How To Refinish Adirondack Chairs

If you’ve been following along on my Instagram stories, you know I’m working on a total backyard overhaul at Flip 5. There are so many big & little projects to make the backyard an oasis, and one of those projects was refinishing some vintage adirondack chairs I found at the curb…for free! They were in rough condition, moss was growing on them, screws were loose, and they were ugly. But they had potential…and they were free so what did I have to lose?! If you’re curious about how to refinish adirondack chairs, it takes a little bit of elbow grease, the right stain, & proper application.

Adirondack Chair/BEFORE
Adirondack Love Seat/BEFORE

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Wagner. I received the product from them; however, all thoughts, images & content are mine alone. As always, I’m thankful for brands that support this blog, & I’m grateful for Wagner’s contribution.

Despite how they looked, the chairs were fairly secure. I did reinforce some of the screws before I started stripping them though. If you happen to score some free curbside Adirondack chairs or find some cheap ones at a yard sale or flea market, don’t be intimidated by the discolored wood or fraying splinters! Refinishing these classic chairs is an easy weekend DIY project!

Clean The Chairs

These chairs had set outside for years. They were covered in pine needles, bird poop, dirt or who knows what else. I started by using a broom to clean off the debris. Then I used a leaf blower to get in the crevices.

Sand The Chairs

How To Use An Orbital Sander

The longer the chairs have been exposed to the elements, the more sanding & prep work they will need. I used my orbital sander like this one which is easy & lightweight. I use mine for all kinds of projects! Using the right sandpaper is critical to getting a smooth finish. I started with a rough 60 grit to really smooth down the splinters. After I fully sanded, I then swapped out sandpaper for a finer grit- a 220 grit.

Wash The Chairs

This is the most important step because it really cleans the wood- even below the surface & in the crevices. Since I don’t own a power washer, I loaded up the chairs & went to the car wash with Dad. For $3, I had the chairs looking so good!

power washing scum and mildew off chairs

Pick The Right Stain

Since these chairs are old, I didn’t want them to look new. I wanted to pick a stain that looked weathered, and I couldn’t find the exact one I wanted. Instead, I did what many others have done on Pinterest, & I layered stains…and now I am hooked!

If you’re layering stains, it’s very easy and creates a more dimensional color. To layer stain, apply one stain first (I chose the Dark Walnut first) and while it’s still wet, apply the 2nd stain (I finished with the Classic Gray).

Wagner Flexio 3000 To Stain The Chairs

flexio 3000 paint sprayer for chairs — Wagner Flexio 3000

While you could stain these by hand, it would substantially add time to this project. If you’re wanting to easily get this project done in less than 30 minutes, the Wagner FLEXiO 3000 makes staining (& painting!) so much faster. I used a paint sprayer because it was a no-mess, fast way to knock out this project.

Wagner Flexio 3000 Stain Sprayer

Honestly, with every DIY project, I anticipate something to go wrong, to learn lessons, or to even have to scratch and start over. This was one of the easiest (& cheapest!) projects that will really enhance my backyard makeover when it’s complete. If I needed any reminding, never drive passed “junk” at the curb!

This project cost about $30 for sanding discs and stain. The chairs were free- despite being in rough shape. The most labor intensive part of the project was prepping the chairs. I didn’t want to do a quick prep. I wanted these chairs to withstand the elements without having to redo them again in a year or two. As for the staining part, I saved SO. MUCH. TIME. by using the Wagner FLEXiO 3000 paint sprayer! Stick around as I stock knocking out more projects on the backyard makeover to get the Garage Airbnb ready for business!

And here’s the fun news! Wagner is giving away one FREE FLEXiO 3000 to one of my followers! If you’ve got some DIY projects on your to-do list, you’ll want to enter! Deadline for entries is Friday, September 20th!

How To Refinish Adirondack Chairs