Painting outdoor furniture

[Pootles2010]

I've got an old wooden chair/table set in our garden which needs some tlc. I'm hoping to get it sorted this week, as this is likely to be the last good weather we get before winter!

I've started sanding it all down, which is fine, getting all flaky bits off, and taking as much of the varnish stuff off as possible. Only problem is, some bits I just can't get to, particularly between the slats on the chairs.

Is it ok to just do most of it? I'm not expecting it to last forever, I hope to get another season or two of use out of it.

TIA!

[Pootles2010]

Hopeful bump

[leeloo1]

Yup, I painted a big garden bench/pagoda thing we inherited in our garden. We'd ignored it for 4+ years and its prob 7/9 years old. It also had 1 rotten leg where earth had been building up round and soaking it. I scrubbed it down with bleach (surprisingly effective), there were places I couldn't get to (between slats etc) so I just did what I could... then left it to dry and painted with cuprinol exterior wood paint. It made an amazing difference - to the point its actually commented on now as 'wow that looks expensive' and it has definitely given it a new lease of life.

I used Sage for the seat and cream (can't remember name) for the trellising bits and the former covered beautifully - 1 coat made it look fab, 2nd coat just as I thought it deserved it after so much neglect. Whereas the ivory needed 3-4 coats to cover at all. So I'd definitely recommend going for a darker shade than white/cream. :)

[Pootles2010]

Oh thank you! That's given me a bit more confidence then. My paint's called something daft like 'Jacks shed' but really 'garden makeover show blue' is more like it! So hopefully will cover well.

So is even the rotten bit ok, or did you have to replace that bit?

[leeloo1]

I put paving slabs under it to allow it to dry out, then put a few extra coats on it and it was fine. Its a chunky leg tho - probably about 6 inches across, so although its a bit withered its still thick and ok. A few bits of the roof were rotten too, where leaves had built up and rotted, but again the paint covered a multitude of sins. :)

Good luck with the painting - I found it really rewarding! I also painted the very rusty, manky, 3 coloured metal shed with garage door paint and the difference is amazing! I love quick makeovers now.

[Pootles2010]

Thanks, I've done the sanding/washing bit now, so just the fun part of the painting to do tonight! Can't wait!

Did you just use normal paintbrush?

[mumblechum1]

leeloo, that sounds fab.

[leeloo1]

Thanks mumblechum1 - I was really nervous about it as both chair and shed looked sooooo bad beforehand, but using bleach to wash the chair made a huge difference (it went from black and slimy to blond wood!). Amazing what a few sunny afternoons and some bleach and paint can do.

Pootles - yes, I think it may have been a wood paintbrush? But it was part of a cheapish B&T multipack, so nothing too fancy.