bureaux, cabinets) | Veneer edges lifting; our climate guide says these, "particularly those with thin decorative surfaces on Victorian or Georgian furniture", are more sensitive to sustained damp than solid wood | As solid wood, plus nothing resting on the top and extra care with covers and tape |
| Antiques, especially marquetry, lacquer or gilding | The same risks, on surfaces that are hard to repair | As veneer, plus ask a furniture conservator before you move a fragile piece, and see the antiques section below |
| Leather sofas, chairs and desk tops | Mould, which stains and weakens leather | Clean with a soft dry cloth, breathable cover, air all round, nothing stacked on the seat, and nothing resting on a leather desk top. For sofas, including corner sofas, see can I stand a sofa on its end in storage? |
How to prepare each piece
- Clean and dry it. Empty drawers and remove loose parts first: our antiques guide says "Empty every drawer and cabinet before the piece is moved", and to remove mirrors and bag small hardware. Dust polished wood with a clean, dry duster. For "Complex surfaces (marquetry, inlay, boulle, lacquer, painted surfaces and carving)", Icon says a duster can snag and they "should be cleaned using a soft banister brush, or for small areas a pony hair brush". If you used anything damp, our antiques guide says give the piece a full day to dry before you cover it. Wipe leather with a soft, dry cloth, and don't use detergents on it.
- Wax or condition only if it's due. Icon says wood "does not need 'feeding'". If a waxed finish needs a polish anyway, it suggests a good beeswax furniture wax, used sparingly and buffed, and no spray or silicone polishes. Let wax absorb fully before wrapping. For oiled finishes, such as many teak pieces, ask a furniture restorer or the maker what, if anything, to apply before storage. For leather, follow the maker's care instructions; some, such as The Cotswold Company, say none is needed. Before putting anything on antique leather, ask a conservator.
- Use breathable covers. Our antiques guide puts it simply: "Breathable wrapping means moving blankets, breathable felt, or old cotton sheets. It does not mean sealed polythene or cling film." Our Box Shop's sofa, chair and dust covers are polythene, which is good for the van but should come off, or be opened up, once the piece is in the unit. If you use bubble wrap, put cotton or felt between it and the wood, and tape to the blanket, never to the finish.
- Lift it off the floor on pallets or boards (see can I store goods on pallets?).
- Leave an air gap between furniture and the walls, and between pieces. Our tips guide says leaving space around furniture "allows air to circulate and prevents mould or mildew". Rest nothing on polished or veneered tops. The one stacking rule in our antiques guide is for chairs: "Chairs can be stacked seat-to-seat with a blanket between, but put nothing heavy on top." Not for leather or upholstered seats (see the table above).
- Add passive moisture absorbers and a hygrometer (a small battery humidity gauge) for a long stay, where you can reach them.
Antiques, family pieces and someone else's furniture
Can you store antique furniture in a storage unit? Usually yes, prepared as above, but ask us first. Of fine art, our climate guide says: "For museum-quality pieces or anything irreplaceable, specialist art storage is the right answer." We don't offer specialist storage, so the same applies to museum-quality furniture.
Before you book, call us on 0800 2545585 to check anything irreplaceable, including a family piece valued for more than money: our terms don't allow "items which are unique in nature and/or where the value to You cannot be assessed on a financial basis" (clause 18(j)). Separately, our Contents Protection page lists "High-value items requiring specialized storage" as not permitted, so if a piece is simply valuable, ask us about that too. Anything you store must be insured for its replacement value at all times (clause 31), through your own policy or our Contents Protection (clause 48), and the risk of "deterioration of the Goods caused by any reason" is yours (clause 30). The Contents Protection policy summary excludes atmospheric or climatic causes, so good packing is your protection against damp. If the furniture belongs to an estate, ask the probate solicitor and the insurer who should sign and insure, and ask us too before you book.
See does contents protection cover damp and mould? and can I store someone else's belongings?, what happens to a storage unit when the renter dies?.
Storing furniture as stock
Dealers and resellers: goods are stored "at Your sole risk and responsibility" (clause 30); where a loss results from our negligence or breach of contract, our liability is "limited to the sum of £100 in total" (clause 30(b)); and we exclude "loss or damage to Your business, if any, including consequential loss, lost profits or business interruption" (clause 30(a)). Call us before you bring antique stock, because of clause 18(j) above. Whether our Contents Protection covers trade stock isn't published, so ask us, and check your trade policy covers stock in storage.
Already storing? What to check on visits
Our terms say you must make sure the unit suits what you store, and advise you to inspect it periodically (clause 26). Access is normally 6am to 10pm (check your site's page). On each visit, and especially through the winter:
| Check | If you find it |
|---|---|
| Moisture on surfaces, or covers that feel damp | Dry and rewrap the piece, replace full absorbers, open up any plastic |
| The hygrometer reading, and how it changes between visits | Dry and rewrap anything damp and replace full absorbers |
| New cracks, splits or lifting veneer | Don't glue it yourself (see below) |
| Fresh exit holes or sawdust-like dust, which Icon lists as signs of woodworm | Icon advises wrapping the piece in plastic, moving it away from other items and calling a conservator or pest expert |
| Powdery or spotted marks on leather, or a musty smell | Take it out of any cover, let air reach it, and see the mould guide below |
Icon's 40 to 60% and the National Park Service's "should ALWAYS be kept below 65%" are museum targets; a unit that isn't climate-controlled may read higher in winter, and absorbers won't hold it at museum levels. Icon counts "above 70% relative humidity" as damp enough to encourage woodworm and mould, and names a "fluctuating environment" as the greatest risk, so sudden changes between visits matter most.
If veneer is lifting, don't glue it yourself: Icon warns that inappropriate treatment can do more harm than leaving it, and a furniture conservator can advise. If you find mould, who is responsible for mould in a storage unit? covers what to do next. If you can't visit, you can let someone check the unit for you.
Storing furniture with us
Our Box Shop sells a Furniture Blanket (1500 x 2000mm) at £5.00, as listed in September 2026. When your furniture is ready to go, get a price online, or call us on 0800 2545585 to talk through what you're storing. For a unit near you, see our locations.
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