Here’s How to Refresh Your Backyard on a Budget

Remove loose rust with a paint scraper and rust remover, then sand it down with coarse grit sandpaper

Place the furniture on a large drop cloth or plastic sheet prior to painting

To deter further rust spray your metal pieces with a metal primer using different angles to get at all the areas on the frames

Choose a colourful spray paint designed for metal and apply with sweeping motion to cover the pieces in a thin, even coat

Once dry apply a second coat and finish the pieces with an outdoor sealer that offers UV protection to help prevent fading of bright colours

Examine your wood furniture for mould and mildew and clean it off with a mould remover (or mix one-part regular bleach with three-parts water)

Rinse off the solution and allow the furniture to dry

Depending on the current condition of the wood, it will need to be sanded, either lightly or heavily, to prepare the surface for staining or painting

If the surface still has the old paint on it, you won’t need to apply primer: two coats of stain or paint should suffice