Did you know that the average patio set sells for about $800? That’s crazy! What’s even crazier is that we as Americans dump over 28 million tons of furniture — and some of that is patio furniture. Instead of throwing out your old, worn-down, sunbleached or mildewed set, you can actually rescue and restore it. Check out our Before photo - hard to believe, right?

This week on Finish Friday, Amy Howard walks you through how to paint patio cushions with One Step Paint, as well as how to seal your cushions and furniture so they can withstand the elements, your next barbeque, or your kids’ popsicles. This week’s video is really going to make a difference in how you use your outdoor furniture, so check it out.

Tools You Need to Paint Your Patio Furniture Cushions

Are you already looking at your outdoor cushions and chairs, daydreaming about how you can make them beautiful once again? Our Outdoor Furniture Bundle will help you get started on your own outdoor fabric and furniture project, so make sure to check that out.

The Outdoor Furniture Bundle includes:

• Clean Slate
• Bauhaus Buff One Step Paint
• Matte Sealer

You’ll also need a couple of synthetic brushes and, if you want, a complimentary One Step Paint color (or three!) to match your color scheme. You can also use Mind Your Own Beeswax to seal patio cushions if you prefer that! Once you’ve got all your materials, it’s time to get started.

Restoring Furniture Cushions and Furniture

First, you’ll need to use the Clean Slate to clean your cushions and/or furniture pieces as much as possible. It’s okay if you don’t get it all, and it’s also fine if there are still some stains or discoloration from sun bleaching and dirt. We just want to get up the majority of the gunk before we start painting.

Once your Clean Slate has dried (about 15-20 minutes), you can get ready to paint. Because cushions are fabric, you’ll need to water down your One Step Paint: scoop out a bit of paint into a bowl and water it down to 20% paint/water ratio. Then, dip your synthetic brush in the thinned paint and start applying it to your cushion or furniture. Work in long, clean strokes, making sure to go the same direction and work with a wet edge. Don’t try to put it on too thick, either. As Amy says in the video, it’s okay to not have complete coverage; you’ll come back and do a second coat. Once your first coat is done, set it aside to dry. It will dry kind of rough, so you will need to sand between coats with 220 sandpaper. Of course, Amy mentions, make sure to sand in the same direction that you painted.

To protect the painted finish, you can use Matte Sealer or Mind Your Beeswax. If you use beeswax, just shake it up and apply it with a lint-free rag, rubbing it evenly across your entire cushion. If you want a more hardy sealant, the Matte Sealer is great. It’s water-based, VOC-free, and you can apply it with a synthetic brush. Amy explains that, as you do with the One Step Paint, it’s important to keep a wet edge and apply the sealer with long, clean strokes. Don’t leave it in the direct sunlight, as that will cause it to dry too quickly.

If you want to add a design or accent to your pillow, tape off the area with painters tape. Make sure to cover piping or anywhere you may paint that you don’t intend to. This way, you get a clean edge that looks 100% professional.

Beautify Your Outdoor Space With More Restoration Ideas

While Amy shows you how to paint outdoor cushions in the video, she also gives you a few tips when you start painting your outdoor furniture, as well. Make sure to check out the video if you want to learn from Amy directly as she gives new life to an old and dingy patio cushion. Then, tune in next Friday at 12 noon Central for another segment of Finish Friday. You can Follow and Like the Amy Howard at Home Facebook page to get notified when she goes live!

You can also join the Before and After Amy Howard at Home group to get inspired by other DIYers who use Amy Howard at Home products. This group is a treasure trove of rescue and restore ideas, so make sure to join!

Do you have a few clay pots around the house or that you’ve rescued from garage sales? Or maybe you bought one too many for your garden at the hardware store? In this week’s Finish Friday video, Amy demonstrates how to make those clay pots extra special by aging and decorating them. 

See how Amy makes her terracotta pots look straight out of a vintage store by watching this week’s Finish Friday video:

What You Need for Aging Terracotta Pots

To age your own terracotta pots like Amy does in the video, you’ll need items from these items:

• Antiquing Glaze
• Matte Sealer
• 1.5” flat paint chip brushes
• Terracotta pots
• Toscana Milk Paint in Strasbourg White
• Mixing bowl
• Spoon or stir stick
• Natural sea sponge

You’ll also need to know Amy’s techniques, which make all the difference! (Make sure to watch the video if you want to get the full tutorial.)

How to Properly Age and Decorate Plant Pots

Prior to applying the sealer and antiquing glaze to your pots, you’ll paint them first with Toscana Milk Paint. In a mixing bowl, mix up your Toscana Milk Paint powder with room temperature tap water first, using a 1:1 ratio: one part water, one part paint.

Pro tip: Amy suggests adding a little water at a time while mixing with a spoon to get out the grit. Then, you can add more water bit by bit to thin out the consistency a little. Also remember that Amy Howard at Home’s line of milk paint doesn’t have chemicals like other products, which means you should be constantly stirring your mixed milk paint.

Applying Milk Paint to Your Pots

Now that your paint and tools are ready, you can decide how you’d like to paint your pots. In this week’s video, Amy demonstrates two different ways of painting: using a natural sea sponge, and using a flat paint chip brush that comes in the Age Your Terracotta Pot Bundle. If you choose to apply paint with the natural sea sponge, be sure to dampen it with water first so it’s pliable. Dip the underside of the sponge into your paint and blot it onto your pot.

If you choose to paint with a chip brush, apply your paint using quick, even strokes. Amy points out that with a brush, you may be able to see the brushstrokes, which you don’t with the natural sea sponge. However, both methods of painting will work if you use the right technique. Once your pot is completely painted, the milk paint will only take about 10 minutes to dry — just one of the great things about them. They’re organic, with no VOCs, and you can mix them to create your own colors.

Using Antiquing Glaze

Once your painted pots are dry, you’re ready to glaze. Pour a small amount in a mixing bowl. Keep a separate mixing bowl of tap water nearby. You’ll need this bowl of water to clean off your natural sea sponge between applications.

Soak your sea sponge in the glaze, wring it out, and dab it onto the surface of your pot. Some paint will come off on the sponge, which is okay! Rinse your sponge in the bowl of water so that you don’t transfer paint back into your bowl of glaze. Apply your glaze to the entire pot fairly quickly and let it saturate for a few minutes. For your second coat of glaze, use a little more pressure to lift off more paint and make it look even more textured and aged. If you take off too much, or you’re applying more than one paint color, you can apply more Toscana Milk Paint and repeat the process.

Amy also demonstrates how to add a unique design to your painted and antiqued pot — a technique you’ll definitely want to learn! And with a reusable, adhesive stencil from  A Makers’ Studio, Amy’s sister company, you can easily customize your pots even further.

Finishing With a Sealer

After you’re happy with how your pot looks, it’s time to finish it off with a sealer. Using Matte Sealer will protect your pot from getting wet, either from the weather or when you water your plants and flowers.

To seal your pot properly, pour a small amount of Matte Sealer into a mixing bowl. Load up a clean chip brush with sealer and apply it quickly to the inside and outside of your pot. The sealer looks white, but it will dry down to a matte finish in about 10 minutes. Once dry to the touch, your pot is ready to go!

Create a Beautiful Space With Aged Terracotta

With summer fast approaching, now is the perfect time to add beautiful pots of flowers or herbs to your home. You might create these aged clay pots to add to your kitchen windowsill as Amy does, display them outside on your back patio, or add them to your front porch. And the great thing about terracotta is, the older it gets, the more beautiful it looks.

Want more projects like this one? Catch next week’s Finish Friday for more insight into Amy’s projects, tips, and tricks! Follow and “Like” our Facebook page so you don’t miss out. Finish Friday goes live every Friday at 12 noon Central.

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When you first set out to start your next DIY project, you might be overwhelmed by options. Which tools do you use, and which paints? Even more confusing, what if two paints seems to be nearly identical in terms of color but you’re not sure which formula is best for your specific project? And how do you know which paint will help you antique your piece the way you envision?

Amy Howard knows how hard it can be to choose paints and tools for your project, which is why on this episode of Finish Friday, she is diving into the difference between chalk-based paint and milk paint.

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It’s often hard to see the potential of a piece when you first buy or rescue it. Sometimes, it’s even harder to see how you can recreate Old World finishes on furniture or decor you’ve owned for a while.

On this episode of Finish Friday, Amy walks you through a few ways to finish your pieces using Amy Howard at Home’s Legno Gesso and Toscana Milk Paint. Because the cracked gesso and milk paint dry quickly, you’ll be able to give your pieces that Old World finish you didn’t think you could get outside of Europe!

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When it comes to your wood furniture, including tables, chairs, and shelving, it can be hard to know how to restore and maintain them. Most people use more “commercial” products, like Pledge or Endust, thinking that it will keep wood healthy. However, many feel that these leave an unpleasant oily, chemical finish on their furniture. That’s exactly why Amy Howard created Furniture Tonic, our all-natural wood protectant.

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