Hello There,

I don’t know about you, but I love to save things that need some love, to take on the challenge to see if I can bring them back to life. Some of my experiments turn out well, and others not so much. But happily today, I can report that this little rusty bench has received a new look, and I myself am quite pleased with it. 🙂

We have had this bench for (I am totally guessing here) 15 years? And not surprisingly, after suffering through snow, rain, and the most sunny days of any state in the union, (I am not bragging or anything ok I am bragging a little bit because Colorado has a wonderfully sunny climate winter, spring, summer, and fall.)

But the point here is that our bench has gotten a little rusty and shabby looking over the years so it was time to give it a little attention.

Step 1 – Clean

This bench didn’t seem too dirty when I started, so I used a cloth and some soapy water to give it a quick wipe down.

Advertising Disclosure: Upcycle Design Lab may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services or your clicking on links posted on this website.

Step 2 – Remove Rust

I scrubbed the bench with steel wool and some vinegar to remove the loose rust. I also used a small metal brush to reach some of the more difficult spots. Then I rinsed the whole bench off with the garden hose. There was some rust left after scrubbing but I could see some improvement.

Step 3 – Paint

Once the bench was dry, I used Krylon Fusion all-in-one copper metallic spray paint to coat the entire bench. I am expecting this paint to hold up pretty well to the elements as it is rated for outdoor use and is supposed to prevent rust.

Step 4 – Decorate

To add additional surface interest, I brushed on some acrylic colors in metallic green, teal, and gold. Then I added a dry brush top coat of metallic black for a more antique finish.

Step 5 – Seal

Since the colored acrylic paints aren’t rated for outdoor use, I decided to use a top coat sealer on this bench portion. So I added two coats of Decoart DuraSeal Gloss Varnish. It is approved for outdoor use and was easy to apply and clean up with water, but only time will tell how it will wear.

As I said I am pretty happy with how it turned out. The colors catch the light differently depending on the time of day, and it is much more cheerful to look at in any light.

Thanks for checking out my post.

Happy Upcycling,

Cindy

Advertising Disclosure: Upcycle Design Lab may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services or your clicking on links posted on this website.