How to Refinish Outdoor Furniture
Most outdoor furniture pieces are made out of hardwoods because they are water resistant and stylish. The great thing about hardwood furniture is that it can be refinished. You can take an old piece that has been warped and fade by the sun for decades and apply refinish it with a new coat of stain that protects the wood and completely alters the look of the piece. Basically, you can have a lot of fun when it comes to refinishing your outdoor furniture pieces. This article explains the best way to sand off an old stain and how to apply a fresh coat.
Removing the Old Stain
Removing your old stain is much easier if you have power sanders. You will still need to use some handheld sanders to do some of the detail sanding and reaching the corners that the power sanders can't reach. Sponge sanders are convenient and perfect for furniture pieces that have rounded edges and tight corners.
You should have fine and extra fine sandpaper for both the sponge sanders and the power sanders. The first pass of sanding should be done with the fine paper. This enables you to remove more of the old stain without scratching the wood. Then, you can step up to the extra fine paper to make the surface even smooth and ready for the stain.
Staining the Wood
Right before you stain your furniture, you should wipe it down with a rag. This way there will be no dust to get caught in the stain. The best method for staining wood is to rub it on with a rag. Liquid stain is very runny, so using a normal paint brush is difficult. The key is to apply the stain and spread it around with two rags. One rag should be soaked in the stain while the other is a little drier so it can be used to wipe up runs.
Most stain jobs will require multiple coats. This makes the job time consuming because you need to smooth out each coat after it dries before you apply the next coat. This means you need to wait for the stain to dry, then wipe it down with steel wool to create smooth surface than apply the next coat. Make sure you also repeat these steps after the final coat of stain.
Just like that, you can restore an old piece of furniture. For more information about outdoor furniture, visit resources like http://www.mh2g.com/.
