I inherited four wooden chaise loungers a few years back, which deteriorated year after year from being constantly exposed to the elements. They were sun-bleached and even cracked in some areas, but overall still in decent structural shape. My initial thought was to replace them with all new chaises. But at the last minute, I decided to try and restore the old ones to extend their lives just a bit longer.
Not wanting to spend a lot of time or effort into restoring my four loungers, I simply gave them a fresh new look by cleaning, sanding, staining and sealing them in 4 easy steps on a Saturday afternoon.
Materials Needed:
dish soap + scrub brush or sponge
hand sander
120-grit sanding pads for sander
outdoor stain / sealant
small paint brush
drop cloth or newspaper
Step #1: CLEAN
Grab a bucket and fill it with a 50/50 mixture of dish soap and water. Then scrub the wood and let it dry fully for a few hours.
Step #2: SAND
Affix a 120-grit pad to your hand sander (or you can use an 80 grit pad if the grayish parts of the wood are not coming off). Be sure to sand all surfaces with the grain as best you can. Then wipe all dust off with a damp cloth.
Step #3: STAIN & SEAL
I opted for a 2-in-1 treatment to stain and seal my chaises for a quicker result. Seal-Once Exotic Premium wood sealer worked amazingly well. It's a water-based, non-toxic product that waterproofs (which was important to me since my chaises are next to my pool) and can be used with 11 color tints.
To be safe, test your stain/seal on an area that isn’t visible on the furniture to make sure it’s the color you really want. Then apply the solution generously all over with a small paint brush. A single coat may work fine, but my chaises needed two coats (follow the instructions on the can for wait times between coats). Finally, let your furniture dry thoroughly and undisturbed for 3 - 4 hours.
Step #4: ENJOY
Replace, or in my case purchase new outdoor chaise cushions and kick up your feet. It's chill time! You will not believe how much richer your furniture will look in addition to being protected in the future from the elements. Quick and easy solution (no pun intended).
See a short video of the process here