How to Upcycle Your Garden Furniture

There’s no better time to grab your paint brushes and get busy outdoors!  Perhaps you have some well weathered old garden furniture you could upcycle? I was delighted to partner with wilko to show you just how easy it can be to create a bit of makeover magic.

This was my winter-weary picnic table/bench.  This whole corner of the garden was looking pretty drab and uninspiring…

First things first, it was time to get the jet-washer out and blast away the weeds, dirt and algae.  We also put up a smart bamboo screen from wilko:

As the weather improves, I’d like for the family to be able to come out and enjoy this patio.  So I chose some great value wilko products to help me create a little oasis.  Here’s what I used:

And here’s how to do it:

Step 1

Lightly sand your furniture all over with a medium grade sanding block and wipe off the dust with a damp sponge.

Step 2

If the wood is bare, you’ll need to prime it with some outdoor quick dry primer and undercoat.  I found that one coat covered really well!

Step 3

Once the undercoat is dry, you can add some colour.  I painted the entire table in wilko exterior quick dry satin paint in ‘Summer Rain’ which is such a lovely light blue/grey shade.  I found the consistency of the paint was really easy to work with and two coats gave perfect coverage.  There’s a wide range of fence, shed and outdoor paint so you’re bound to find the ideal product for your project.

Step 4

Next, take a roll of wilko outdoor masking tape and apply it in a zig zag pattern on the top.  Then you can paint the taped off areas in a different colour.  I used wilko’s Cornish Slate exterior paint which is a lovely shade of grey.  The masking tape was easy to use – not too sticky but enough to create a seal to stop paint leaking underneath.

Step 5

Once dry, you can carefully remove the masking tape.  If you do this a bit too soon, you may notice some ‘bleeding’ so do give it time to dry, but you can touch up any areas that may have snagged or bled, using a small paintbrush.

Step 6

For an added decorative detail, create a margin along the sides of the chevrons – using newspaper and more masking tape to protect the paintwork you’ve already done – and spray a coat or two of metallic spray paint. The can is great value and you could use it for lots of different upcycling projects to glam up everyday items such as vases or baskets.

 

Once the gold paint is dry, peel off all the tape and newspaper carefully and the job is done!

It looks a whole lot nicer now, don’t you think?

Then of course I had the extra fun of styling our patio with some lovely pieces from wilko’s home and outdoor departments:

Do let me know what you think of the transformation – and I hope it has made you want to do some upcycling of your own this season!  You can check out my video showing all the steps here:

Collaborative post

© Copyright 2018 Antonia, All rights Reserved. Written For: Tidylife