Before replacing your worn outdoor wood furniture, consider refinishing it. This is an inexpensive way to restore the beauty of old, faded furniture. With a little work, you can be on your way to newer, fresher-looking outdoor furnishings.

Examine Your Outdoor Funiture

Before starting the restoration process, examine each piece of furniture you plan on restoring. This will ensure you know where the most worn places of the furniture are. Take note of any hard to reach places, oddly shaped corners, and/or hardware.

Remove All Hardware

To make your outdoor furniture restoration process easier, it is best to remove all hardware. This will ensure that all areas of the pieces you are restoring will be addressed. Please note, when you remove hardware from aged furniture, you may encounter areas around the hardware are slightly raised. These raised areas represent wax or furniture polish buildup. If you find any raised buildup, make sure you scrape the area with a putty knife until the surface is smoother and mostly flat.

Strip Away Old Varnish and Paint

More than likely your furniture will have varnish or paint on the wood. To remove it you must purchase a chemical stripper or paint remover at a local hardware store. (These chemicals are strong so be sure you have adequate ventilation, rubber gloves and eye protection.) It is important to work in small, manageable sections when applying the chemical stripper or paint remover onto your furniture. Follow the instructions listed on the product you purchase to ensure the varnish or paint is removed properly and completely. Generally, you paint the chemical stripper onto your wood surface and let sit for a period of time that will vary depending on the product. When the varnish appears soft, test it with a putty knife by scrapping off a small section. If the varnish comes off easily, remove the whole area where the chemical stripper was applied, then start working on a new section. Continue this process until all varnish or paint is removed from the pieces you are restoring, then let it dry.

Prepare Furniture for New Stain and Varnish

If you completely removed the old varnish or paint from your outdoor furniture, you may not have to sand your pieces very much. Start sanding with 120-grit sandpaper to smooth any areas that may have excess varnish or paint. Then sand the entire piece with 220-grit sandpaper. Make sure to sand with the grain of the wood when sanding by hand.

Apply a Sanding Sealer

Sanding sealers help prime your furniture for a stain and ensure that your furniture absorbs the stain evenly. You can purchase a sanding sealer at your local hardware store. Make sure you use the sanding sealer as directed. Apply a generous amount of sealer to your entire piece and let the product soak into the wood for several minutes. Wipe the surface of your furniture with a clean cloth to remove any excess sealer. Make sure your furniture is completely dry and then sand your piece again with 220-grit sand paper.

Apply New Stain and Varnish

There are many different types of stains and varnishes you can choose for your outdoor wood furniture at your local hardware store. Once you have chosen the stain you want, apply it following the directions. When your furniture is dry, apply the varnish you selected as directed by the manufacturer. Once the varnish has dried, you can begin to enjoy your refinished outdoor furniture.

Source:

Refinish Funiture: Funiture Restoration Process

Lowe's How To Library: Refurnishing Furniture

Resource:

RJ Woodworking: Furniture RefinishingTips