Garden Bench Makeover

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a before and after hasn’t it?

It’s not for lack of doing them – I’ve painted a bathroom, a bedroom, a bench, a stool, a … but the makeovers are either not complete (waiting on blinds for my daughter’s bedroom makeover) or the after was done in the same colour as the before and the transformation wouldn’t be very dramatic in blog photos.

This garden bench makeover is fantastic though, so I had to share – along with a few tips I learned/tried along the way.

This is Sherri’s garden bench:

I adore the detailing on this beauty.

But as you can see time and weather have taken their toll and the previous finish is gone, the wood is slivered and peeling and some green mildew has started to accumulate. She found some beautiful teak benches that she was going to buy but she decided to give this bench a makeover! I love how it turned out!

The structure is sound though and the wood hasn’t rotted, so Sherri decided the garden bench needed a makeover to prolong its life and to brighten her garden.

I sanded down as much of the garden bench as I could, but there were areas that even the tiniest bit of sandpaper couldn’t get in to. (Damn that gorgeous detailing!)

Fortunately, I had some Rust-Oleum® Canada KRUD KUTTER® left over from an earlier project – this stuff is TOUGH; it removes dried on latex paint, bird droppings, acid rain, tree sap, oxidation, sun tan oil, mildew stains (and so many more – these are just the stains that were on this particular bench).

KRUD KUTTER®

Safely & Easily Removes

Food & Drink Stains Dried Latex Paint Paint Overspray Tape Residue Glue & Adhesive Acid Rain Bird Droppings Smoke Damage Grease & Oil Marker & Crayon Pet Stains Tree Sap Brake Dust Fireplace Soot Oxidation Lipstick Scuff Marks Blood Stains Sun Tan Oil Tar & Wax Chewing Gum Soap Scum Mildew Stains Shoe Polish and more…

Features: Water-based; biodegradable Concentrated, commercial strength formula Cleaner, degreaser, and stain remover Interior / exterior use

I am not kidding you when I say that this stuff is incredible – I’ve used it to remove dried on paint, sticker glue, paint overspray, clean glass and even remove a wad of slime that my oldest daughter “accidentally placed” in my youngest’s hair.

The majority of this garden bench was sanded, but look at how well the KRUD KUTTER® removed the mildew etc from the areas the sander couldn’t reach:

A few sprays, a few minutes and then a light scrub with Hubby’s toothbrush and it’s clean! Unbelievable! I am totally buying stock in Rust-Oleum® Canada if I ever have any money.

I did wash down the bench with the garden hose afterwards, just to remove any sanding dust and excess KRUD KUTTER® that might be in the grooves, and then let the bench dry in the sun.

Sherri chose Rust-Oleum® Canada’s Painter’s Touch® Ultra Cover paint in Satin Aqua.

Painter’s Touch® contains breakthrough technology that provides superior coverage on wood, metal, wicker and more. It covers surfaces with less spray passes, allowing projects to be completed faster and easier. Any angle spray feature allows you to spray in any direction, even upside down. Comfort spray tip with wider finger pad reduces fatigue caused by continuous spraying.

Smooth, durable finish

Fast dry time

Excellent coverage in one coat

Any Angle Spray with Comfort Tip

While the Painter’s Touch® Ultra Cover did cover the bench in one coat, two was better and because I did a light sanding after the second coat (220 grit sandpaper), I did a very light third coat to level everything out.

The bench has a factory finish (no brushstrokes or roller marks) and can withstand the elements for years to come.

Yes, even bird poops will wipe off easily.

The Satin Aqua is such a gorgeous pop of colour next to Sherri’s evergreens and will look even prettier when surrounded by flowering annuals.

Rust-Oleum® Canada‘s KRUD KUTTER® runs around $10, and a can of Painter’s Touch® Ultra is another $9 Cdn (or $4 US on Amazon.com) – but you will need a few cans for a bench this size.

The rough cost of this garden bench makeover is $40-$50 – considerably lower than purchasing a new bench – especially one this ornate.

I love how this turned out and I love how easy it was thanks to Rust-Oleum® Canada‘s products – this garden bench makeover took 3 hours (not including drying time) to complete. Start today and have it finished by Sunday night – with the majority of that time being spent sipping margarita’s and watching the paint dry.

Thanks again to Rust-Oleum® Canada – I really am a huge fan!