Chalky finish porch swing redo

Early this summer, we finally got around to hanging up the porch swing my sister and brother-in-law got us for Christmas, um, more than two years ago. When I shared that project, I also offered some tips on how to hang a porch swing.

Fast forward a few months. I started noticing some mold and age cracks appearing on the swing. I figured I’d better coat it with something weather-resistant.

I went back and forth on what to do. Should I strip it and stain it? Give it the same treatment as the porch posts? I finally decided that, rather than try to match everything, I’d go bold by adding a pop of color.

I started the project by spraying the whole swing with a cleaning solution of about 50 percent chlorine bleach and 50 percent water, in an attempt to kill any mold and mildew.

Then I took the swing out in the yard and power-washed it. It is quite a Herculean feat to wield a power washer in one hand while simultaneously taking a photo of the process with the other hand. 😉

After the swing dried thoroughly, I set up a makeshift paint spray booth.

I stacked up two sets of three landscaping bricks, then tossed a large painter’s drop cloth over them and perched the swing on top.

The paint I chose for this project was Americana® Decor™ Chalky Finish paint from DecoArt®. It doesn’t require primer underneath it, which is a huge benefit, in my opinion.    

I mixed together two parts Inheritance (orange) with one part Delicate (yellow). Then the project got really fun.

Years ago, I bought a cheap paint sprayer at my local home improvement store. I used it on a few projects, but it tended to spit and sputter and gave me fits. I don’t know if it was because I didn’t clean it properly or because it was a cheap model. I suspect it was a combination of both.

After it completely quit working, I swore off paint sprayers for a long time … until recently. My outdoor copper light fixtures and bathroom cabinet project reminded me of how much I needed a sprayer. The swing project sealed the deal.

My friend, Gail, has been raving about the HomeRight® Finish Max Pro Fine Finish Sprayer. So I asked the folks at HomeRight if I could try one. This machine is a game changer, people.

I loaded the cup with paint, thinning it with about 15 percent water. Then I went to work.

This sprayer effortlessly covered every square inch of the swing – in between all the slats, everywhere – with no spitting or sputtering and very little overspray (i.e. waste). The finish ended up absolutely perfect, which is extremely rare considering I was involved with the project.

Here’s a look at the swing after two coats of the chalky finish paint.

After the paint dried, I sprayed on a coat of varnish (satin finish) to seal it.

Done!

I tried to pick a color that would work well with any of my seasonal decor.

Right now, the fall decorating is in full swing.

What do you think of my chalky finish porch swing? How do you feel about bold paint colors on outdoor furniture?

Special thanks to the folks at DecoArt and HomeRight for providing, at my request, the materials needed to complete this project. As always, all opinions and sweat equity are my own.