How To Make Rocking Chair Rockers
Refinishing your weathered wooden rocking chair tin relieve you from having to buy a replacement. Doing it by yourself tin can also salvage you money in the process. Only you need the right tools and knowledge of how to refinish a wooden rocking chair to succeed in this project.
Starting time by cleaning your wooden rocking chair. Vacuum or dust information technology off to remove loose dirt and grit, or wipe it with a damp material. Employ a pigment stripper on the whole chair to remove whatsoever previous finish and let it sit for fifteen minutes before gently scraping it out with a putty pocketknife. When the chair is dry, utilize a sanding sponge to shine it out. Wipe out the sanding dust with a dry rag. Next, spray the chair with a thin layer of lacquer, so apply glaze – wiping the excess production with a rag as you go. Let it dry out for about an hour before spraying information technology with a final clear coat of water-based urethane.
Why refinish a wooden rocking chair
Even though wooden rocking chairs tend to take a long lifespan, exposure to weather elements and years of use can take a cost on any furniture.
Regardless of the kind of wood used to brand the chair, elements such as heat, moisture, and mold tin can cause damage. Refinishing is one way to shield the wooden surface from straight exposure to these harmful elements.
Carefully finishing your wooden rocking chair tin can also heighten and preserve its beauty. Yous tin can choose to finish the chair in a color of your choosing, seamlessly meshing with your home's overall outdoor color palette.
How to refinish a wooden rocking chair
If you want your wooden rocking chair to final a lot more than years outside, so y'all'll want to invest some fourth dimension in refinishing information technology.
Stride 1 – Prepping the chair for refinishing.
If the chair has been sitting outside for long, it is likely to have loose dirt on the surface. Consider kicking off your project by dusting it off to remove the loose particles on its surface.
This offset part should exist piece of cake. Y'all could use a vacuum cleaner to suck up the dust or use a material to dust information technology off.
Footstep 2 – Removing the previous finish.
The second – near important thing – is to remove the previous finish, whether information technology was pigment or another coating, by applying a paint stripper.
Use a sponge or soft-bristled paintbrush to apply a layer of paint stripper to the wooden rocking chair.
Whatever paint stripper you lot can go on Amazon should go the job done. You can also buy one from a paint shop near you.
Whichever option y'all choose, make certain to utilise the stripper on all surfaces of the chair. Ideally, it should cover every inch of the furniture to remove every bit of the previous coating.
Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions when applying the stripper. That said, apply it with heavy coats and let information technology to penetrate the erstwhile protective finish.
Leave information technology on for approximately fifteen minutes. This should be enough time for it to work the old finish, loosening it.
Yous should then be able to remove the softened finish by scraping it with a putty knife. Exist gentle about it, so y'all don't gouge the wood surface.
The curved surfaces will crave boosted care to clean. Clean them with a flexible stripping pad, every bit this volition simplify your piece of work.
Though the flexible stripping pad tin do the job, you may want to apply a piece of twine to reach more finesse. Glaze the twine with dampened pumice to brand information technology reasonably coarse, and use information technology to work the tiny grooves in your chair's turned spindles.
Your rocker is likely to have brackets, and metallic bolts like most wooden rocking chairs practise. Some people recommend removing these parts before starting the refinishing process, so you don't prime or paint them.
Removing such parts may create an added ton of work to your project. We recommend simply roofing the brackets or bolts with a painter's tape, which y'all can strip off afterwards yous finish the projection, and voila!
The painter's tape will come in handy for covering all the parts you don't intend to paint.
Step 3 – Sanding the rocking chair.
With the erstwhile stain gone, it is fourth dimension to go along to sand the chair. Cleaning the furniture and removing the erstwhile finish before sanding ensures the fresh coat y'all will apply comes out overnice and smooth.
Bank check to ensure the wood is dry before yous start sanding. This step ensures you have a adept, smooth surface gear up for your new layer of clear coat.
Use a medium grit sanding sponge or 220-grit paper to smooth out the surface and remove whatsoever raised grain that could brand the finished wood wait blotchy.
Once done, apply a make clean, dry rag to wipe all the sanding grit before you lot showtime spraying the furniture.
Step 4 – Applying your finish.
The products you utilize to refinish your wooden rocking chair may differ based on your preferences. In our case, we volition recommend using a wiping coat or wiping stain concentrate for your finish.
Also, ensure yous accept a foam paint brush for applying the glaze and condom gloves to protect your easily from staining. You will also need a spray can of lacquer and a spray can of Helmsman Spar Urethane – preferably water-based.
Outset by spraying the chair with the lacquer to give it a tough, resilient, and h2o-resistant clear coat. The coat volition also provide a good foundation for a nice and even glaze finish. Applying glaze on bare wood may result in a somewhat darker look that may be less appealing.
You don't need a heavy coat in this instance. Just spray a thin, fifty-fifty layer of the lacquer on the whole chair.
Examine the furniture for any rough spots that may require a light, quick sanding after yous end applying the lacquer.
Use your foam paintbrush to use an even layer of glaze on the whole chair, wiping the backlog product with a rag every bit you go.
In one case you are satisfied with the look and depth of the glaze, allow information technology time to dry. Usually, the drying process should have anywhere from thirty minutes to i hour.
Equally the final process, spray the piece of furniture with a clear glaze of the water-based Helmsman Spar Urethane. First with the bottom to the top of the chair and dry for nigh fifteen minutes.
The articulate coat of urethane is specially formulated as a clear protective finish for chairs exposed to conditions elements that could be potentially dissentious.
With this protective layer, the rocker will be able to withstand the harsh effects of the sun'southward UV rays, water, and temperature changes.
The product is loaded with UV blockers to reduce the fading effects of sunlight. It forms a protective bulwark against rain and moisture.
How much does it cost to refinish a wooden rocking chair?
The toll of refinishing a wooden rocking chair will vary depending on the products used (if you exercise it by yourself). If you cull instead to enlist professional paintwork, you lot can await to spend anywhere between 200 and 500 USD.
The toll will be slightly higher than that of refinishing a regular dining seat or table because rockers are more often than not more than complex.
Y'all can look to spend more than money on a weathered rocking seat compared to a newer 1 that requires less work to refinish.
So, the amount comes down to the status of the chair you are looking to refinish, as this volition determine the process.
Dos and don'ts when refinishing wooden rocking chairs
You lot may get the job done even past taking a different approach than what we have described hither. However, there are a few ground rules that will govern each process you follow. Take a expect.
The Dos
- Do clean the surface before jumping into the refinishing project. This is to remove whatever clay, grease, or oil on the chair surface that could bear on your project.
- Do habiliment rubber gloves and a protective painter's mask when applying paints and primers. These products incorporate chemicals that could damage your skin or trigger allergic reactions when you inhale them.
- Practise read the instructions on each product and take each recommended precautionary measure to avoid accidents.
- Exercise condition the surface or apply a primer to seal the wood and even it out before using paint or the refinishing product.
The Don'ts
Do not use orbitals or electric sanders. Using such tools on this kind of project will not provide expert results every bit certain chair parts are likewise narrow for the tools to reach. Not to mention that you risk dissentious the article of furniture when y'all use an orbital or electrical sander.
Practice not refinish furniture without repairing the damaged parts. You want a chair that will function equally well as information technology looks. Refinishing i without repairing loose or broken parts volition but terminate up with a beautiful simply unstable or wobbly piece of furniture.
Do non apply ability washers to make clean the seat. The pressure on a power washer will probable impairment your furniture past causing cracks from opened seams in the woods.
Tips for maintaining wooden rocking chairs outdoors
Proper intendance and maintenance tin can go a long way in maximizing the lifespan of your furniture. And, it doesn't take a lot of work to maintain and care for your rockers.
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Clean any dirt equally soon as information technology occurs or when you become aware of it
Things such as spills, bird droppings, sunscreen, or grime tin can become stubborn stains if left to linger on the woods for long. Even with protective finishes, these stains can still human activity as a petri dish for mildew, leading to unsightly discolorations and untimely deterioration.
Cleaning them off every bit soon as possible will prevent permanent staining or damage and ensures your chair remains pristine for much longer.
For loose dirt, become in the habit of dusting the surfaces with a clean, dry textile or sucking up the dust with a vacuum cleaner.
For spills and sticky substances, use a clean rag dampened in a solution of mild dish soap or oil soap and water. The idea is to avert letting water sit on the chair for long.
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Bring the seat within during the offseason.
When y'all know yous won't be using your beautiful wooden rocker for some time, the wise thing is to bring information technology indoors.
Keep the chair sheltered away from the harsh elements outside to protect and preserve its expert features.
No 1 sits on a rocking chair outside during winter. This is a skillful time to store the outdoor article of furniture indoors until the season changes.
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Embrace information technology upward when not in utilise
If you prefer to leave your chair inside its designated space exterior, consider covering it with an appropriate textile. Yous can go durable article of furniture covers on Amazon and the local furniture stores virtually you.
While this may mean added expenses, it will be well worth it. The little investment will shield your article of furniture and keep dust, lord's day rays, and rain from damaging it – maximizing your investment in the long run.
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Pigment the chair as frequently as recommended
Your article of furniture manufacturer can offer recommendations on how oft y'all should refinish your outdoor rocker based on the environment or weather condition conditions it is exposed to. Be sure to follow these recommendations and requite the article of furniture the occasional treat it requires.
Although painting eliminates that natural wait of your wooden chair, it is a worthy tradeoff 99-percentage of the time.
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Seal it with a water-based option
A water-based sealant tin can be an splendid alternative for those who wish to retain the aesthetics of their sand wooden rocking chairs.
A suitable sealant provides the same, if not better, protection of paint without altering the piece of furniture'southward original colour.
Sealants protect the furniture confronting wet from the outside environment while assuasive the damp wood to dry within. As such, your furniture will not rot or warp if you seal it or use an electric sander.
Decision
Many homeowners choose to refinish their favorite piece of furniture by themselves today because they increasingly realize they don't take to be skilled to do it.
You can borrow the same mindset and kickoff your DIY refinishing projects today. You will find information technology cheaper and satisfying to see a project through without the assistance of a professional.
You also take the added reward of this detailed resource to guide yous through the projection.
Frequently Asked Questions.
What kind of paint practice you use on wooden rocking chairs?
The best paint to use on an outdoor wooden rocking chair is latex, simply y'all volition need to gear up the surface past sanding information technology using a manual or an electric sander to get a smooth cease.
How much space does a rocking chair need?
On boilerplate, an outdoor wooden rocking chair takes around 18-30 inches broad. Assuming you lot accept three rocking chairs, you'll need ix inches at virtually to let free rocking. However, you tin customize the rockers based on the space you take.
What colors do you utilize to paint rocking chairs outdoors?
While colors might not be a determinant of great outdoor rockers, choosing the ane that complements your outdoor infinite is appropriate. Paint stores have paints in different colors such as woods green, vivid red, or classic white that can perfectly fit your outdoors.
Can you stop a wooden rocking chair from sliding?
Yes. The well-nigh permanent way to finish an outdoor rocker from sliding is to repair the lacking legs by making them even. However, if you lack the tools for doing so, you can utilise glue to attach materials such as felt or rug padding on the rocker's bottom.
What can I exercise with an old wooden rocking chair?
Yous can utilise an old wooden rocking chair to make several home materials such as a shoe rack, glaze rack, a storage box, coat hangers, dog feeders, or a sidewalk chalkboard.
Can I put a wooden rocking chair outdoors?
Yes, wooden rocking chairs are ideal for both outdoor and indoor usage.
Source: https://elegantoutdoorspace.com/how-to-refinish-a-wooden-rocking-chair/
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