A Timely Refresh for a Vintage Metal Yard Chair

I’m sure you have seen these vintage metal yard chairs. I call them patio chairs. They are also commonly called shellback, clamshell or tulip chairs. They’ve been around my whole life. We didn’t see too many growing up in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia back in the 70’s and 80’s. But they were prevalent in Wildwood New Jersey and along the Jersey Shore where people often used them on their porches and patios. They were staples in the hotels and motels as well. Durable, due to their metal construction, they were often painted in bright colors that brightened the area.

So when I reclaimed this one from my daughter, I knew she needed a refresh and a special place in my garden to invoke those sweet Wildwood memories and brighten a corner in our yard.

She is in great shape for her age. Very little rust. And most of it is just surface rust.

I’ve heard that you can repair more serious damage with auto repair body filler. Good to note that for the future. But my project will just consist of sanding and painting, fortunately.

Let’s Get Started

As always, we start with a good cleaning followed by a good sanding to remove loose paint and smooth the surface for better paint adhesion.

After sanding, she got another wipedown to remove the dust.

Time for paint color selection. I just received a lovely yellow paint from Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint. This paint was designed for use on salvaged, antique, and vintage items marked for restoration. So, BDSFP is perfect for this vintage metal yard or patio chair. Let me introduce you to Star City Sunshine!

I expected 3 coats would be needed since this yellow is covering the pinky mauve which covered the red.

Here is the chair after one coat.

As expected, I moved onto a second coat. The trick to better coverage is to ensure the first coat has completely dried before moving onto the next coat. This keeps the paint from streaking. Here is Sunshine during application of the second coat.

And finally, voila!

shopatblu vintage antique mahogany side table upcycle thrift store decor team new graphic Wednesday

It’s that time of month where the Thrift Store Decor Team publishes new posts! On the second Wednesday of every month, the team shares new projects featuring upcycled, recycled, renewed or newly created items that you can use in your decor. Accompanying the transformation pieces are always new tips, skills and products to help you in your DIY and upcycling journey!