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What to Do Before Painting Outdoor Furniture
Sam Lutz • Jul 28, 2015
Painting your outdoor furniture is a great way to breath new life into the chairs and tables that sit on back patio throughout the year. A fresh coat of paint can cover up flaws and can ensure that your entire selection of patio furniture matches. To get started on your paint project, follow the steps below.
Answer the Important Questions
This probably doesn’t sound like a step at all when it comes to painting your patio furniture. Still, before you can get started with the painting process, or even the materials-gathering process, you must first answer the following questions:
What kind of paint will I need?
The type of paint you’ll need will depend on the type of material the furniture is made out of and whether or not you choose to use a spray paint. Factors to consider in your decision include:
- Spray paint can have a more even finish and can adhere to furniture more easily.
- Spray paints more easily fill in cracks and are a good match for wicker furniture.
What kind of surface prep does this type of paint and piece of furniture require?
Read the instructions on the paint that you wish to use to find out whether or not a primer is needed and whether or not the painting surface needs to be sanded.
Gather the Materials
Once you’ve answered the questions above, you can gather the materials. Although your list may vary, here’s a standard materials list for painting patio furniture:
- Tarp
- Mild dish soap
- Bucket
- Sponge
- Clean dry rags
- Sand paper
- Tack cloth
- Paintbrush and paint tray (unless you’re using spray paint)
- Primer
- Paint
Clean the Surface
No matter what kind of paint you’re using or what the furniture is made from, your patio furniture must be clean before it gets painted. Some types of paint may require your patio furniture to be cleaned using a specific method. You may have noticed special cleaning instructions when you read the side of the paint can. If the instructions for cleaning the surface aren’t provided, then fill a bucket with warm water and mild dish soap. Sponge down the furniture and rinse it with water from the hose. Dry the piece with clean, dry rags.
Sand the Surface
Some furniture will need to be sanded before being painted. If your furniture is made of wood or was painted previously, sand it down it with a light sand paper to create a rough surface that the paint can adhere to. If your patio furniture is made of metal, sand down any rusty areas until the rust has been removed.
Even if your furniture doesn’t fall into one of the above categories, read the instructions on the paint can to determine whether or not your piece of furniture needs to be sanded.
Clean Again
If your piece of furniture has saw dust on it when the sanding is over, clean it again with a piece of tack cloth before getting started on the painting process.
More Tips
Once this is done, you can set up your piece of furniture to be painted. Avoid painting your furniture when the sun is at the highest point in the sky. If you must paint in the middle of the day, paint in a cool, shady spot. Put down the tarp before you paint. If you’re using spray paint, try practicing on a board or some other scrap before painting your furniture.
Resources
If you still have questions, take a look at these online tutorials:
You can also take a look at this helpful tutorial for the step-by-step process of painting metal furniture:
Good luck with the painting process! For more tips and information, stop by one of our stores
and ask a clerk for help or advice. We can show you the best paint for your piece of furniture and can help you gather the other materials you’ll need.
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