HOW TO REPURPOSE INDOOR FURNITURE TO USE OUTDOORS 

Did you know you can actually use indoor furniture outdoors?Here are some tips to safely use indoor furniture outdoors.

TIPS FOR USING  INDOOR FURNITURE OUTSIDE

1. Choose furniture carefully. Nothing too expensive or antique. 2. Make sure furniture can hold up to outdoor elements. Pressboard or laminate will not do well. 3. Choose a protected spot. A covered porch or patio is perfect! 4. Choose the right finish for your furniture. If painting use a good exterior paint. 5. Use outdoor fabrics.

REPURPOSING A BENCH FOR OUTDOORS

REPURPOSING A BENCH FOR OUTDOORS

Here is a step-by-step tutorial showing you how I refinished this antique settee to make it safe and beautiful to use outside.

SUPPLIES

– 2″x2″x8′ furring strip – 2″ wood screws  – wood filler – sandpaper – primer – exterior paint – small foam roller and paint brush – 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws TOOLS – saw – drill – upholstery staple remover  needle nose pliers. – pocket hole jig

REMOVE UNNEEDED PARTS The first thing I did was remove the big fluffy upholstered seat. I also used a handsaw to cut off the cut-outs on the arms to give it a more classic design.

PREP FOR A WOODEN SEAT Because the board connecting the front legs was pretty warped, I cut off the old piece of wood that was there and replaced it with a piece of scrap wood. I also added new supports by screwing cheap 2″x2″ boards around the edges of my bench.

CUT THE WOODEN SEAT The plywood from the existing seat was in great shape so I reused that. An upholstery staple remover was used to take the old fabric and foam off. I extended the plywood seat by adding a small strip of wood along the back using pocket holes.

 PREP FOR PAINT I made sure it fit well and was nice and sturdy. Then I removed it again to prep for paint. I filled in any holes with wood filler and then sanded it smooth once it was dry. The next step was to prime it with my favorite Zinsser primer.

PAINT THE BENCH The next step is paint. I painted the whole thing with a light gray exterior paint using a small foam roller and a small paint brush. A paint sprayer would have been better. It gets in all the grooves! If you use a roller and brush start with a very light coat of paint on the roller and  use a small brush to spread it out.

HERE IS THE GORGEOUS FINISHED BENCH! 

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Get the full step-by-step tutorial here.

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