Restore Your Outside Furniture for the Summer

Whether you have plastic, wicker, teak, pine, cedar or redwood outdoor furniture, use the following guidelines to help make your outside furniture look like new:

Plastic furniture may be the least expensive but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the best choice.Plastic outdoor furniture can degrade over the years. It becomes weak and may not be safe after several years. If your outdoor furniture is relatively new, you can clean it with warm, soapy water. Furniture which is looking ratty can be spruced up by painting it with a spray paint specially designed to adhere to plastic.

Wicker furniture can be cleaned with warm, soapy water using a mild soap. Be sure you spray the wicker furniture to get all of the soap off of it. Much wicker furniture is painted, so you may want to reapply paint to help it look new. Some wicker furniture is natural and may only need to have a fresh coat of sealer on it. Check with the manufacturer to see what they recommend and follow their directions.

Teak is a hardwood and requires very little care. While the color may change slightly over time, you really shouldn’t have to do much to keep teak furniture looking great. Use a mild soap to wash off any dirt and then let it dry naturally.

Pine furniture, such as a picnic table and benches, can be cleaned up using soap and water. Allow the furniture to dry naturally. Natural pine can be stained or left as is. If the furniture has been previously painted you may want to repaint it. You can apply polyurethane to the surfaces to help protect the table and benches from the weather.

Cedar is another furniture material which shouldn’t require a lot of extra attention. Western cedar may lighten over time outdoors so you may want to stain it before applying polyurethane or another recommended sealant. Eastern cedar, on the other hand, will get darker over time. You may want to seal it but leave it natural otherwise.

Redwood furniture is also made from hardwood. It also may change in color after years of being outdoors. However, it shouldn’t require much attention each year. You can clean it with an appropriate cleanser. In most cases you may not even need a sealer.

Outdoor furniture can make your life more enjoyable and can easily be restored in readiness for the summer. Read any instructions from the furniture manufacturer and follow their instructions. Ultimately, they will have the best advice for caring for your outdoor furniture to keep it looking great for years to come.