DIY Outdoor Furniture Makeover

So, we purchased this outdoor table and four chairs at auction not long ago. Not exactly state of the art or contemporary, I know. But at $120 it was a bargain and I could see its potential as part of the outdoor area of our dairy. The setting itself was sturdy and in reasonable condition. It had been painted a weird shade of blue with chalk paint and never finished, so the paint was flaking off. The legs had been cut lower to make it more of a lounge rather than a dining setting. I liked this idea and thought that, even though the appearance was ugly and dated, we could makeover this outdoor setting quite easily with a bit of paint. Here’s how I did my outdoor furniture makeover.

Preparation For the Outdoor Setting Makeover

The first thing I did was to make sure everything was tight and the parts were where they should be. A couple of the legs were wobbly, so Gavin put new bolts on them and this tightened everything up, making it safe for even the heftiest of guests. (Not that our guests are hefty, but once they have baby animals in their arms weight can go up considerably.)

The next step in the outdoor furniture makeover was to sand back the surface of the timber. The reason for this is twofold. Sanding provides a key for the new paint to stick to and also removes any dirt and flaking paint. The chairs, in particular, were quite muddy. We’ve had a number of little people sit on them recently who’ve cleaned their muddy gumboots off on the legs.

Lastly, I wiped off the sanded dust and grime. Then I was ready for paint.

Choosing a Colour and Finish

I’m not that much of a fan of gloss paint as it can be quite hard to get an even shine. However, for this project, I decided I would use gloss paint. The colour I chose was Dulux Gecko, a fresh and bold apple green. It’s an in ‘your face colour’ but for an outdoor project and used in small doses it’s very effective. Colour can really liven up a neutral space when used judiciously. If overused this colour would have looked gaudy and rather tacky, I think.

I chose this particular colour because of the stark contrast to the dark timber colour on the dairy. It also happens to be the colour of Granny Smith apples and blends in with the vibrant colour theme of our outdoors. I mean, look at that sky and grass! A pastel colour would not stand up against that.

Painting and Decorating

To paint the chairs I stacked them on top of each other or on top of the table. It was time-consuming to paint between each slat on the chairs. Hoever, I decided that this was a better option than using the spray gun as there is a lot of prep. The brushing method required nothing other than my favourite angle brush with the short handle and a litre tin of paint.

I thought I had done one coat and when I went back the next morning, discovered I’d missed an entire patch. It pays to really look over chairs well BEFORE you pack the paint away.

The first coat was very streaky and I don’t know what the cause was. But, after two coats, the finish looked smooth. It just goes to show how easy it is to transform something tired into something new for little money and effort. This entire outdoor setting makeover including the furniture cost less than $200. A new setting would cost 4-5 times more!