Various exterior paints provide both durability and aesthetic appeal in refurbishing your outdoor furniture. You need to evaluate the surface and composition of the furniture to get the best fresh look. Each furniture type requires a specific kind of paint that needs to be properly applied in order to get the best results.
Pre-Painting Tips
Before choosing the best type of paint for your outdoor furniture, you will have to consider the following tips to ensure that you are doing things right:
Evaluate Your Outdoor Furniture
Look at each corner of your furniture and identify its exterior design issues. If you see any cracks and rot, or anything falling apart, a repair or part replacement must be done before refurbishing it. Problems such as scratches, bumps, and dents can be fixed through proper repainting methods.
Cleaning the Outdoor Furniture
Clean the surfaces to remove all dust, sand, or microscopic particles. Metal and plastic furniture can be washed with detergent and water. You can wipe your wood furniture using a wet cloth with some detergent solution to strip off all dirt. Air-dry it before doing anything further to see if other unnecessary particles need to be removed before repainting it.
Rust Removal
Some types of furniture made from metal require the removal of any rust formations before a repainting job. If you are afraid to use any corrosive chemicals for this purpose, you just need sandpaper, drill, or an oscillating tool to grind and scour away the rust.
Loose Paint Removal
If your outdoor furniture has peeling or loose paint on its surface, you will have to scrub it off before applying a brand new coat. Using sandpaper and some intense elbow grease can help you do this job easily especially if the furniture is made of metal or wood.
Primer Application
If you will be using a brush-on based paint, coating the surface with a primer gives a smooth and polished finish. You can use a separate paintbrush for this task instead of reusing it again when you start repainting. Make sure to dry it first before you begin brushing the new layer of paint to avoid discolorations.
Types of Paint for Your Outdoor Furniture
There are various kinds of paints for your outdoor furniture available on the market. From a glossy to matte finish, you can choose from the following styles to complement your furniture’s design and function.
Latex Paint
Made for your outdoor furniture’s versatility, latex paint refreshes surfaces with an easy application method. It is widely used for renovations that require a glossy finish. Furthermore, it is recommended to be applied to furniture made of wood, ceramic, and metal.
Most brands have an innovative ‘double-cover’ technology that provides a clean and fresh view for worn-out and bumpy surfaces. The fast-drying and low-odor components of the paint makes it safe and ideal for a fast 30-minute repainting process.
With just one or two coats, refurbishing projects using this paint saves you from any mess during and after application. You can clean the coat with just water and soap once your furniture gets dirty after some time since it lasts longer compared to other kinds of paint.
Satin Paint
Most designers recommend using satin paint if you want to hide the issues in your outdoor furniture. It is best used for wood-based fixtures that require at least two or three coatings to get a smooth finish.
You can choose this paint if you want to save on your repainting cost as it comes in small sizes in hardware stores. However, you must sand off its external layer and coat it with a primer to avoid clumping during the drying process.
You can also decrease the external layers of your furniture if you wish to apply just a single layer of paint. Also, drying may take up to two hours or more indoors, but drying it under the sun makes the process faster.
Enamel Paint
Available in different pastel colors and other light shades in the market, enamel paint is best applied to metal furniture. Many choose this paint due to the color variation that it offers, as well as its flat and semi-glossy finish once it dries up. You can also choose this paint for ceramic-based fixtures.
This paint is made with substances that can fight against mildew and mold that may grow after heavy rain. It covers greatly for all surfaces after two to three layers to avoid forming chunks and clumps after some time.
Oil-Based Paint
Known as one of the most intricate and expensive types of paint, oil-based paints are a fantastic choice when you need an even and quick application of strong-colored coatings on your outdoor furniture. It can be used on almost all types of fixtures such as metal, wood, plastic, ceramic, and many more!
In just 20 to 25 minutes, a layer of paint can dry up on any surface provided that the furniture is exposed to warm room temperature. This means that you can put up many coats in an hour of your repainting process if you desire a more aesthetically pleasing and bright look for your outdoor furniture.
Since it’s an oil-based paint, you don’t have to spend a lot of time applying a primer to the surfaces. However, you are required to sand down any dirt particles as it will damage the polished look after some time.
Best Painting Tips for Each Furniture Type
Wooden Furniture
A combination of primer and exterior paint completely protects your wooden outdoor furniture against the harmful rays of the sun and heavy rain. Prepare it by stripping the old paint or finish down to its original look. Apply at least two primer coatings and paint layers to cover the surfaces. Latex and oil-based paints are best suited for this type.
Metal Furniture
You will need a primer suited for metal surfaces. This can be bought in any hardware store. Scrape any loose paint or particles off using a metal brush and sand the surface smooth. It is best to use enamel paint as it prevents rust-formation after some time.
Plastic Furniture
The spray application of paint can easily cover up the plastic surfaces of your outdoor furniture. You just need a single coating of any primer before starting the repainting process. Two or more coats of spray paint provide durability. Drying it under the sun is the best way when you use a brush for application.
