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bella tucker kitchen remodeling and kitchen cabinet painting

Bella Tucker

Kitchen Design-Cabinet Refinishing-Nashville TN

How to Rehab Your Outdoor Furniture

By Dana Tucker 16 Comments

I’ve had my eye on this outdoor sectional since my friend, Nancy purchased it about 5 years ago.

outdoor sectional from Pottery Barn
outdoor sectional from Pottery Barn

I have many great memories of lounging on this furniture around her pool. Brooks and I have been undergoing a major backyard renovation these last several months including the installation of a new flagstone patio. Since most of our budget went into building the patio, I had to get creative about how to fill the space with furniture. This is where Nancy’s Pottery Barn Chesapeake Outdoor sectional comes into the story. Nancy wanted Brooks to do some painting for her. She was ready for an update to her outdoor space and offered her sectional as a trade. I jumped right on it, because I saw the potential. Brooks wasn’t quite so sure that this was a fair trade. Maybe because A) He had to do all the painting at Nancy’s B) He had to pick it up from her house and deliver it to our house and C) It needed A LOT OF WORK. Sometimes it takes Brooks a little while to catch on to my vision, but he gave me the benefit of the doubt.

This is what the sectional looked like when we got it.

Weathered Pottery Barn Outdoor Sectional
Weathered Pottery Barn Outdoor Sectional

The wood was weathered. The cushions were mildewed. I knew it could be rehabbed with a little elbow grease and perseverance. It started with an internet search for cleaning outdoor furniture cushions. I really couldn’t find anything that was helpful, so I decided to come up with my own recipe. It started with wetting the cushions with the hose. Next I sprayed a solution of 75% bleach and 25% water onto the mildewed spots. I waited about 10 minutes and then sprayed them again. Next, I took a bar of Fels Naptha soap and rubbed it all over the cushions and rubbed and scrubbed with a scrub brush.

Fels-Naptha Laundry Soap
Fels-Naptha Laundry Soap

Then, I hosed the cushions down and let them dry. Once dry they still had mildew stains. So, next I sprayed the bleach solution directly on the mildew spots on the dry cushions and left them in the sun for about 30 minutes and the mildew stains disappeared. YAHOO!! I then rinsed again with the hose and let them dry. After they dried, I sprayed them with Scotch Guard for outdoor fabrics because I hope I NEVER have to do all this work again.

Scotch Guard for Outdoor Fabric
Scotch Guard for Outdoor Fabric

While I was working on the cushions, Brooks was working on the frame.

Brooks painting the frame with Stain and Seal in Rich Brown
Brooks painting the frame with Stain and Seal in Rich Brown

He brushed on a heavy coat of Stain and Seal in Rich Brown . The wood soaked it up. We put the cushions back on and Voila, we had a pretty presentable rehabbed outdoor sofa.

Rehabbed Pottery Barn Outdoor Sectional
Rehabbed Pottery Barn Outdoor Sectional

I love working with Brooks on projects like this. It forces both of us to use our brains, muscle and creativity. We put in about 12 hours working on this sofa and neither of us could walk for two days after 🙂

rehabbed outdoor sofa before and after
rehabbed outdoor sofa before and after

If you want to “pin” this to Pinterest, you might want to use this image:

how to rehab outdoor furniture
how to rehab outdoor furniture

If you are wondering what my friend Nancy had to say about the transformation, and I quote: “I’m never giving you anything again”. You really have to know her to appreciate the comment because here she is enjoying herself like I know she will be all summer 🙂

Nancy enjoying the outdoor sofa
Nancy enjoying the outdoor sofa

If you have a decorative painting project that could use our creativity we would love to talk to you. Please fill out the form below. 

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Filed Under: Decorative Painting, DIY, Tucker House, Uncategorized

About Dana Tucker

By Dana Tucker | [email protected] | Google

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Amor Aguelo says

    May 17, 2013 at 9:34 pm

    That is a great accomplishment Dana!

    Outdoor wicker patio furniture – Madbury Road

  2. Ryan J. says

    November 29, 2013 at 3:49 am

    Great job fixing up that patio sectional. It looks good as new!

  3. Mary says

    April 15, 2014 at 8:11 pm

    I purchased a Chesapeake table , eight chairs, chaise lounge buffet table and two small side tables. I would like to refinish it but I’m not sure what stain to purchase. You did an amazing job. You sectional looks amazing!!

  4. Dana Tucker says

    April 16, 2014 at 3:41 am

    We used Modern Masters Stain & Seal. You might want to try Sherwin Williams Deckskapes. That should be very durable. Good luck.

  5. Amanda Murphy says

    May 13, 2014 at 12:35 pm

    Are your cushions white?? Mine are a very light cream color so not sure if the 75/25 bleach solutions would ruin them. What are your thoughts?

  6. Dana Tucker says

    May 13, 2014 at 12:51 pm

    Amanda, our cushions were light cream. We applied the bleach solution over the entire cushion and it brightened them up. It didn’t ruin them. Good luck.

  7. Ashley Campbell says

    May 21, 2014 at 6:25 am

    I have the same PB sectional and I just ordered the stain and seal to refinish mine. Did you sand before using stain and seal? Also was the fels napta good at removing stains or did the bleach solution do that? Mine is stained but does not have mold or mildew. So glad I found this site! Thanks for sharing!

  8. Dana Tucker says

    May 21, 2014 at 6:37 am

    Yes, I would lightly sand then clean and let dry then apply the stain and seal. I really think it was the bleach solution and letting it dry in the hot sun that removed the stains and mildew. Good luck with your set. 🙂 Those cushions are super expensive.

  9. Jeff says

    March 8, 2015 at 10:51 am

    I have this sectional also, and have been considering a similar rehab to the wood. Thanks for the inspiration. I have the same cushions as well, and every spring I simply zip off the covers and put them in the washing machine (with a mix of detergent, white vinegar, and oxy) and they’re ready for a new season of use.

  10. sharon pierce says

    April 13, 2015 at 3:31 pm

    Dana- I am so happy to have found this. I have the entire set of this PB furniture and the paint is peeling so bad, there is no choice for me but to try to re-stain. I have made several trips to Sherwin Williams asking for help as to which product to use. Did you use Modern Masters Stain & Seal in rich brown? The product that is on the PB website, I tried…..it was very watery compared to what is on my furniture, which seems to be more of a paint? I was considering sanding, using primer then re-painting with actual paint. I wanted to try out to you before I continue and just double check that the stain in your blog is what you used?

  11. Dana Tucker says

    April 14, 2015 at 6:23 am

    Yes, we used the MM Stain & Seal in Rich Brown. Good luck!!

  12. Sophia:) says

    March 6, 2017 at 10:36 am

    Hello, I am so glad i have found this -In september I held a party, and I forgot to put the cushions away, which are my mums’, leaving them out all winter. When you say 75% bleach 25% water is that just every day cleaning bleach?

  13. Dana Tucker says

    March 6, 2017 at 11:00 am

    Yes. Everyday bleach. Good luck.

  14. Michelle says

    April 5, 2017 at 5:36 pm

    so excited to find this post a few years later! How is your sectional holding up now? I also bought this beautiful set only to have the paint peel and look terrible after 2 summers. I bought the recommended Sherwin Williams stain but as the other user commented it was a totally different product, very thin and watery vs the paint like finish. Did you have to sand down to bare wood? Also the link in your article links to fauxstore.com….I cant find “modern masters” anywhere on the site but there is a stain and seal product called Rich brown…is this what you used?
    REALLY hoping this works for my set because I spent good money a few years back!

  15. Dana Tucker says

    April 6, 2017 at 6:33 am

    We actually got rid of this sectional last summer. It was in an outdoor area that wasn’t covered. I got tired of the cushions always being icky. Here is a link to the product: https://fauxmarketplace.netlou-secure.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=672

    You only need to do a light sanding. Then apply the stain. Best of luck to you.

  16. Lara says

    April 8, 2018 at 7:37 am

    I have this Chesapeake Pottery barn set and mine is many years old and peeling badly. Fortunately, my cream cushions have removable covers. Twice a year, I remove and wash them in hot water with detergent and bleach after spot cleaning them with Max Force Spray and Wash. They usually come out clean! And mine always have heavy mildew before I launder them.

    I am thrilled to see there is hope for my set as far as painting them. I love it but it definitely is a set that needs some maintenance.

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