When the weather starts to warm up, people are starting to think about fixing up their yards and outdoor furniture. If you’re thinking about painting your metal outdoor furniture, here is the best way to approach painting metal furniture.
Start by Getting a Smooth Surface
If you have flaky or rusty chips of paint or metal peeling off, make sure you scrub the surface thoroughly with steel wool until the surface is completely smooth.
Clean the Surface Thoroughly
The next step is the clean the metal surface thoroughly with Windex or a wet washcloth. Then, dry it thoroughly until you have a surface free of any dust or debris.
Use a Metal Primer
Rustoleum has a great metal primer that I really like. I usually use a spray can. Spray the surface of the furniture piece with the metal primer. Work in smooth, straight motions to get an even finish and avoid spraying too much in one spot or you’ll have drips. With metal furniture I would do 1 thick coat or 2 coats of primer for extra durability.
Paint
You can spray or brush on paint, but remember that if you’re painting outdoor furniture to make sure that the paint you’re using is exterior paint so that it can handle the wear and tear from outdoor conditions. I would recommend doing at least 2 coats for extra durability.
Clear Coat
You don’t have to have a clear coat for outdoor furniture, but if you want extra durability for your paint job, you can also apply an exterior clear coat to your piece.
The main differences with painting metal furniture over painting wood furniture is that the primer you need to use needs to be a metal primer. The other difference is that because metal is harder for primer and paint to adhere to, it’s important to make sure that your surface is especially clean.
