Replacement Furniture Cushions Anyone?

Every year, our customers complain about their old furniture.  They tell us things like:

• My patio furniture just looks bad
• My wrought iron furniture is rusty
• All the aluminum furniture I have is just dated
• I should just get rid of all my patio furniture

Hold on a minute there! Why go through that expense. Nothing beats the charm of vintage metal patio furniture. And with just a little work and some replacement patio cushions, they’ll look good as new and you’ll have yourself a fresh look.

Steps:

• Remove rubber tips and old beat up cushions (if there are any).
• Wash furniture with a mild detergent (you’ll probably need some rags or a scrub brush) and rinse.
• Use a wire brush to scrape off rust and loose paint flakes.
• Look carefully: if paint has bubbled (a sign of rust underneath) use a screwdriver or chisel to break the bubble and chip away the bubbled paint, and then scrape with a wire brush.
• Remove rust with commercial rust remover.
• Paint or spray with rust-resistant paint. If the furniture is very corroded, you may want to prime first with rust-resistant primer.
• Let dry. Plan on 12 to 24 hours for each coat, depending on weather and temperature.
• Replace any rubber tips.
• Go get yourself some cool replacement furniture cushions.

Remember to pick yourself out a new and fresh color.  If your unsure, make a trip to your local patio store and take a look at all the popular finishes.  While your there, take a look at the prices, and you’ll be glad you started this project.  Some finishes that are always popular are:

Black - for Wrought Iron and Cast Iron Furniture.

White - White is a staple of the furniture industry.  You can paint old wood furniture white, or even your metal furniture.  If you garden is colorful, white will always be a good choice.

Polished Pewter - A gunmetal gray that is very elegant and sophisticated.  Best for Cast Iron, and Aluminum Furniture.

Hunter, Palm or Tropical Green - Hunter Green has always been a favorite, but “Greens are the new black.”  Palm and Tropical Green finishes add a touch of life and cheerfulness to your patio.  Great for Wrought Iron Furniture and Aluminum Furniture.

With your new vintage patio furniture colored, take your time to pick the right outdoor fabrics. You can directly match your furniture color for that European Men’s suit look, or pick a complimentary outdoor fabric.

Tips: If you’re a perfectionist, you may want to sand the furniture after removing rust and before painting - but sanding metal is like scratching your fingernails on the blackboard, and these are going to sit outside anyway! (If you do sand, don’t forget to wipe off dust with a cloth before painting.)

Warnings: Be careful with the wire brush: it’s the tool for the job, but it will take off skin if you slip up.  I was wire brushing a cast chaise cushion and not paying attention, and blammo!  Nice raspberry colored scar I have on my thigh.  Still hasn’t faded.

All rust-resistant paints are alkyd- (oil) based, so make sure you’ve got mineral spirits on hand for cleanup.