Deciding how to treat the furniture on your patio is sometimes a
difficult dilemma. It seems like your patio furniture should be a
simple thing, but depending on the material you’ve chosen for
your décor, it can become quite complex. You’ve
decided this time that you’d like to make the wood furniture that
you have on your patio a different color but are concerned with what
the outcome of painting it will be. How can you decide whether or
not this is a good idea?
First, consider what kind of wood you have and how it’s been treated. If you have cedar furniture, it is probably not treated at all because cedar is weather resistant through its own production of oils. Cedar is a great wood to leave untreated, but if you decide to paint it, you should prepare carefully. Start with a base of Kilz because the oils in the log cedar furniture will cause the paint to pool and run in spots. Throwing the Kilz on first gives you a layer between the wood and the paint to work with that won’t chip and run.
Teak patio furniture will have similar assets, also creating its own protective oils that will need to be tempered with a coat of Kilz, should you decide to paint it. However, this highly prized imported wood looks terrific by itself, and you may want to consider staining it instead of paining, if you must change the coloration to suit your fancy.
Other unfinished wood furniture will be different. You will probably want to seal it prior to painting it, since a lack of doing so can leave the wood exposed to the elements. When wet or affected by weather, oak and similar softer woods will bow, bend, chip, and splinter, losing its natural beauty and aging quickly. A coat of varnish or oil prior to painting can be helpful.
Anytime you decide to paint your outdoor wood furniture, you should be sure to sand it first with medium grade sand paper to rough up the surface, since a perfectly smooth surface never takes well to a coat of paint and can cause the paint to chip easily. Be aware that some woods, including aspen log furniture, will soak up the paint, and you may have to apply several coats. Also, after finishing the job, you’ll want to seal the coat of paint as well because dirt, dust, and other particles can become stuck in the paint and start to wear it off or chip it, and weather can eat away at it. The sun can also cause color to fade.
When it comes to outdoor furniture, wood is a popular choice these days, and you’ll probably end up with some yourself. If you get tired of it, it’s okay to paint your wood, as long as you consider the consequences of rushing through the job and doing it poorly.