How to Restore Vintage Metal Chairs

by Mary from Real Girl's Realm

3 Materials

$20

1 Hour

Easy

I scored these vintage metal outdoor chairs for $25 a piece at a local thrift store. They were in pretty good condition, just dirty and rusty, but I saw the potential for bringing them back to life!

Here is the before...They were extremely dirty and faded and had some rust on the bottom pieces and around where the arms attached to the seat.

Take apart the seat from the base and clean

I unscrewed the seat from the base on both chairs and washed the seats with dish detergent and water. Since I loved the color and there was little rust on the seat, I decided not to paint it. I used Meguiars cleaner compound to remove the oxidation and bring the paint back to life.

Prepare the base for paint

I used detergent and water to clean the dirt off the bases and let them dry. I used 120 grit sandpaper to sand off the flaking paint and rusted areas to prepare for paint.

Paint the bases

I usually use Rust-Oleum 2X Ultra Cover, but I decided to use the Appliance Epoxy paint because it provides a hard finish and prevents rust. I lightly sprayed 2 coats, allowing to dry in between.

Please note that this paint is very strong and you should use in a well ventilated area and wear a mask.

After the bases had dried completely, I put the chairs back together and set them out on my deck!

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