How to Refresh Old Plastic Adirondack Chairs with Spray Paint

I’ve always loved filling my outdoor spaces with bright, cheerful colors, and this project gave me the perfect chance to do just that. Instead of tossing out old, faded plastic Adirondack chairs, I decided to give them new life with spray paint. This simple DIY makeover not only keeps worn-out furniture out of the landfill, but it also transforms tired patio chairs into vibrant, colorful seating that looks fresh and inviting again.

Dirty Plastic Adirondack Chairs

I have six of these plastic Adirondack chairs at the hideaway. They are about seven years old. They got dirty in my backyard, but after spending a couple of years on the “hickory” deck, they were pretty disgusting. I painted the rug pattern on my deck a year ago, and intended to paint the chairs then.

How to Carry Plastic Adirondack Chairs

I would say most people would carry a chair while it rests upright. However, I’ve spent many years moving these chairs around, including this job of cleaning and painting them. You can see how I grabbed this chair to carry it to another part of the property to clean it.

I actually grabbed one in each hand to carry two at a time. Sometimes I carried them the way they are pictured here. Sometimes I would have one with the chair back in front of me, and the other with the chair back behind me.

Ryobi Pressure Washer

Because the chairs were so dirty, I used my Ryobi electric pressure washer and a cleaning solution of diluted Dawn—the directions state that only a dedicated pressure washer cleaner should be used. I didn’t have any on hand.

Pressure Wash Plastic Adirondack Chairs

I began with the underside of the chairs.

In this photo, you can see that the pressure washer is doing a great job of cleaning the chairs.

Here is a side-by-side comparison showing the before and after of the dirty chairs. I cleaned the chairs in June. I didn’t get around to painting the chairs until September.

Dust Debris With a Broom Brush

The chairs got a little dirty over the summer, but I decided they were clean enough to paint. I was in a hurry and didn’t want to get the chairs wet, which would delay the painting. I keep a lot of brushes around to clean my outdoor furniture. This one happens to be the head of a broom from The Dollar Tree ($1.75 Tree is how I refer to it now). They sell the handles separately. I liked the width of this brush; it loosened the dust, dirt, and debris fairly easily.

A few of the places on the chairs, a rag helped remove a little mud that was stuck to them.

Lastly, I used my leaf blower to blow away any remaining dust and debris.

Colorful Spray Paint Colors

Colors of spray paint from top to bottom. Host Leaf, Oxford Blue, Honeydew, Sun Yellow, Sunrise, Banner Red. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a job naming colors of paints, crayons, lipstick, nail polish, and more! I love colors. My favorites are shades of blue. My least favorites have always been greens. I probably own 1 or 2 green shirts.

The spray paint colors I chose match the colors of my painted deck rug really well. I used Honeydew to paint a DIY Shadow Box about 10 years ago. So, this paint has been stored ever since!

Did you see my Bold Colors Metal Plant Stand last month? Pretty colors make me smile.

Spray Paint Plastic Adirondack Chairs

Of course, I started with the blue chair. Each chair took nearly two cans of spray paint. I had two different colors of blue, Iris and Oxford Blue. The first coat was done with Iris, and the second coat was completed with Oxford Blue.

I love it, and I couldn’t wait to sit in it. It was so smooth and clean. Extra coats were applied to the horizontal areas that will receive the more severe elements of the weather. This included the armrests and the seat, particularly the smooth plastic where the back meets the seat. That area is always the dirtiest on these types of chairs.

I cleaned two chairs at a time, painted one as the other was drying. Then I switched them out for the second coat of spray paint. I repeated the same process two more times until I was (sort of) finished with the six chairs.

Colorful Plastic Adirondack Chairs

This photo was taken as a quick snapshot after I finished all the chairs. It was not intended as a “beauty” shot. However, I was needed out of town at the last minute and didn’t get a chance to return to The Hideaway to clean the deck and take a pretty photo before this article was published.

Keeping it real, the yellow, green, and red chairs are not even finished. The intention was to return the following weekend to complete this project.

It’s difficult for me to choose a favorite color. Each of the colors matches the painted rug really well. I will be out of town again, so it will be another week or so before I can finish the chairs and paint the small tables to match.

With just a few cans of spray paint, those dull plastic Adirondack chairs became the brightest part of the property. It feels good to know I saved them from the landfill while adding more color to my outdoor space. If you have old patio furniture that’s seen better days, try refreshing it instead of replacing it. A simple coat of paint can have a significant impact on both your home, your budget, and the planet.

Now, let’s take a look at what my friends in the Thrift Store Tour have been up to.

• Cedar Chest | Hope Chest Makeover
• DIY Mercury Glass
• How to Get the Look of Amber Glass
• Upcycle Wooden Bowls with Pressed Flowers
• How to Clean and Paint Plastic Chairs (You are here, thank you)