Refinishing Rusty Old Patio Furniture

rusty outdoor furniture

Outdoor furniture getting rusty is common and can be easily fixed. Although buying new furniture to replace older patio furniture is fun, it’s not always in the budget. If that’s the direction you choose to go, check out our selection of wrought iron patio furniture.

Alternatively, if you don’t want your furniture to rust, no matter how long it’s kept outside, take a look at our outdoor aluminum furniture. Cast aluminum is lightweight and never rusts. If you’re looking for low-maintenance furniture, that’s the direction to go! But maybe you’d rather refinish your current furniture than buy new stuff.

Buying new patio furniture isn’t cheap; we get that. Removing rust and refinishing patio furniture is a pretty simple task! It’s also much cheaper than buying new ones. We’ll give you some general steps and recommendations to ensure your patio furniture refinishing experience is a breeze.

Before you get started:

It’s always a good idea to utilize protective equipment. We recommend goggles, gloves, and a respirator mask. Better safe than sorry!

Step 1:

The first step is to remove the rust from your patio furniture. The easiest way to go about this is by using a wire brush to remove the big pieces of rust. These should come off fairly easily. If you’re trying to remove rust from some hard-to-reach or curved places, sanding off the rust by hand is a great option. We usually recommend 80-100 grit sandpaper. If you got some heavy rust that doesn’t want to leave the chair, a commercial rust remover is your final option. The two best options are a naval jelly or a rust converter. After you’ve removed the majority of the rust, it’s best to sand the entire piece with 150-grit sandpaper until it feels smooth. This is in preparation for the primer.

Pro Tip: Once you start the rust removal process, it’s important to continue to remove it all and then prime immediately after. If you don’t, your furniture is susceptible to “flash rusting”.

Step 2:

The next task is to make sure the chair is completely clean. The best bet is to use a solvent like acetone to properly remove all the dirt and grime accumulated from normal use. It’s important that the chair is clean for priming. Once the cleaning process is finished, ensure your furniture is completely dry to prevent future rust.

Step 3:

This is one of the more important steps, priming your furniture! We highly recommend using a high-quality rust-prevention spray primer. What was the point of all that work to remove the rust if you’re not going to take measures to prevent future rusting? You’ll want to use 2-3 very thin layers of primer before the paint. Using a spray-based primer is best because patio furniture is often intricate, and it is difficult to get into all the crevices with your standard paintbrush.

Pro Tip: Use a white primer under lighter paint colors and a dark primer under darker paint colors!

Step 4:

After you’re done letting the primer dry, you’re ready for the paint. Be sure to use high-quality oil-based paint that is recommended for outdoor use. As with the primer, spray-on paint is your best bet in this situation. 2-3 thin coats should do the trick! Keep in mind the best way to get even coats is to maintain a consistent distance from a spray can to the furniture for every coat.

Step 5:

Now that your furniture is free of rust and your desired color, it’s time for the sealer. The best practice is to use a sealer with UV protection to prevent fading. Look for a clear oil-based urethane that’s meant for outdoor use.

Step 6:

Let your furniture dry in a well-ventilated area and admire your handiwork! Congrats, you’ve refinished your patio furniture. Now you’re ready for another summer season of lounging outside.

This video is a solid tutorial on painting and cleaning your rusty furniture, don’t forget to prime it!

1 thought on “Refinishing Rusty Old Patio Furniture”

  1. After this treatment, would galvanized cast iron be ok to leave outside on a covered porch?

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