Revive Wicker Furniture

In order to revive wicker furniture, the furniture should be in fairly good shape. One method to reviving wicker is to paint it. The only problem with painting, is that the paint will eventually wear off, especially if you leave the wicker furniture outdoors in the weather.

I didn’t want to deal with chipping paint, so, I decided to experiment and revive my wicker furniture with an oil based stain. The original wicker was a blond color, with green wicker trim. I applied two coats of walnut color stain, and the wicker furniture now looks like new.

When staining, use a thick drop cloth. It is preferable to stain outside, as the fumes from the stain are pretty stinky. Wear disposable gloves (like the surgical kind), clothes that you don’t mind getting stain on, and keep your feet and arms covered. I was using a brush to apply the stain, and ended up getting an “over spray” on my feet and arms. I was able to get some of the stain splatters off with nail polish remover, however, the rest will just have to wear off. Keep in mind, the drying time for oil based stains is fairly long, so when handling your furniture, put your gloves on, and place the piece that’s drying on some type of drop cloth, or a piece of cardboard. (You certainly don’t want to get stain on your carpeting)

I found that by staining my wicker furniture, it not only seemed to recondition the wicker, but it was a very inexpensive way to have “new” furniture. For two chairs and a small table, I used a half of a quart of stain. Stains come in a large array of colors, so you could stain your wicker to match any decor. Add a coordinating cushion, sit back, and enjoy your “new” furniture.

I plan to use my wicker furniture outside, so I’ll apply a coat of polyurethane to it as well.

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May 1, 2007 | Filed Under Archives, Projects

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6 Responses to “Revive Wicker Furniture”

Furniture Store Blogger on June 30th, 2008 3:26 pm

Thanks for sharing this informative article. I still think that wicker is some of most comfortable outdoor furniture. It is amazing how many people will get rid of their set after just a few years rather than clean it up.
Jak - computer furniture on July 21st, 2008 5:15 pm

Just wondering how the wicker stain is holding up now? Since it looks like this post is about a year old. Is the stain fading or loosing it’s good look?
Barbara Swafford on July 25th, 2008 4:23 pm

Hi Jak,

The stain has held up pretty good, considering I left the wicker chairs out all last summer - in the sun and rain. (I brought them in for the winter.) I’m getting ready to re-stain them again. This time I’m using a mahogany color that has a built in polyurethane.
Dave (Furniture) Mann on August 7th, 2008 12:05 pm

Wicker furniture is a staple for various types of homes. This sort of furnishing is unique in that it suits a vast variety of styles and designs. It does not matter if you live in a modern dwelling or a rustic home, wicker furniture is the ideal addition to your space.
Outdoor Furniture Geek on August 12th, 2008 11:27 am

Not only is it ‘green’ to keep using the wicker furniture, nothing looks as inviting as a wicker furniture set.
Pam on September 6th, 2008 9:35 pm

I sure wish I would’ve found this a couple of months ago before I painted my wicker patio furniture. It’s only been a couple of months but after the summer’s use, it really looks down-trodden now. Don’t know what would be involved in getting the paint out and staining now or if it’s a lost cause and just need to start over.

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