4 tips to keep patio furniture rust-free

If you are dealing with rusting furniture, use the following methods to eliminate existing rust and prevent it from forming in the future.

Spray the metal with a rust-resisting protective spray before rust forms. This will help prevent the rust from reaching the metal. Pay special attention to the joints in the metal where the pieces connect. Don't neglect the underside of the furniture. Avoid protective sealers on painted furniture — spray only on bare metal. For painted furniture, use a rust-resistant paint.

Before starting your paint project, make sure the furniture is completely free of rust. Spray the entire furniture with metal paint primer. This will help the paint stick and prevent rusting due to peeling paint. When the primer is dry, spray the furniture with rust-resistant paint. Finally, after that layer dries, spray the furniture with a rust-fighting clear coat. If you follow the steps correctly, your furniture should stand up to anything but torrential rain and snow.

The only way to truly prevent all rusting is to keep the furniture out of the rain, snow, or any other significant exposure to moisture. If you know it is going to rain, pull your patio furniture indoors or put it under a covered area until the rain passes. During the winter, store your patio furniture inside a covered location, such as a garage or storage shed, until the snow is gone and the weather is nicer.

You can employ all the rust-preventing methods in the world, but if your furniture is metal, it is likely that keeping it outdoors in Canada will eventually lead to some rusting, however small. You can remove existing rust with a variety of methods. Using a metal brush to remove large areas of rust will make the rest of your work easier. Next, use a sander with an abrasive grit to remove remaining rust and pockmarks. Work down to finer and finer sandpaper grits until the rust is completely gone. Paint or seal the furniture to prevent further rusting.