Weather Staining a Patio Set

I've been feeling very crafty lately.
If you didn't see my cardboard tommy guns project for Halloween, that post is here.

My most recent handiwork was weather staining my friend Sandi's patio table and chairs.
It's a simple set from IKEA, with a metal frame and wooden slats. Our plan was to redo the slats.

Here's what we started with and then the end product:

From this...

...to this. Much improved, eh?

 My dad let me know the materials needed, which include:

• screwdriver
• rags/towels
• 100-grit sandpaper
• paintbrushes
• a small can of weatherproofing wood stain
• (optional) breathing mask or bandana
• (optional) drop cloths

For the sandpaper, paintbrushes, and can of wood stain, I paid less than $10 at Home Depot.

Let's get started! The slats first need to be removed from the frames and cleaned.

Use your screwdriver, then wet the rags/towels and wipe off dust/dirt.

Now it's time to use the 100-grit sandpaper. If you're sensitive to sawdust, it might be a good idea to use some sort of mask. Plus, I'd recommend doing this outdoors for easier cleanup.

After sanding, make sure you wipe off any remaining dust. Then it's time to paint.
Note: I thought I'd gotten a waterproofing wood stain that would show the natural grain. However, the paint can wasn't labeled very clearly, so I ended up with a white stain. Oh well; the white made for a fun look, and if the set were painted another color later, the white will serve as a good base coat. So just be careful which paint can you pick out.

Drying after the first coat, still some wood grain showing through

The second coat makes them completely opaque

 Once everything is dry, you're ready to put the slats back onto their frames. Get that screwdriver.

And you're done! Enjoy your new, vibrant patio set as you sip hot chocolate and discuss heady topics.

The craft bug has definitely bitten me. Hmm, what shall I do next? What are you working on?