• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Plastic/Vinyl Outdoor Furniture

MaggieD

DP Veteran
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Messages
43,244
Reaction score
44,665
Location
Chicago Area
Gender
Female
Political Leaning
Moderate
Okay, so I have a pretty bench on my front porch. Well, it USED to be pretty. Now it's ragged-assed. It's that plastic/vinyl stuff -- but very sturdy. I was going to toss it until I saw how much a replacement would cost.

I bought some Krylon Fusion spray paint in evergreen (same color as bench) and just spray painted it. Dries in 15 minutes. The bench looks brand spankin' new!!!

Yay!!!!!!

A home improvement project that didn't go awry!!! (oh!! And it dries in 15 minutes!)

Any tips you'd like to share?
 
The Krylon Fusion is excellent stuff. Hell, it wouldn't surprise me to find out you can paint formica with it.
 

Yay for you!!

No tips, but I need to refinish the top of an old desk and have heard that I should try rubbing mayo into it first. Truth?
 
nota bene said:
Yay for you!!

No tips, but I need to refinish the top of an old desk and have heard that I should try rubbing mayo into it first. Truth?
Click to expand...

Never heard of that in my life. It's basically oil fit for human consumption, so I doubt "mayonnaise" is the magic. There'll be PLENTY of information on the internet -- Try YouTube -- I love that site for do-it-yourself projects.
 
nota bene said:
Yay for you!!

No tips, but I need to refinish the top of an old desk and have heard that I should try rubbing mayo into it first. Truth?
Click to expand...

I've heard mayo is good for hiding scratches and giving a bit of a shine, but it does contain eggs, so I would wonder what it would smell like a couple of days down the road.

Citrus oil will provide the same shine and coverage, without the possibility of something nasty in a few days.
 
nota bene said:
Yay for you!!

No tips, but I need to refinish the top of an old desk and have heard that I should try rubbing mayo into it first. Truth?
Click to expand...

Depending on what the condition of the desk surface is, you may be able to use some Old English wood "scratch cover". It comes in different wood tones, and I've used it on gun stocks before, if they just had a little light scratch, or finish imperfections.

 
Last edited:
I built my own front porch bench because I wanted something a little taller than I could buy as to help out a regular visitor with knee problems who has trouble standing up off standard height furniture. I swear a tornado could blow my house away and that thing would still be sitting there it is so heavy since I used 4x4's to build the frame.

Household tip--vinegar and lots of it. It can be used for most anything.
 

No, the damage is greater. So great--my desktop's sitting on it--that I don't even use a coaster. I mean, why bother? But my grandfather built it, and when I was a child, it had a cool glass top, so I'd like to restore it.

I've never tried to refinish anything, just a little staining, so I'm nervous.
 

In that case, I would sand it with a fine grit paper, and coat it with either polyurethane or varnish, depending on the finish/tone you want. Is it a golden oak, or a darker oak?
 
nota bene said:
...I should try rubbing mayo into it first.
Click to expand...

Why was it recomended?

I mean, is it supposed to remove the old finish, or condition the wood, or serve some other purpose?

I've refinished several pieces of furniture and I've never heard the mayo thing.

I've always just gone with caustic chemicals. Maybe the mayo is an "all natural" alternative?
 

This is an example of the kind of recycling/environmental initiative that most people can get behind and that can go a long way to helping ease our use/abuse of the planet. It may seem like a small thing, but you should be proud you thought about it and accomplished it yourself - that's always best.
 

Greetings, Maggie. :2wave:

You go, girl! :thumbs:

While people are tipping, can someone tell me what to do about replacement cushions for said furniture without taking out a loan? After a few years, they start looking tacky, too. Unfortunately the cushions cost more to replace than the furniture did to begin with, even on sale! My mom used to recover hers, but that's just one of the things she wanted to teach me that I never found time to learn, darn it! I'm sorry now!
 

Not knowing what's "expensive" to you, I looked these up...2-piece chair cushions $20 each; 1-piece chair cushion $12 each. Made of polyester. Garden Oasis Flemming Chair Cushion - Outdoor Living - Patio Furniture - Replacement Cushions

Here's a YouTube video on how to make them: Decor : How to Sew Patio Cushions - YouTube

Hope something helps.
 

Thanks, Maggie! :thumbs: If the sewing gene carried over from my mom, I may experiment. I had cushions made professionally years ago, and sadly, they didn't last any longer than some I've bought at Sears. One year the mice that spend the winter in my shed decided they were great for nesting, and figured out how to get at the lovely stuffing to make it comfy for their babies! Aaargh! New cushions again! I'm about to go with the Adironack type furniture in self defense! No cushions needed!
 
lizzie said:
In that case, I would sand it with a fine grit paper, and coat it with either polyurethane or varnish, depending on the finish/tone you want. Is it a golden oak, or a darker oak?
Click to expand...

I don't think it's oak. I've never sanded anything but do know there are grades of "fine." Recommendations? And when you sand, do you just go for all the color being off and a smooth surface? (Did I mention that I'm clueless?)
 
nota bene said:
I don't think it's oak. I've never sanded anything but do know there are grades of "fine." Recommendations? And when you sand, do you just go for all the color being off and a smooth surface? (Did I mention that I'm clueless?)
Click to expand...

If it's solid oak, you shouldn't be able to alter the grain by sanding. If it's a veneer, then you have to be careful. If you have a pic, I can try to be more helpful. It won't sand off the color, unless it's painted. If it's just coated, then it will lighten a little, and have a "dusty" look. As for the sandpaper, I would use a fine to start out with, then follow with extra fine grit. The sandpaper packaging should indicate what the grit is.
 

Cherry is usually a reddish to "maroon" type wood color. Walnut is a really dark hardwood. Oak comes in a golden or darker brown, as you will see in Mission-style furniture. Regardless, whatever type of wood it is, if it's solid, sanding should be no problem. Veneer is a different story because it's an ultra-thin layer of decorative wood which has been glued onto a less expensive foundation of wood.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…