Are you wondering about patio furniture restoration? Man, outdoor furniture is expensive, so what if you give your patio furniture new life instead of replacing it? If you’re anything like me, you’re thrifty and like to avoid spending money on things you can transform from broken to beautiful.
Here I’m sharing ideas on restoring, repairing, and refinishing an outdoor piece of furniture to new condition so you can save money and extend the years of use.
Just a friendly reminder: This tutorial and any opinions or recommendations are genuinely mine, but this is not a substitute for consulting a professional. I also use affiliate links to earn a commission.
Patio Furniture Restoration
Restoration is the process of returning something to its original condition. Patio furniture restoration is ideal for outdoor furniture that is high quality to begin with, because you can only make something as good as it was in the beginning. You can restore patio furniture by fixing old paint and applying a new protective finish.
A teak table would be something you would want to restore since once you put a little effort into these patio furnishings, they will last for years upon end. Head to your local hardware store and grab some teak oil. Apply using the directions on the label, and ta-da! You’ve just restored your patio furniture. This same technique applies to almost any type of outdoor wooden furniture, so if you have wooden patio chairs, this method is an excellent patio furniture restoration technique.
Patio Furniture Refinishing
Refinishing is applying a new finish to an existing surface. Refinishing is by far my favorite pastime; I have years of experience in this category, and you’ll understand why once you start. It’s so satisfying to transform the ugly duckling into the star of the show, and that’s not all; it’s an affordable way to decorate and provides an immense sense of personal satisfaction throughout the entire process.
Patio furniture refinishing is ideal for wood, iron patio furniture, or metal furniture. If you have plastic patio furniture, you can still refinish the surface, but I recommend sticking with spray paint since plastic is a little more finicky, and paint doesn’t stick as well to this surface.
Take patio table chairs, for example. Since these quickly become dinged up from use and bumping into your dining table, they are likely still in good working condition, but the finish has probably seen better days. If the powder coating and protective finish are chipping and it’s starting to look bad, then refinishing your patio chairs is exactly what you need to do. The process is simple; you’ll have fun selecting a new color, and it won’t cost much! Check out my guide to refinishing furniture to learn how to refinish your patio furniture.
Patio Furniture Repair
To repair is to fix or mend. Patio furniture repair is perfect for outdoor furniture that has become broken from use. Do you have a patio chair with a broken vinyl strap but otherwise in good condition? Please don’t throw it away; this is the perfect piece to repair since new straps are cheaper than a new chair. Vinyl strap replacement is an easy way to repair patio furniture, saving you so much money!
Another way to repair patio furniture is to replace fabric cushions. Outdoor fabrics are very durable, but sometimes even these heavy-duty materials get nasty, moldy or faded, but that doesn’t mean you have to throw the entire furniture piece away. Think about how much you’ll save by repairing the fabric. Take a chaise lounge, for example; a decent chaise with a cushion will easily cost you several hundred dollars to replace, but only a fraction of that to change out the fabric. The best part about repairing what you have is the ability to create custom cushions and update the style by changing the color and design of the fabric.
Another patio furniture repair to consider is your outdoor umbrella. Umbrellas provide shade on a hot day and UV protection, but at a high cost since a new, quality umbrella is pricey. The most common issue with umbrellas is the mechanisms that control the umbrella going up and down break over time. Instead of replacing the entire umbrella, consider repairing this mechanism instead.
Patio Furniture Restoration Timeline
If you’re restoring your patio furniture, I suggest doing this before summer is in full swing. The time it takes to restore, repair, and refinish your patio furniture will vary, but regardless of the exact amount of time, you will want your patio furniture in prime condition to enjoy the outdoors to its fullest. To ensure you have something to enjoy the outdoors once the weather permits, pull your patio furniture out a few months before peak season, and get to work!
New Patio Furniture
If you don’t have time or the patience for patio furniture restoration, then you’re left with buying new patio furniture. But you don’t have to let this break the bank! Budget outdoor patio furniture may sound like an oxymoron, but there are ways to stay within budget when shopping for new patio furniture. The best time to upgrade your patio furniture is at the end of the season when retailers are looking to unload their stock, so they don’t have to store it over the cooler months.
Another option is also to buy new-to-you patio furniture. Searching Marketplace or checking out moving sales are excellent ways to snag patio furniture for a fraction of the cost. You’ll be amazed at what people are getting rid of, and since the patio furniture is used, the price will be much lower than buying new.
You were wondering about patio furniture restoration, and I delivered ways to restore, repair, and refinish your patio furniture. I hope I have inspired you to transform your old patio furniture into something beautiful now that I’ve given you all these ideas. I’d love to see you’re before and after pics; send me an email!
xo
Amanda
PS. Want more ideas and inspiration?
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