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How To Weatherproof Outdoor Furniture

How To Weatherproof Outdoor Furniture


Covered porch with outdoor furniture

Keep your porch both chic and functional by caring for your outdoor furniture. Below are instructions for how to weatherproof outdoor furniture by material.

Pro Tip! For all of these methods, look to see how often you need to recoat your furniture. For many products, it’s every 1-2 years.

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For Fabric

To weatherproof outdoor furniture with fabric, first make sure you’re using the right kind of fabric. Fabric marked as outdoor will typically come with a weatherproofing seal already on it, which puts you one step ahead.

The absolute best way to keep your outdoor fabric looking good is to keep it out of the sun and rain. Leave it on the porch, or bring the cushions and pillows inside during the winter.

To weatherproof it, first clean it with a vacuum or brush. Make sure it’s completely dry before proceeding. Then spray it with a weatherproofing fabric spray, and allow to fully dry. We’d recommend one of these:

Kiwi Camp Dry spray
Camp Dry spray by Kiwi. Keep in mind that this spray works best on fabric that already has a water repellent material.
NeverWet Fabric spray
NeverWet Fabric Spray by Rust-Oleum
Scotchgard weatherproof outdoor furniture
Fabric Protector by Scotchgard

For Wood

To waterproof your wood furniture, try a wood deck stain, which will have a sealer in the formula. When it comes time to recoat, you can either use the stain again, or try a wood-specific clear waterproof sealer.

Thompson's WaterSeal to weatherproof outdoor furniture
Thompson’s WaterSeal for wood
Ready Seal deck stain
Ready Seal deck stain
Polycrilic protective finish to weatheproof outdoor furniture
Polycrilic Protective Finish by Minwax

For Paint

The best way to weatherproof outdoor furniture with paint is to make sure you’re using an outdoor paint that won’t fade easily. Black holds up best against the sun, but if you want to use a brighter color, try boat paint! It will hold up longer and fade less quickly.

See Also
moodboard for Project House 2023

If your piece is already painted, add a clear sealer coat to protect it.

Rust-Oleum topside boat paint
Topside Paint by Rust-Oleum
Total Boat boat paint
Wet Edge boat paint by TotalBoat
Acrylic gloss finish clear sealer
Acrylic Sealer Gloss Finish by Aleene’s

For Wicker

As with the other materials, make sure you clean your wicker furniture regularly. You can paint it to protect it, or use a clear, multi-surface sealant. Make sure you buy wicker furniture that is specifically made for outdoors, too.

Thompson's WaterSeal spray
Thompson’s WaterSeal multi-surface sealer
Minwax clear sealer spray paint
Clear Spar Urethane by Minwax

For Metal

If you’re starting with a rusted metal surface, clean and sand the piece before you paint it. Then paint it with a metal primer, which will help to seal it against rust. If the piece is already painted and you want to keep it sealed, use a clear polycrilic or acrylic sealer.

Rust-Oleum metal primer to weatherproof outdoor furniture
Rusty Metal Primer from Rust-Oleum
Rust-Oleum clean metal primer
Clean Metal Primer by Rust-Oleum

Ready to save your outdoor furniture? Try reupholstering furniture too! Of course, don’t forget to follow us on InstagramFacebook and Pinterest to get your daily dose of farmhouse inspiration!

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