How To Paint Patio Cushions
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How to Paint Patio Cushions
Last week I debuted our awesome eclectic repurposed patio makeover (say that ten times fast!) and I promised to share a tutorial on how I painted those cushions! If you’re cool with my oh-so-casual summer hair, then carry on! I got all the deets for you here! Just to get you up to speed… I bought a couch from a local consignment store and theeeese were the cushions. I *almost* left them behind but then I remembered the power of paint! I’m SO glad I kept them because they fit the couch perfectly and now, thanks to a couple of days of watching paint dry, they are a vision in coordinated navy blue.
If you can believe it… here’s how they look now!
Shop my favorites!
I made a video to show you how it all went down and honestly, I think that’s the easiest way to see how I did it, but… I’ll try to write it out with some screen grabs at the end of the post for those of you at work or unable to see the video!
Step 1. Mixing the right paint
Mix one part water to one part fabric medium to one part paint.
Step 2: Prepping the cushions
Spray cushions with water until they are fairly damp. Not puddles, but definitely saturated.
Step 3: Painting the cushions
Brush paint onto cushion making sure it soaks in. Be careful of drips, but don’t be afraid to apply liberally. (I know that sounds contradictory… basically, slap on as much paint as you want and then go back over at the end to clean up any excess/ drips.)
Step 4: Layer the paint
When paint is dry, repeat steps 2 and 3.
Step 5 (Optional): Sanding between coats
If you feel that your paint is too rough on the cushions, go over with some fine sandpaper between coats. I didn’t do this for the patio cushions because they are already a little ‘stiff’ and I didn’t mind the texture of the painted cushions. Also, I’m lazy and that saved some time.
That’s it! Can you BELIEVE how simple it is?? Even at Homegoods, patio cushions can cost $30 a piece! For a large 3-seat couch… that can get pricey FAST. I also love that this meant I could paint other cushions around the patio to coordinate the colors. Win-win.
If you’re interested in how that copper garden stool was made (and to see it back when it was shiny and new), here’s my post about that here!
Materials
(affiliate links included for your convenience)
• Latex paint (I used Behr latex in eggshell finish)
• Sand paper (optional)
Have you used Chalk Paint on fabric? (somehow I think you have)…is the process different as in do you still need the fabric medium? They look great!
🙂 I haven’t actually but my friend Rachel has… here’s the link to her YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX1yeuNOb3k
That’s really interesting and seems so simple. I’ll be curious to see how the paint holds up, too. Thanks for sharing this!
SO simple. I think the paint is penetrating the fabric so… I’m cautiously optimistic that it might hold up! I’ll keep you posted!
Wow- I didn’t realize you could paint fabric with latex paint. Where did you get the fabric medium? Great job, and directions, too!
Hi Karen! I bought some at our local Michael’s store… just in the paint section. And then I ordered the rest on Amazon. So easy and pretty inexpensive… maybe $4.50 a bottle?
How have the cushions held up since you painted them?
Hi! Sorry for the late response! They look good as new aside from things like the tree leaves getting all over them. 🙂 I will say, they don’t drain as easily as they did before… so I try to take them in if I *know* it’s going to be a big storm. Otherwise, I just have to leave them out in the sun a little longer than normal!
Do you know the color of paint you used? I love the color. My mother did this several years ago and hers still look great!!
Shoot. I don’t! If I think of it, I’ll try to check my paint stash. I’m TERRIBLE about keeping track of my paint. :/
Did you use exterior paint? I’m curious as to if it will stick to youif its on direct sun.
Gosh… I don’t remember, but it doesn’t stick to you even a little bit. It’s not tacky or shiny or sticky at all.
So mix for example 8 oz water,8 0z medium and 8 oz PaINT.IS that correct?
Exactly! It doesn’t need to be a science, but that’s a good ratio of color density to texture, etc. Good luck!
GREAT VIDEO! i’M ABOUT TO TRY THIS. dID 1 QUART GET YOU THROUGH ALL OF THE CUSHIONS?? i HAVE 4 SEAT CUSHIONS AND DON’T WANT TO OVERBUY!
Yes! That should be plenty… you water it down SO much that a little goes a long way! 🙂
Hi there! Cool project! Do you remember about how long each coat took to dry? I’m wondering how much time I should/would budget to do it.
Hi Nora! I did this in the bright summer sun, so not long. The earlier coats took longer because the paint was soaking into fabric… by the end, it’s just layering onto more paint than fabric!
hello, just had a question regarding the fabric holding up in the sun. did the paint crack or peel, or would this issue be completely eliminated by the fabric medium?
Not in the two summers these chairs were outside! Not even close to peeling and no signs of cracking. The fabric medium seems to make it a bit more supple, yes.
Hi charlotte, you did a beautiful job on the Patio cUshions. I followed the steps and painted my patio cushions for my deep seating set which included 2 chairs with ottomAns and couch. I have some scotchguard heavy duty water repellant. Do you think i need this or any kind of weather sealant on tHe cushions or they should be fine Without it? I didnt want to use it and damage paint. Thank you
Danielle
Hi there. Can You use acrylic Paint Instead of latex?
I don’t see why not… any water based paint should work!
I have been wanting to do this to my current patio cushions and this post and video are making me brave! I bought two 8 ounce bottles of fabric medium from michaels and have most of a gallon of paint left from painting a room. I was wondering, some of my cushions (the seat part that you sit on) have zippers so you can take them off. could you somehow use this method like you would dye fabric (i.e. in a bucket)? or would the paint not be flexible enough to withstand putting the cushions back in? thanks for any input you might have!
Hi Marina! I don’t see why it wouldn’t work… the paint is VERY watery though so I’d imagine you’d have to dip the cushions repeatedly? I had some cushions that unzipped, and I wrapped them with garbage bags to protect the cushions inside and I think I decided that it was ultimately faster just to smack a coat of paint on the cushions with a brush and let them dry in the sun. Let me know what you choose! I’m curious!
i have outdoor cushions that are faded. I used rust-o-leum to do the seat covers for the table’s chairs and it worked amazingly well. When I started to paint my love seat, the fabric was different and absorbed all the paint. Is there an undercoating that you can recommend that will prevent the paint from soaking-in?
Thank you.
Hi! My paint soaked in quite a bit, but when it dried it ultimately sealed off the fabric. It takes lots of coats to build up the solid paint color.
First of all wow charlotte you answer every question. I go on some sites on utube and folks ask question and no one answers them. i am going to do this to my cushions I have 6 which are back and seat so hoping 1 qt will work I guess I will need 1 quart of medium as well. I had read that it is best to prime as well as use a wax to make them soft… well I will try to investigate all the options for the best results. once again thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge the time it takes of your busy schedule to answer questions. i am so new at diy just retired this week that i am excited to start learning
thank you so much charlotte
Thank you! I’ve only heard of folks using wax if the paint is a chalk paint, but… I’m sure there are lots of ways! Good luck!!
Just cuRious, hOw many coats did it take To get To a solid color?
Hi! Quite a few but I found it went really fast because the paint was so watered down. I would give it a quick coat every 30 minutes or so.
Love how these turned out! So, I’m thinking about painting my sofa (old and stained) a navy blue to better hide the stains for the playroom. I’m wondering if i should use chalk paint and wax (as i’ve seen others do for sofas) or try your method with the fabric medium. Any thoughts? I might just try one option on the back of the sofa (it will be up against a wall so hidden later) and see how it looks and feels. Fingers Crossed – but any advice is greatly appreciated!!
Hi! Sorry for the slow response here… I think a lot will depend on what fabric your existing couch is. For the chalk paint method, sanding between coats is essential so that’s an extra step. My method requires a number of coats which may get old with a sofa. I would probably try both and decide which texture you prefer in the long run!
Hi! I cant wait to try this!! Im covering a dark colored pad (with a few stains) with a light color. Would it work to do the first coat or two with a primer, using the same technique?
I don’t see why not!
Hello, did you seal your outdoor cushions to make them waterproof?
Thanks,
Michelle
Nope! The paint is waterproof enough!
I painted my very old outside cushions this year. I used exterior latex paint with a primer already in it. I also used a vegetable glycerin. The glycerin kept the fabric from getting really hard. It is like a fabric medium but cheaper. This worked really good! I can’t believe how easy this was and I have brand new looking cushions for my chairs and outside swing. Whatever way you go painting your cushions work!
Amazing tip! THanks!