Painting Outdoor Furniture With Enamel Paint

Clean the piece of furniture with a garden hose to eliminate dust and dirt from the surface. Scrape off any loose paint with the paint scraper.

Sand the piece of furniture with 80-grit sandpaper to smooth out the surface.

Apply two coats of water-based primer to the furniture, using a brush or roller depending on the size and shape of the piece. The roller nap should be 3/8- to 1/2-inch long. Drying times for water-based primer are four to six hours. Consult exact times on the primer container.

Lightly sand the primer coat with 120-grit sandpaper for running paint and to smooth out the surface.

Apply two coats of the finishing enamel paint to cover the primer coats. After the first coat, wait for it to completely dry, then lightly sand the surface with 120-grit sandpaper before applying a final coat. Use a roller or brush, depending on the surface size and shape. Allow four to six hours to dry.