We’ve previously told you some of the best methods for cleaning rattan furniture, both generally and against specific types of dirt, as well as how to repair your rattan garden furniture if it gets damaged. Here we’ll tell you how to take care of rattan furniture to protect it against potential damage, and also how you should paint the rattan, if you want to.
Painting your rattan garden furniture
There could be many reasons why you’d want to repaint your rattan garden furniture; maybe it’s looking a little worn and you want to give it a new breath of life, maybe you’ve changed all of your patio furniture around and want to match the new colour scheme, or maybe you just had a spare pot of paint left over from when you did the kitchen and thought ‘why not?’. Well, whatever reason you have, you should know that there are some things you should take into consideration.
If your rattan furniture is already painted but just needs a small touch-up, then the easiest thing to do is just use a small paintbrush and go over the necessary areas. However, if you want to totally change the colour or just apply paint to a previously unpainted piece of rattan furniture, then the quickest and easiest way to go about it would probably be spray-painting. An oil-based waterproof garden paint will usually be fine. A key exception is if you are changing the colour from light to dark or vice versa, in which case it would be best to apply a primer (this is a good idea generally, but not necessary for most paint jobs).
When you actually get down to the painting, it’s best to remove any flaky bits of paint that may be coming off the rattan furniture (if it was previously painted), but be careful not to damage the weave while you do this. At this point you can lightly sand any rough edges if you want. If you are applying a primer, then any suitable oil-based one from a DIY shop should suffice. Two or three coats are best.
Once you’ve primed your rattan garden furniture, you can get down to the painty business. As mentioned, a great tool to get the job done quickly and easily is a paint sprayer. Just make sure that you apply the paint outdoors! Leave your furniture for at least a week before using it again, preferably in the sun.
Protecting your rattan furniture
This isn’t a huge part, but if you want to help your rattan furniture keep up its durability, then you can add a protective finish to give it that extra defence. You can use almost anything that would normally be used as a finish, from sealant to lacquer to shellac. This can be applied in much the same way as the paint; either with a brush or sprayer (just make sure you clean out all the paint first!). Once again, it’s best to do this outside and wait several days before using you rattan furniture again.
We hope this information, and the information in our previous articles, has helped you learn how to care for rattan patio furniture in a more comprehensive way. For more information on rattan furniture and more rattan furniture care tips, be sure to come back and check the blog, as well as follow us on social media!