Retro Metal Patio Chair and Table Makeover

I’m super excited to announce that newest issue of Merry is now available! If you’re not familiar with the super stylish DIY and lifestyle mag, then you’re in for a real treat today. Merry is an online magazine edited by my talented friend Melissa, of The Sweet Escape, and is a must read this summer. Myself, along with a ton of other talented bloggers, contributed to the summer issue. Be sure to view it today to see some great summer projects, including my retro patio furniture makeover!

I’ve always adored vintage patio furniture so when I spotted this chair and table combo at a local antique store I knew it had to be mine! The price was great and it was in overall condition was good though it has some areas of rust. With a little elbow grease, and a lot of spray paint I transformed this set into a fun, statement piece for our backyard. The icing on the cake are the stenciled daisies on the side table!

Supplies

metal patio furniture / spray paint (coral + white) / sandpaper / dremel with sanding bands / daisy stencil / painter’s tape / kraft or newspaper

Time

1 hour + drying time

Step 1: Use sandpaper or a Dremel with sanding bands to remove rust and smooth out any areas where the paint is peeling. I started with the Dremel and then sanded the areas by hand using a fine grit sanding block.

Step 2: After sanding, use soap and a nylon scrub brush to clean the furniture. Rinse well and let it dry in the sun. This took all but about 10 minutes in the Florida sun.

Step 3: Paint away! I found it best to apply multiple thin coats and allowing it to dry only about 5 minutes between coats. I used 2 cans of the coral paint per chair and 1 can for the entire side table.

Note: You will need to flip the chairs over to paint the underside. Wait at least 72 hours before doing this. I learned the hard way and only waited 24 hours and the kraft paper I set them on stuck to the chairs! I was able to remove it with fine sandpaper and simply paint over it but it did add more work!

Step 4: Use a tape measure or large ruler to find the center of the table and mark it with a pencil.

Step 5: Position the large daisy stencil in the center of the table and adhere the edges with painter’s tape. Then use kraft paper or newsprint to protect the other areas from overspray.

Step 6: Only one coat is need for each stencil. Carefully lift the stencil and the kraft/newsprint paper.

Step 7: Reapply the other stencils, one at a time, making sure to mask off all other areas to avoid overspray. Allow everything to dry for at least 24 hours before using.

Find even more summer DIY projects, recipes and wallpapers over on my summer page!