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How to Restore Weathered Metal Furniture
How to Restore Weathered Metal Furniture. Some types of metal furniture look best painted, while others are better left all natural. For lightweight aluminum furniture, such as the webbed folding chair described in How to Repair Chair Straps and Webbing, here's how to revitalize the metal and bring out its shine. For the sturdier metal furniture...
Some types of metal furniture look best painted, while others are better left all natural. For lightweight aluminum furniture, such as the webbed folding chair described in How to Repair Chair Straps and Webbing, here's how to revitalize the metal and bring out its shine. For the sturdier metal furniture often found in patio sets, you can take years off its appearance with a brand-new paint job.
Things You'll Need
Kerosene Or Commercial Aluminum Brightener
Car Wax
Drop Cloths
Cloth Rags
Enamel Paint
Paintbrush
Stiff Wire Brush
Rubber Gloves
Nonabrasive Scouring Pad
Metal Primer
180-grit Aluminum-oxide Sandpaper
Shining up aluminum furniture
Use a stiff wire brush to remove any loose rust.
Wearing rubber gloves, scrub around the frame with a nonabrasive scouring pad dipped in kerosene or a commercial aluminum brightener. Take care to keep the liquid off straps and webbing, as it could stain them.
Rinse the frame with warm water, and dry well with a cloth rag.
To help prevent corrosion and add shine, you can wipe on a very light coat of car wax with a cloth rag.
Repainting metal furniture
Scrub off any loose paint or rust with a stiff wire brush.
Abrade the entire surface of the piece with 180-grit aluminum-oxide sandpaper. This will provide a better surface for the paint to stick to.
Cover the area under the piece with a drop cloth. If you're planning to use a spray paint, make sure that all nearby areas-- particularly walls and plantings--are also covered.
Apply a metal primer, either the brush-on or spray variety; let dry.
Brush or spray on the new enamel paint; let dry. If you are making a drastic change in color, or if it is recommended on the label, apply a second coat.
Tips & Warnings
Be sure to get an enamel paint designed for using on metal that offers protection against rust.
Have a paintbrush on hand even if you're using spray paint. Some spots may need to be smoothed out or have excess paint removed.
