How to Paint Wicker Furniture

Wicker furniture can give a wonderfully summery feel to your porch or deck with its open weave and lightweight feel. Make wicker furniture the focal point of your room with a good coat of paint in flattering shades. The slick texture of some types wicker makes selecting the right type of paint very important.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sponges
• Dish detergent
• Bleach
• Garden hose
• Drop cloth or newspapers
• Large cardboard boxes
• Disposable gloves
• Face mask
• Primer
• Paint
• Paintbrushes

Clean Your Wicker Furniture Prior to Painting

1. Give your wicker furniture a good cleaning before you paint it. Remove dirt with a damp sponge and a mild dish detergent. Be careful not to scrub hard or you may chip off loose pieces of the caning.

2. Eliminate mildew that is growing on your wicker furniture with a solution made of bleach and water.

3. Rinse your wicker with a garden hose and allow it to dry fully before you paint it.

Create a Painting Station for Your Wicker Furniture

4. Choose a well-ventilated area in which to paint. Outside in a driveway or in a garage with the door left open are good choices.

5. Spread out a drop cloth or old newspapers on the ground where you plan to paint.

6. Use large cardboard boxes to create a spraying booth if you will use spray paint on your wicker furniture. Open up the seams of the box to make a screen or shield that you put behind the item to be painted. The screen will absorb the excess paint that comes through the open portions of the wicker.

7. Use a face mask and disposable gloves while you paint. The mask will protect you from toxic paint fumes.

8. Apply a wood primer to your item before you paint it. This is especially helpful if your furniture already has a dark shade of paint and you want to paint a lighter color over it. Read the label on the primer to calculate how long it will take to dry.

9. Select the type of paint you want to use for your wicker furniture. An oil-based house paint works well in adhering to wicker. Enamel spray paint is also effective.

10. Use a soft paintbrush to apply the paint in even strokes. Use moderate amounts of paint on the brush to avoid dripping through the open spaces in the weave. If you are spray painting, be sure to keep moving the paint can to avoid pooling of paint in one spot. Two light coats are better than one thick coat.

11. Allow the painted furniture to dry for at least 24 hours before using it.

Tips & Warnings

• There are varying opinions about whether wicker furniture should be stripped prior to painting. Some experts say the wicker material will be damaged by the stripping chemicals or that it cannot withstand the scraping needed to remove old paint. Assess the overall condition of your furniture before making this decision.