“Fool-Proof” Your Outdoor Furniture

by

Kathy Moran

Over the past couple of weeks, we have discussed a number of ways to repair or, at least, cover up, scratches, rings, dents, and dings on wooden outdoor furniture (and indoor furniture). It s great to know that we can help to restore the good looks of our favorite pieces, but as we all know, beauty goes a lot deeper than the surface; and sometimes, so does the damage.

Since we don t want to blame ourselves for the more egregious offenses, we ll use a careless, perhaps even intoxicated, guest as an example. Let s just say that, after a few too many, he overshoots the ashtray, and burns your outdoor coffee table. Well, just as the reckless reveler may take a little hair of the dog as a cure the next day, the same principle may work for your furniture. To remedy the burn, rub it with a paste made of fine fireplace ash and lemon juice, wipe it clean, and touch it up with the same kind of finish that is already on it.

If you applied the finish in the first place (and who doesn t strive to finish in first place?), you will know what type it is. If you didn t, and you don t, it s important that you find out, because finishes have different ingredients, and, therefore, different solvents (a subject that we will explore in future articles). It s especially difficult to tell one clear finish from another, but if it s thin and has a low luster, it s likely to be penetrating oil.

You can sniff out (pardon the expression) other kinds of finish by moistening a rag with alcohol, and rubbing it on an inconspicuous area. If this softens the finish, it s probably shellac; if it doesn t, repeat the process with lacquer thinner to find out if it s lacquer-based. In the case that neither test removes the finish, the odds are good that it s varnish.

For deeper burns that may occur when someone makes almost as big an ash of your furniture as he is making of himself, stronger measures must be taken. First, throw the bum out! Next, use masking or painter s tape on the surrounding area, and scrape out the burned wood with the rounded blade of a craft knife. You may also have to re-stain the exposed wood to match the finish. Then, use a mixture of equal parts of clear nail polish and acetone-based polish remover to fill the hole, one coat at a time, making sure that each layer dries before applying the next. Finally, use superfine sandpaper to smooth the surface before you remove the tape.

Of course, there will be times when the situation will be hopeless for the furniture, as well as the fool who ruined it. In that case, the best remedy is to go to CedarStore.com, and choose some gorgeous new outdoor furniture from one of the largest selections available.

CedarStore.com has classic wood furniture, hand-crafted from cedar, pine, oak, cherry, and teak, as well as aluminum, polywood, and vinyl furniture that s virtually indestructible; or, better yet, fool-proof. With patio chairs, tables, dining sets, porch swings, garden benches, bar and bistro sets, gliders, lounges, rockers, accent tables, and ottomans, in a variety of sizes, shapes, styles, and colors, CedarStore.com has outdoor furniture to complement the d cor of any porch, patio, or gazebo.

To browse the entire gallery, visit cedarstore.com. If you wish to contact a design consultant or customer service representative, call 888-293-2339, or e-mail contact@cedarstore.com.

Outdoor Furniture | Patio Furniture | Porch FurnitureArticle Source: ArticleRich.com