How to Refinish Metal Outdoor Furniture
Outdoor furniture is subject to greater wear than indoor furniture due to constant exposure to the sun and rain. Metal is a common choice for this type of furniture, although it can rust and fade. Homeowners frequently need to refinish outdoor metal furniture to keep it looking its best.
- Detergent
- Sponge
- Garden hose
- Wire brush
- Sandpaper
- Metal patching compound
- Metal primer
- Metal paint
- Scrub the outdoor metal furniture with a sponge and soapy water to remove the surface dirt. Wash the soap from the furniture with water from a garden house, and allow the furniture to dry.
- Scrape off the loose paint from the outdoor metal furniture and sand the rough areas of the metal with medium grade sandpaper to obtain a smooth surface.
- Look for rust on the metal of the outdoor furniture, especially in areas with chips or nicks. A bubble underneath the paint can also indicate rust. Remove any flaking rust with a wire brush, and remove the remaining rust with sandpaper to expose the bare metal.
- Obtain a metal patching compound from a hardware store. Patch holes in the outdoor metal furniture and allow it to dry according to the instructions. Sand the repaired area with fine grade sandpaper to obtain a smooth surface.
- Purchase metal primer and paint in spray cans from an auto parts store. Hold the nozzle of the metal primer spray can about 8 inches from the outdoor metal furniture and apply the primer with slow horizontal passes. Allow the primer to dry and repeat this process to apply several coats of primer.
- Sandy outdoor metal furniture with fine grade sandpaper until the surface is smooth.
- Apply a coat of metal paint to the outdoor furniture using the same technique you used for the primer, and allow the paint to dry. Repeat this step to apply several coats of metal to the furniture.