How to make old outdoor timber furniture look new again

Tables, chairs, benches, sun lounges or side tables… If your outdoor timber furniture is looking drab out in the backyard, but it’s still in sturdy condition, set aside a little time to show it some love and bring it back to life! The best bit? Restoring your weathered furniture to like-new, richly coloured condition doesn’t have to be time consuming or hard work. Just clean and coat – you’ll be wowed by the transformation.

HOW TO TRANSFORM AN OUTDOOR SETTING

Gather your supplies

• Garden hose or pressure washer
• Sikkens Cetol BL Garden Furniture Cleaner
• Stiff bristle brush
• Drop sheet
• Paintbrush
• Sikkens Cetol BLX-Pro in Teak (used here) or colour of your choice

Note

This water-based finish allows re-coating within two hours compared to oil-based stains that need up to 24 hours.

Here’s how

STEP 1 Wet the timber to delay drying out during the cleaning process. Avoid working in extremely hot conditions.

STEP 2 Following the product directions, apply Cetol BL Garden Furniture Cleaner to the timber and work it in with a stiff bristle brush. Leave cleaning product to activate for 15 to 30 minutes.

STEP 3 Rinse away the residue with garden hose and brush or pressure washer. Let dry completely.

STEP 4 Lay out drop sheet. Using paintbrush, apply a liberal coat of Sikkens Cetol BLX-Pro, working in the direction of the timber grain. Let dry for 2 hours.

STEP 5 Repeat Step 4 to apply two more coats. Let dry after each coat.

Tip

While this coating is long lasting and durable, a regular maintenance plan will keep it looking schmick. Once a year, give the timber a light sand with fine-grit sandpaper. Wipe away dust. Apply 1-2 coats of Sikkens Cetol BLX-Pro. Let dry after each coat.