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Outdoor furniture withstands unfavorable weather, bright sun, and various mechanical influences, but over time it wears out and loses its original appearance. And as you know, shabby benches, chairs, and armchairs do not decorate a summer cottage. We will tell you how to update your garden furniture with your own hands.
What is the most common type of furniture that needs restoration?
Garden furniture is one of the most common pieces of furniture that needs restoration. urnMost garden furniture is made out of wood and can rot and decay over time. This includes chairs, tables, benches, and even garden gnomes. If you’re looking to restore your garden furniture, here are a few tips to follow:
1. Clean the furniture before restoration. This will help remove any dirt, dust, or grease that may have built up over time.
2. Apply a sealant or wood finish to the wood if you want to protect it from future corrosion.
3. Repair any broken parts or joints with wood filler or epoxy resin.
4. Paint or stain the furniture to match your existing landscape or home décor.
Steps for Restoring Garden Furniture
If you have a garden and have to put up with old, weathered furniture, here are some tips for restoring it.
1. Remove the old paint or finish. Old paint can be removed with a sandpaper or wire brush, while finished furniture may require a more specialized removal method like acetone. If the furniture is made from wood, it will likely need to be stained and sealed first.
2. Replace the missing parts. If one side of a chair is missing, replace the whole chair. If one leg is gone from a table, get a new table.
3. Secure the new parts in place with screws or nails. Once the new parts are in place, use wood glue and screws to secure them in place. For wood pieces that are not glued down, such as trim around windows or doors, use clamps to hold them in place until the glue dries.
4. Repaint or stain the furniture to match your original color choice. If you’re restoring an old piece of furniture that’s been stained before, test a small area first to make sure the color won’t run.
Wooden
If the items of the summer cottage are made of wood, we should protect them with water-repellent compounds. We need to renew periodically: without them, the wood can rot, acquire a gray color, and the details of the furniture “lead” from moisture. If you miss the moment, furniture left in the sun for a long time will become fragile, and bugs will appear inside.
It is better to renew wooden garden furniture before the start of the summer season, but it is necessary to clean it of dirt and lichens before the autumn conservation of the house.
Use a wire brush to dry clean wood surfaces. If the furniture is not painted, we should level chips and cracks with wood putty, and the parts should be carefully sanded. Furniture can be stained (requires annual renewal), teak oil, or painted.
Before painting the headset, it is vital to degrease all surfaces. Choose formulations explicitly designed for the street: facade, alkyd, oil. It will take a minimum of two coats of paint to cover the wood grain and a coat of varnish to protect it. This method is most suitable for old furniture – where careful sanding and cleaning no longer helps, or if the shade of natural wood is bored.
Metal
Forged outdoor furniture easily withstands prolonged exposure to UV rays and is not afraid of mechanical stress. Its main enemy is moisture, which leads to rust.
Use a stiff brush or wire sponge to remove large pieces of rust. Next, you should walk with sandpaper – first with a coarse grain, then with a fine one. The surface should be as smooth as possible.
To prepare furniture for painting, it is important first to degrease it with any solvent, then prime it. Since headset items will be outdoors for a long time, select high-quality compounds that prevent rust from occurring.
But even expensive paint requires a finishing coat of varnish. We recommend using a polyurethane varnish that protects against fading and UV radiation.
Plastic
The problem with outdoor plastic furniture is that it fades quickly in the sun. At the end of the summer cottage, be sure to remove items under the roof: in the house or outbuilding. Before leaving the cottage, wash tables and chairs with warm soapy water mixed with white vinegar, avoiding abrasive products and stiff brushes. In the spring, you have to wipe off the dust.
To protect surfaces, apply two or three coats of automotive wax after cleaning. Also on sale, there are particular therapeutic agents for plastic that give the material a shine.
If the furniture has faded, there is only one way out – to sand it, prime it and cover it with spray paint for plastic. It is the easiest way to transform products.
Fabric Upholstery
We should vacuum upholstered garden furniture with a vacuum cleaner or a car vacuum. If there are stains on the products, you should use special cleaning agents. It is impossible to wet them firmly, and it is better to use baking soda or vinegar, ammonia, or household chemicals.
Place items in a well-ventilated, sunny area to dry. If this recommendation is neglected, mold may develop in the furniture.
The most practical outdoor furniture is with removable covers. They can permanently be removed and washed: by hand or in a typewriter. Removable pillows are also very economical: they can be replaced with new ones or altered.
If you want to pull up the upholstery, look for outdoor fabrics with waterproof impregnation in the store: such furniture does not require special care, and its service life increases significantly.
Rattan
Rattan furniture is resistant to external influences but requires proper care. Otherwise, we cannot avoid cracks. Be sure to clean items during the summer season: a brush with plastic bristles, and cotton napkins moistened with soapy water will do. For hard-to-reach areas, you can use a regular toothbrush. If there are damaged rods, we should replace them.
To get rid of mold on rattan chairs, mix a quarter cup of whiteness with four cups of water. Wipe every part thoroughly, wait for the liquid to absorb slightly—clean surfaces under running water and dry.
Dehydrated items can be sanded and coated with polish or furniture wax. It is essential not to miss a single section to give the furniture an updated look. Painting in a wicker headset is not as effective, but possible: be prepared for the products to look more “cheap.”
Updating garden furniture is easy: even a beginner can handle most of the tasks. Well-groomed items will be an excellent decoration for a summer cottage.
Conclusion
Garden furniture can be a beautiful addition to your yard or garden, but over time it can start to show its age. If you don’t take care of your garden furniture, it might not last as long as you want it to, and parts may start to rust or break. To ensure that your garden furniture is in good condition for years to come, follow the mentioned steps.
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