Nothing lasts forever, and this is true of your casual outdoor furniture. Body oil, exposure to the sun, suntan lotion, pool chlorine and bird excrement conspire to slowly destroy your patio furniture.A $250 set of patio furniture from a big-box store probably isn't worth the time, effort or expense of fixing, says Dan Mattingly II, who has been repairing patio furniture for 33 years and owns D&J Patio Furniture & Repair in Tucson, Ariz. However, if your outdoor furniture represents a major investment, is still serviceable and the problem areas are minimal, save some money by having it professionally refurbished -- or do it yourself.Intrepid DIYers can take heart; fixing up patio furniture isn't as daunting as it appears. It's more a function of time and patience than hard work and skill."If you can do yard work, you can do it. And there aren't a lot of tools required, but it can be time-consuming," Mattingly says.Having the time and wherewithal to research online is critical.The Internet is a rich source of how-to information that includes videos and places you can find all the materials necessary to complete most successful DIY patio-furniture refurbishing projects.

Patio furniture is available in a variety of materials. Frames can be wrought iron, aluminum, wicker or wood. Better pieces that are new can run from $75 for a cane chair to several thousand for a chaise lounge at a retail site.Most casual furniture cushions are disposable but can be cleaned. Dirt and mildew can be washed off with a mixture of dishwashing detergent and warm water in a spray bottle. Use a soft brush and rinse thoroughly."I'd use a bleach-water solution when there is a real mildew problem," says Dan O'Connell of Florida-based Patio Products.If all else fails, buy new. , with prices sometimes starting at as low as $20.Strap, sling and wicker are the most popular types of casual patio furniture. Wicker is made of hard-woven plant fiber. Strap types have vinyl straps attached to each side of a metal frame. Sling refers to metal-framed furniture with fabric strung within the frame.According to O'Connell, strap and sling furniture lasts eight to 10 years, offering excellent opportunities for a DIY project.

Excluding wicker, wrought iron and teak, most patio furniture framing worth refurbishing is painted or powder coated (where a part is cured after dry paint is applied). Tire Buying Guide SuvsDull finishes on painted framing can be renewed and protected as any painted metal surface using automotive paste wax."Turn Your Regular Bathtub Into WhirlpoolA lot of time, aluminum tubing can be brought back with a little wax compound," Mattingly says.96 Inch Curtains SaleWhen the enamel or powder-coat finish on strap or sling furniture is worn, spot-paint the trouble spots with the appropriate color. Both finish types are available in 16-ounce aerosol cans, with prices ranging from $15 to $25.When touching up any painted surface, be sure the problem area is clean.

Lightly sand any loose paint. Mask all parts of the furniture not to be painted and use a drop cloth. But be warned: Once spray paint is airborne, it can land anywhere.Although metal patio furniture is elegant and durable, it can over time become a rust-coated symbol of neglect. Instead of offering an inviting spot to relax on a warm summer afternoon, corroded furniture merely reminds you of better days gone by. But if underneath all that rust the essential frame of each piece is structurally sound, why spend money to replace the set? Consider the much more affordable alternative of refinishing your metal furniture. Using the right tools and easily mastered techniques, you can restore those rusty eyesores to near-new beauty. Before you begin, know this: Refinishing iron patio furniture isn’t the kind of project you can spread out over a few days. Once you start removing the rust, you have to continue until the entire piece has been cleaned and treated with a rust-resistant primer.

If you remove the rust and head for the hammock too soon, a condition known as “flash rust” can cause the flaky, reddish coating to reappear as quickly as the name implies—sometimes in a matter of hours. After the coat of primer is in place, however, you can move on through the rest of the job at a more leisurely pace. - Nonslip drop cloth - HYDE 3-in-1 Paint Stripping Wire Brush - Muriatic acid or another rust-remover solution (optional) - Rust-inhibiting metal primer - Rust-inhibiting metal paint Streamline your patio-refinishing project by choosing the right spot for the job and preparing it properly. A shady, protected corner of your yard or an empty garage works best. Above all, avoid priming or painting the furniture outside on a windy day or in direct sunlight—either can cause the outer layer of the paint to dry too rapidly and thus reduce the lifespan of the paint. Protect the ground or concrete floor with a nonslip drop cloth, and keep a few cinder blocks handy for elevating the patio furniture so you’ll be able to reach the bottoms of the legs without tipping the pieces over.

Before you start, gear up with some old clothing, goggles, a respirator mask, and gloves. If you use a chemical to assist in rust removal, your goggles will need to protect your entire eye area from splatters, and your gloves should be chemical-resistant. For this next part, all you need is a talented multi-tool like the HYDE 3-in-1 Paint Stripping Wire Brush to remove the flaking coating. Scrub the flat surfaces on your patio furniture with the rectangular brush; its dense wire bristles quickly remove light rust and loose paint. Reach rust in nooks and crannies using the narrow wire bristles on the tip of the tool. Finally, turn the tool around to use the flat scraper at the end of the handle to remove larger sections of peeling paint. One tool, three functions—all you add is elbow grease! If the rust and paint come off with ease, count your lucky stars and continue to brush all surfaces until completely clean. (Here, it really helps to elevate the piece you’re cleaning on cinder blocks so you can reach the bottoms of the legs.)

When you’re done, you can skip ahead to Step 6. If, however, you run into some more heavily rusted patches, you’ll need the assistance of muriatic acid or another rust-dissolving solution, both of which are readily available at home improvement centers. Apply rust-removing acids or solutions as directed by the manufacturer, and use the formulas in conjunction with the HYDE 3-in-1 Wire Brush to scrub away the most stubborn rust. Some rust-removing acids and chemicals must be hosed off after application, so be prepared to move your item to a spot where you can wash it off without worry of the runoff damaging grass or other plants. Dry the item thoroughly with old towels. Any moisture left on the bare iron can lead to new rust, even if the furniture is only slightly damp. Because your clean patio furniture is highly vulnerable at this point, complete the drying step and proceed quickly to the next. Apply a rust-convertor solution to the clean patio furniture using either a spray can or paintbrush.

Rust convertors are different from rust removers in that they contain polymers and tannic acid, which chemically convert trace bits of residual rust into iron tannate—a solid substance that coats, seals, and protects the iron furniture. If you’ve inadvertently missed rust lodged in joints or tight spots—which is easy to do—a rust converter acts like an insurance policy against rust developing under your new paint job. Prime the patio furniture with rust-inhibiting metal primer and follow up by painting with rust-inhibiting metal paint. (Both must be suitable for exterior use.) The trick to getting a great finish is to apply both the primer and the paint in multiple, very thin coats. Because iron patio furniture often features intricate patterns and weaves, it’s usually better to spray both the primer and paint rather than brush them on. If you don’t want to use paint that comes in spray cans, you can rent or purchase a sprayer to apply another suitable variety of rust-inhibiting primer and paint.