What Are The Best Paints For Outdoor Furniture?

Because outdoor furniture can come in a variety of materials (wood, plastic, wicker and metal), it is important to know the best ways to paint the furniture.  Using the wrong paint may damage your outdoor living furniture, decrease its life, or cause costly corrective maintenance.  Choosing the right paint insures a long and enjoyable life for the furniture.

Oil-Based and Water-Based (Latex) Enamel Paint

Oil-based enamel paint is recommended, but Latex paint can be used for painting your wicker furniture, wood furniture and metal furniture.  On both occasions, you will need to apply a primer before applying the finishing coat.  This ensures a proper bonding of the paint to the outdoor furniture.  A solvent, such as paint thinner, should be used for clean-up when using an oil-based paint.  The benefit of a water-based paint is its high gloss finish that protects it against the elements, and because it is water-based, it has a very high ease of use.

Exterior Stains and Clear Coat Finishes

Wicker and both unfinished and previously stained wood furniture take well to an exterior stain.  Although exterior stains come in transparent, semi-gloss and solid colors, transparent and semi-gloss colors should only be used so the outdoor furniture’s natural grains can come through the paint.  Clear coat finishes allow the same natural grains to come through as well as protect the furniture from the elements.  When looking at clear coat finishes, understand what the two categories (water-proofing and exterior vanish) mean.  Water-proofing will do just that, while exterior varnish will protect the furniture from water damage while adding brilliant sheen.

Spray Paint and Water-Based (Latex) House Paint

Spray paint should only be used on plastic furniture.  Because of the plastic’s unique properties, special spray paint for plastic is formulated to bind to the plastic furniture on a molecular level.  All other paint will peel when used on plastic furniture.  On no occasion should one use water-based house paint on any piece of outdoor furniture.  Because of the flat surfaces on most pieces of outdoor furniture, water can build up and Latex house paint cannot protect your outdoor furniture against water damage.