Time For Lime

I finally got to work on one of the painting projects I have been trying to get completed the last couple of weeks, re-painting my rusted and faded patio plant stands.  The projects were simple but took a bit of prep time since I needed to sweep and vacuum my outdoor studio floors to reduce any dust and dirt before breaking out the paints.  Because my outside studio cats sleep there at night and during bad weather the cat hair can really mount up no matter how much I clean, it can be a real chore to get it ready for painting. Once the clean up was complete, down went the brown craft paper secured with blue painters tape, to protect the floors from too much over-spray, time to get to work making over my plant stands.

This little number was originally a vibrant deep black color which had faded and rusted over the last couple of years.  Time for a good cleaning with a soft brush and a soft cloth to remove dust, dirt and those pesky spider webs.

In order to get the paint to stick to the metal and to reduce rust I sanded down all of the metal with a medium grit sanding block to remove the rust and any loose paint which had started to crack and peel.  Roughing up the paint on the rest of the stand allows the paint to adhere to the smooth surface creating a better bond.

This plant stand was in dire need of a new paint job as well; it started out a cute shabby chic antique white but rusted over time.  I re-sprayed it white several times over the years when I had white wicker outdoor furniture on my little front yard patio.  Alas, I no longer have that furniture and my tastes have gone away from shabby chic to something more colorful and fun. The stand received the same cleaning and sanding treatment to make it ready for its new coat of paint.

All set and ready for the new color, Key Lime by RUST-OLEUM, I love using this paint the coverage is fantastic and I rarely get any dripping unless I stay in one spot too long and don’t keep a constant sweeping movement with the spray can.  I chose this color because of the new fabrics I will be using to recover my patio furniture cushions which includes the colors of blues and vibrant greens.

I always turn my pieces upside down and spray the underside first including the inside of the legs.  I let them completely dry before adding a second and or third coat of paint depending on how well it is covering everything.  Once it is all dry I flip them over and spray the top side with several coats until I get full coverage in all the nooks and crannies.  It is best to use light coats each time instead of one heavy coat which will cause an uneven looking surface.

All done and looking fresh and new dressed in their pretty lime coats of paint, what a difference.  These plant stands should be just the bright pop of color I am looking for on the patio to go with the new fabrics.  If I decide I don’t like the color I can always repaint them, I just love spray paint it is so quick and easy to do, another one of those simple changes for the price of a can of spray paint.

Thanks for letting me share my Key Lime painting project with you, I have another paint project to share with you this week, let me give you a hint, it matches my front door.

See you soon.

Laurette

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