How to Repair Outdoor Furniture

Outdoor furniture can provide a home with a cozy, welcoming exterior to match its interior, but it takes a beating in the process. Outdoor furniture must contend with the elements; the sun, rain and wind cause nicks, scratches and rust. Vinyl straps discolor and loosen, mesh slings rip and fasteners pop out. Thankfully, repairing your outdoor furniture isn't a painful process.

Things You'll Need

• 100-grit sandpaper
• 220-grit sandpaper
• Small and medium-sized touch-up brushes
• Exterior-grade acrylic enamel paint
• Wire brush
• Metal primer
• Fantastik or Formula 409
• Cloth
• Outdoor varnish
• Krylon Fusion for Plastic paint

Instructions

1. Sand aluminum-frame furniture using 100-grit sandpaper, then smooth it further using 220-grit sandpaper. Afterward, you can paint the frame without having to prime it. Simply apply an exterior-grade acrylic enamel paint using a small touch-up brush for nicks and a larger brush for bigger scratches.

2. Scrub wrought-iron or tubular steel furniture pieces using a wire brush and sandpaper to eliminate rusty spots or chipped paint. Sand until you've reached bare metal. Afterward, you can brush on a metal primer and then apply a coat of exterior enamel paint.

3. Spray furniture consisting of vinyl straps and slings with a mild all-purpose cleaner such as Fantastik or Formula 409 to remove dirt and mildew. Once you've applied an even layer of the cleaner, swipe it clean with a cloth.

4. Sand wood furniture with 150- to 220-grit sandpaper, then apply a coat of outdoor varnish or wood preservative. Outdoor furniture made of wood tends to dry and crack. The protective coating will help prevent future weathering problems.

5. Apply a coat of paint to plastic outdoor furniture that has been scratched or chipped. Krylon Fusion for Plastic is a no-preparation, super-bond paint that works on plastics, dries in 15 minutes or less and is chip-resistant after seven days.

Tips & Warnings

• There are many companies that supply the necessary materials, fasteners and touch-up paints needed to repair your outdoor furniture. You can either look for "outdoor furniture care" on the Internet or contact the furniture manufacturer for a list of authorized repair locations. In Step 2, you can skip sanding the rust spots by applying a coat of rust converter, such as Rust Reformer. A rust converter will stabilize the rust without sanding, but keep in mind that a rough, crusty look will remain.

• Never use abrasives, bleach or ammonia in Step 3. Cleansers with harsh chemicals will strip the vinyl of its ultraviolet protection.

References

• Reviving Outdoor Furniture
• Care and Repair of Outdoor Furniture

Resources

• Outdoor Furniture Repair and Replacement Parts