Your Guide To Restoring Metal Garden Furniture

Metal furniture can be an excellent addition to any garden. Not only is it long-lasting, but it can also look great.
As with any piece of furniture that spends the majority of its time outside, metal furniture can suffer from weather damage, so preventing this can be key to ensuring your garden furniture remains in good condition for years to come.

Even with regular attention, weathered metal garden furniture is common in the UK. Thankfully, our step by step guide to restoring metal garden furniture will help you get it looking like new and protect it in the future.

Tools Needed

Ensuring you have everything you need to hand before you start work can help save you from frustrating trips that interrupt the job to pick up essential supplies.

Here is a list of all the items you might need to restore weathered or worn metal garden furniture, clean it, and ensure it remains in good condition.

Washing Up Liquid
Warm Water
Sponge
Aluminium Polishing Paste
Sandpaper
Steel Wool
Metal Primer
Rust-resistant Metal Paint
Car Wax
Soft Bristle Brush
Wire Brush
Spray Paint
Protective Goggles
Protective Clothing
Rubber Gloves
Dust Mask

Before carrying out any cleaning or restoration job, it is vital that you ensure the working conditions are safe. This includes wearing protective clothing to cover your skin and clothes, protective goggles to ensure liquid or debris doesn't have a chance to damage your eyes, and that the area you are working in is well ventilated and has sufficient light.

Aluminium Furniture

Outdoor aluminium furniture won't rust as many people expect. Instead, it will oxidise. Taking care of this is relatively straightforward.

If the furniture is just weathered, simply cleaning it with washing up liquid soap and warm water is usually enough to restore it. Applying some car wax after it has been cleaned can offer waterproofing and protection.

If your furniture is showing signs of corrosion, you should remove any loose or flaking material by using your soft bristle brush. Oxidised aluminium should be relatively easy to remove by doing this.

It would be best if you then scrubbed the furniture using your aluminium polishing paste. Ensure you are wearing protective clothing when doing this, including safety goggles and rubber gloves.

Before using the polishing paste, remove any soft furnishings as they could be stained by it.

After doing this to the full piece of furniture, rinse it off with water and leave it to dry in the sun.

When it has dried, you will then have the option of painting the furniture or using car wax to protect it.

Ensure you are in a well-ventilated area and wearing all of your safety equipment when sanding and painting.

After you have painted the furniture, apply car wax to offer protection and waterproof it. If the ironwork is intricate, using a spray-on wax can make this job easier.

Cast Iron Furniture

Cast iron and wrought iron garden furniture is another popular choice for outdoor furniture. Unfortunately, iron will rust if it is not taken care of.

If you have wrought or cast iron furniture that is showing signs of rust developing, you should sand the paint from the furniture until the bare metal is visible. Alternatively, you can use a wire brush or steel wool.

Wash down the metalwork after doing this to ensure the debris and scrapings are clean and smooth. Allow the furniture to dry fully before moving on to the next step.

You should then apply your metal primer and metal paint. A rust-resistant paint is essential for this kind of furniture.

Spray paints are best for this kind of job and sweep across the furniture in even, straight strokes. Do this at a steady tempo to avoid drips or runs.

Allow each side of the furniture to dry before moving on. You might need to apply several coats for an even finish.

Metal Garden Furniture Care

Our guide advising you on how to restore metal garden furniture is relatively straightforward, but you still won't want to do this every summer when you are ready to start using your furniture again!

Taking preventative measures to minimise the risk of rust, weathering, and oxidisation will help you avoid making this an annual task.

Here are some of the best ways to care for and maintain the condition of your metal garden furniture.

Cleaning

This might seem obvious, but using a little washing up liquid with warm water and regularly cleaning the furniture can help remove dust and debris that holds moisture and promotes the deterioration of the materials.

Cleaning at the start of the summer will make it much more appealing to use, although it shouldn't be stored dirty, either.

Depending on where the furniture is stored when not in use, you should clean it every few months to remove loose surface material and dirt.

Storage

If possible, storing furniture during the winter months and wet weather can minimise the risk of deterioration and increase the life of your patio furniture. A garden shed or garage can be the ideal place to store it. Always ensure the furniture is cleaned and dry before storing!

Covering

Metal garden furniture covers are a good option for people that don't have sufficient storage. While this won't completely protect your furniture from the elements, it can significantly reduce its exposure.

Regularly taking it out from under the covering and airing it when the weather permits will also give you the opportunity to clean and dry it before putting it away again.

If you do decide to use a cover, moving it to one side and weighting down the cover can help to protect it from being blown about and stop the cover from getting loose.

Waxing

Car wax or spray wax on metal garden furniture is a great way to protect it from wet weather conditions. Applying this before storing it under a covering will help protect it from ground moisture.

Don't be fooled by sunny summer weather, as early morning dew and brief summer showers can catch you by surprise!

Final Thoughts

Repairing weathered metal garden furniture doesn't have to be difficult. Hopefully, our tips above will help you keep your outdoor furniture looking as good as new for many summers to come!