• privacy policy
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • Shop the Home
  • Before & After Home Tour

North Country Nest

  • RENOVATIONS BY ROOM
    • The Exterior
    • The Entryway
    • The Living Room
    • The Kitchen
    • The Guest Bathroom
    • The Guest Bedroom #1
    • The Guest Bedroom #2
    • The Laundry Room
    • The Office
    • Master Bathroom
    • The Garage
  • DIY + DECOR
    • Cleaning + Organization
    • DIY Projects
    • Furniture
    • Home Decor
  • RECIPES
    • Appetizer Recipe
    • Breakfast Recipe
    • Dessert Recipe
    • Dinner Recipe
    • Drink Recipe
    • Garden Recipe
    • Lunch Recipe
    • Snack Recipe
    • Soup Recipe
    • One Pan Meal
    • Meals Under 30 Minutes
  • SEASONAL
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Fall
    • Holiday
    • Winter

Off Our Rocker – A Garage Sale Makeover

DIY Projects· Furniture

30 May

See how we transformed these boring rocking chairs with this great tutorial on how to paint outdoor wood furniture with chalk paint. [post contains affiliate links, which means we make a small commission, at NO additional cost to you, if a purchase is made. thanks for supporting north country nest!]

Happy Memorial Day! The sun is shining here in Minnesota and it is an absolutely beautiful day. A day that makes you think about sitting on the porch in the sunshine.

When you think country front porch, what comes to mind?

If you are anything like us, rocking chairs are at the top of the list. I picture us twenty years from now, sitting on our weathered old rocking chairs, sipping on a cold drink, talking about that one time we remodeled our entire house.

So, a few weeks ago during Isanti County Garage Sale Days, we happened to stumble upon two matching rocking chairs that were in great condition and only $30 a piece!

rockingchairsoriginal

We weren’t too fond of the color, but I figured I could sand them down and restain them the dark walnut color that I also used for the patio bar stool side tables.

rocking chairs post sand


Using the power sander and 60 grit paper, I started sanding the base of the chair and quickly realized I was going to have quite the challenge getting in between the spaces on the seat and back. I was able to get all the finish off the main sides, but the little crannies I had to do by hand. And the spaces that were too small for my hands I just left alone.

rocking chair post sand

I applied two thick coats of Miniwax Dark Walnut and was sorely disappointed with the results. Even though it looked like I got everything (all the old finish) off the main sides, the stain wasn’t sticking to a large portion of the main surfaces and the old finish color was showing through.

rocking chair post stain

I realized there was no way I was going to be able to get in those small areas with sandpaper and even if I could, it would take way too much time to sand it all down again. So we went to the backup – paint.

I had already picked out the fabric for the seat cushions and pillows, so I had to keep those colors in mind when picking the paint. I also knew Brett wanted something dark, so I decided on Rust-Oleum’s chalked paint in Cocoa Bean.

I lightly sanded both the stained and finished chair before applying the paint. Thanks to my bestie Trina who just happened to be down for a visit, we got the first coat on in no time!

The chair with the dark walnut stain turned out really cool. Since the paint doesn’t go on too thick, some of the stain shows through and adds great character to the chair. The other chair that had not been sanded down and still had the old finish needed a second coat. And between you and me, it could probably do with a third coat in some areas as a touch-up.

After the paint dried, I added an outdoor top coat that’s oil based and best for U.V. and weather protection.

rocking chairs paint comparison

Pre- top coat, the paint color had a little purple tint to it and was very matte. Post-top coat, the chairs are a nice rich, dark brown and since the top coat has a glossy finish, the chairs are nice and shiny.

side tables with plants


After putting on two coats of the top coat, I reassembled the chairs and added wood glue to the handles and feet. Those babies aren’t going anywhere!

Next up is the seat covers and outdoor pillows. I’ll have a post on those soon!

rocking chairs on front porch

If you need us, we’ll be rocking the night away on our front porch with a nice cold drink 🙂

All our best,

 

Signature

 

Pin for later!

wooden rocking chairs painted

Related posts:

Repurposed Thrift Store Office Chair DIY Hutch Makeover Part 1 The Beginner’s Guide to Distressing Furniture the Easy Way farmhouse tableOne Room Challenge Week Two: DIY Farmhouse Entryway Table

2 Comments

Previous Post: « Let There be Light
Next Post: It All Started on the Lake »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Treenski says

    May 30, 2016 at 10:29 am

    Those turned out great!! I love that I got to help while I was there! It helped me with ideas for my shelf too! 🙂

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      May 30, 2016 at 11:08 am

      Thank you for the help!! I can’t wait to see your shelf when it’s done ????

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

oh, hi!

We’re Brett and Kelly! A husband and wife team tackling our first complete home renovation. We love all things DIY, our two furbabes and lazy summer days out on the lake. Our mission? To share the journey of turning a house into a home.

[posts contain affiliate links, which means we make a small commission if a purchase is made, at no additional cost to you. thanks for supporting north country nest!]

the archives

Copyright North Country Nest LLC © 2023