Don’t throw away that UGLY outdoor furniture! This easy DIY ANYONE can do shows how to spray paint plastic chairs without spending a lot of money or time!
Update on how this project held up at the end of this post!
I like free stuff. Free is good, but sometimes you need to spruce up the free stuff. Know what I mean?
I think you probably do because you’re reading my blog about all things repurposed, trash to treasure and DIY related.
Today’s project is a short little tutorial on how to spray paint plastic chairs. I’m thinking you probably have a couple of ugly chairs in your backyard that need a makeover, too!
When our next door neighbor of 25 years moved away she left us a round table and four chairs for extra seating in our backyard. They’ve just been hanging around on our deck but I did use them in this Fourth of July tablescape.
The chairs were in dire need of transformation and since I love pops of color I knew the backyard was the perfect place for them.
Quick tips for spray painting plastic furniture:
- Find a chair or piece of furniture.
- Clean chair.
- Let the chair dry.
- Apply first coat.
- Turn your piece over and paint any areas that will be seen.
- Repeat for a second coat on all areas.
- Add a protective top coat.
How to Spray Paint Plastic Chairs
Materials
(This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.)
Spray Cleaner (You can even get one specifically for plastic)
Spray Paint for Plastic
Protective Gloss Top Coating
Step 1. Find a chair or piece of furniture.
In our neighborhood people are always throwing out chairs but you can also be on the lookout at yard sales and thrift stores.
Seriously, if everyone knew what a quick transformation a coat of spray paint provided those chairs would be snatched up!
Step 2. If necessary, sand to obtain a smooth surface.
Update: I repainted this chair 4 years later and sanded areas that needed it.
Step 3. Clean chair.
Plastic chairs tend to absorb all sorts of debris and stains from living outdoors in all types of weather.
All I did was scrub with a good cleaner (you can even get one specifically designed for plastic) but more than likely you won’t get the chair perfectly clean. That’s alright! Paint covers a multitude of sins!
Step 4. Let the chair dry.
I made sure I saved plenty of time for the plastic to dry out so the paint would adhere well. No sense skipping this step and messing up the final product!
Step 5. Apply first coat to the bottom of chair and any areas that will be seen.
Nothing fancy about spray painting. No priming is needed with this spray paint for plastic.
Just layer on a decent first coat and let it dry for about 45 minutes. Since I’m a messy painter I used plastic underneath to protect the yard. You might want to put on old shoes, too. ~eye roll~
Step 6. Turn your piece over and paint remaining areas.
You don’t have to waste paint on the underside of the seat but check for nooks and crannies that will be visible. Let dry for another few minutes.
Step 7. Repeat for a second coat on all areas.
I found two coats to be sufficient, which ended up using about 1 1/2 cans of paint per chair. I’m probably a little more liberal with the paint than my husband but for just a few bucks you’ve got brand new chairs!
Step 8. Add a protective top coat.
We actually chose a matte color and wanted a top coat that was also a gloss. But I recommend that you seal your chairs with a protective top coat, especially if they will be seeing any kind of weather.
Once I finished the chairs I knew I wanted to use them around our fire pit.
We have a variety of available seating, including two shabby chic benches, which really means they’re falling apart and are being held up by a support! Not good so my new bright red chairs will add color and sass as we sit around the fire.
Perfect for some self care for mama. Such simple words that really mean “mama needs to take better care of herself because life is stressful.” Can anyone relate?
On a recent cool morning that’s exactly what I did. I took some time to create a beautiful little spot by the fire.
I chose to stop long enough to breath in deeply, enjoy a muffin and spend time journaling and talking to God.
Mr. Carson was my furry companion!
I’m passionate about helping women learn to create a treasured home without spending a lot of time and money. I think learning how to spray paint plastic chairs qualifies as one of the easiest DIY projects anyone can do!
What do you think? Do you have some old chairs or furniture you want to paint now?
Chair update: these chairs lasted 2-3 years out in the elements in our backyard. I sprayed them again with a gloss and love how it looks! It doesn’t have to be perfect especially if there is no protection from weather.
More painting tips:
7 Chalk Painting Tips for Beginners
How to Use Chalk Paint Wax + Distressing
How to Paint Over Dark Walls
How to Stain Your Wood Deck
Love, love, love Mr. Carson….oh, and the chairs are pretty, too
Hi, Nancy. Mr. Carson is my dog and so spoiled but greatly loved! Can you tell? Thanks so much for visiting the blog!
Thanks so much for this article. I Live in a high rise senior apartment building. My friend gave me two white plastic chairs and I have been wanting to clean them and spray paint them. I love the color of your chairs and you set them up so beautifully!Mr Carson looks like a wonderful addition to your backyard and I’m sure he is a treasured member of your family. I’m looking forward to two much prettier patio chairs thanks to you. God bless!
Hi, Connie. Thanks so much for sharing about your apartment and patio. I think it’s wonderful that you’re creating beauty wherever you can find it and I know you’ll enjoy those FREE plastic chairs even more now! And yes, Mr. Carson is a spoiled member of our household!
When I was a kid, my mom , also expert at making things nice on a budget, she bought us kids a white plastic table/seat set that I always loved, but now it is hopelessly discolored. I kept it, hoping to one day find a way to save it….and now I have it! I can hardly wait to try it out & maybe find a place for this treasured set on my balcony.
Thank you & I look forward to finding more ideas on your blog!
Hi, Rachel. I’m so glad you shared the story of the table from your childhood. I do hope painting it will help you enjoy it even longer. I’d love for you to subscribe to my blog for more tips on creating a treasured home!
Great idea. I will try to do this at home. I got old chairs that need makeover.
Love the idea of sprucing up old plastic chairs and giving them a new life. The red colour just pops up in your backyard and looks so inviting. Thanks for the post, I will definitely paint my boring plastic chairs which I’ve been meaning to throw away 🙂 Time to go shopping now.
Hi Marty, I don’t have plastic chairs that need spray painting but I do have a very old yellow plastic clothes hamper that could use a re-do. Thanks for this, now I can do it!! 🙂
Hi, Lynn. I’m glad you found my tutorial. Good luck with your clothes hamper! I’m sure painting it will be such an improvement!
This is perfect for some chairs i just bought. I like the chairs but not so much the color!! Thanks for sharing.
So glad for you, Yvette! Hope your project turns out perfectly!
Hi Marty ! Can you paint vinyl straps on outdoor patio chairs & chaise lounge. The are the topical pool white chairs.
Thank
Lucy Orr
Hi, Lucy. I’m not exactly sure because I’ve never tried it before. My thought is that the chalk paint wouldn’t adhere to the straps very well. You could always try it on the underside of the chair and see how you like it. Good luck!
What a great tip…..I’ve never thought of painting dingy chairs (mine really need this!!!!)…..Let me share a tip I have about painting chairs…..paint the bottom first… Stools, tables, chairs, anything with legs….turn upside down and paint first….then flip it back over and paint. You don’t have to wait for anything to dry. (usually)
Hi, Renee. Thanks so much for sharing the tip about painting upside down first. So good!
Great job Marty. Especially love the colors. I have to say your table cloth looks vintage. Very similar to some I have. Love it all.
Hi, Karen. Yes, the tablecloth is vintage! I so love using linens that are beautiful and tell a story. Thanks for the compliment!
I thought that this was a great idea. I have recently got into painting everything, so why not the garden chairs! I went to buy the spray and here in UK it’s actually more expensive per spray than the cost of a new chair 😢
Hi, Patty. I’m so sorry! That’s so disappointing! Is it still the same way with Amazon?
I have always painted the underneath side of my projects first, too. Then you can turn it over and paint the top side while the underneath side is still wet and let them both dry at the same time. Saves time! Once dry, paint the underneath side again and flip over while wet and paint the upper side again and let dry. Much faster!
Great suggestion, Judith. Thanks for sharing!
Great job, as usual, Marty. Loving Mr. Carson too.
Thanks so much, Karen!
Marty, your DIYs always inspire me so much! I’ve currently got a bathroom that I demo’d that I’m waiting to get finished up….. (inspired by you). Thank you for sharing your gifts with us, your readers. Be encouraged, my friend!
So thrilled you got to redo your bathroom and thank you for always encouraging me!