Can You Make An Indoor Wood Table An Outdoor Table?

Suppose you are the type who is always down for conversational evenings, thrilling weekend brunches, plus stimulating nightly conversations, and you have a ton of outdoor space but aren’t interested in purchasing new furniture. In that case, you may be wondering whether you can make an indoor wood table an outdoor table.

Yes, you can. It is possible to make an indoor wood table a functional outdoor one. If you are ready to follow simplistic steps using the needed materials, it won’t be long before you look around and see a porch, patio, or backyard that you are proud of.

Besides, summer will be here in a few months. What better time to start getting that patio or porch prepared and ready other than now?

If you are serious about changing your indoor wood table and giving it a total makeover, this article will tell you everything you need to know and answer all your burning questions.

How To Convert Indoor Dining Table To Outdoor

 

Generally, indoor wood furniture are made of various sturdy woods to ensure they stand the test of time. However, they are not treated to withstand the outdoor elements, causing them to break when not properly treated.

It would be best to convert your indoor furniture for outdoor use by treating it with a suitable coating to avert this. Without any further ado, below is a details guide on how to convert your indoor table for outdoor use;

• Step One: Gather Basic Materials

You will need outdoor paint and sealant, gloves, a dust mask, drop cloth, paintbrush, wood stain, a stain sponge, fine-grit sandpaper, palm sander, tack cloth, and a drop cloth. Once you have all these things, you’re ready to begin.

Check Out: The best outdoor sofa sets for your outdoor space

• Step Two: Clean and Paint

Clean up the table of any dirt and ensure you give it a light sanding to create a better bond for the finish. Use the tack cloth to clean off all residual dust. The paint that you chose must be suited for outdoor use. With gloves on, paint every part of the table. Since it will be outdoors, you can’t leave any part unpainted.

 For your indoor furniture to have a real fighting chance outdoors, you need to ensure it is equipped with weather-resistant finishes. Your paint, for instance, should possess built-in water resistance and strong UV rays protection. 

• Step Three: Stain and Seal

Polyurethane sealants are best used for lightly toned wood. Oil-based polyurethane gives your wood the best durability. You can also consider Marine varnish, as it contains UV absorbers that protect against sun damage. Sealants should be applied in mild temperature environments. 

Apply your stain with the stain sponge. More coats equal a darker stain. Allow the stain to dry overnight, and then apply two coatings of your chosen urethane with a paintbrush. Coat all parts of the table, even the parts others won’t see.

 

Please understand that you can either choose to seal or paint your wood. The critical thing is solid protection for lasting durability.

How To Weatherproof Wood Furniture For Outdoors

Step One: While wearing a respirator mask, sand the piece down to bare wood. If the wood is old or wobbly, conduct repairs before you begin sanding.

Step Two: Seal any exposed ends with a clear epoxy sealer or any proper sealer. Nothing must be exposed to moisture. If you prefer to paint, ensure it’s durable paint manufactured for outdoors.

Related: How to refinish outdoor furniture 

Repurposing Indoor Furniture For Outdoor Use

 

Repurposing opens up a world of creative possibilities, especially if you are uninterested in looking through selective, expensive outdoor furniture pieces. There are, however, important things to keep in mind before you start the process.

• One: Choose Your Furniture Carefully

Antiques that have been passed down from generation to generation should not be considered. You need something proven to be strong and durable indoors before you strengthen and prep it for its outdoor lifespan. 

Furniture made from fake wood or wood not poised to last can break down if moisture seeps into it. Know your indoor furniture well before choosing which to bring outdoors.

• Two: Choose A Protected Spot

No matter how strong your wooden furniture might be, if you leave it outside all year round without protection from the ravages of the rain and sun, it won’t be long before it isn’t valuable for you anymore. Therefore, you should also consider the climate of your residential zone. 

Do you get all four seasons of the weather in extreme or normal temperatures? Then, you can get umbrella coverings for your patio or porch or invest in quality coverings.

• Three: Choose The Right Finish

Refinishing your wood greatly influences how long it would last outdoors. You want your wood to hold up for a long time. So invest in good exterior paint with UV rays protection and moisture resistance. 

Even if you live in extreme temperatures, your wood will last. If you decide to seal, look out for the exact features you would look for in paint. Polyurethane is widely rated for durability, but be sure to look out for the well-rated ones for protection against weather fluctuations and moisture. 

• Four: Protect All Surfaces

When painting or sealing something for outdoor use, you must be thorough and not leave any stone unturned. Sometimes you only need a bit of consistent moisture or sun in one part of the wood for the damage to start. 

You don’t want the damage to start. You want to make sure your wood is secure. Even the parts that don’t show can become vulnerable to warping, cracking, and other problems. Trust me; you don’t want to leave anything to chance.

• Five: Consider Outdoor Fabrics

Cushions and pillows can add a stylish feel to your wood or patio furniture. If you plan to use them, ensure you shop for outdoor fabrics that withstand moisture and mildew. You can also use a waterproof spray always to protect your outdoor fabric.

Can indoor furniture be used outdoors?

Yes, indoor furniture can be used outside as long as they are durable and strong enough and as long as you put in the work to make them stronger, more protected, and well maintained.

As long as the furniture is equipped to withstand the harsh elements of the weather, then there is no reason why it cannot be used outdoors, especially if you want a stylish living outdoor space.

There are furniture pieces created specifically for the outdoors. But some of them are expensive, and they would still require the maintenance you give your indoor furniture turned outdoors, which is why it is a good idea to transform and prep your indoor furniture into outdoor.

Related: Best conversation outdoor furniture set

Can you seal a wood table for outdoors?

If you care about your wood’s style, functionality, and durability, then sealing is a step in the right direction. A sealer is any product you apply to the wood to safeguard it from harm. For example, stain, shellac, paint, and oil are all sealers. 

Sealers can also be applied when you want to add color to the wood. You should seal your wood because the ultraviolet rays from the sunlight are the ultimate enemy of outdoor furniture. 

Sometimes, it isn’t just enough to paint. Over time, Photodegradation breaks apart the molecules that form the paint’s tight protective bond. As a result, paint pigments – the solids in wood paint – absorb UV rays unprecedentedly. 

The destructive process is worsened by extreme weather temperature fluctuations, moisture, and wood’s tendency to expand and contract. As time goes on, the paint will lose its color, adhesion, elasticity, and gloss.

 This is why wood sealing is essential. If you are going to paint, let it have strong protective elements. Though sealing is always advised, there’s no need to seal if you have painted your wood with top-notch exterior grade paint.

 Two or more coats of exterior grade paint are sufficient enough for protection. The best sealer for a wood painted with exterior grade paint is about two more coatings. Clear coatings are unnecessary.  

However, certain conditions dictate whenever you should use wood sealers, even if you have done a fine paint job. Use wood sealers if:

• If you want to revive a weathered down and distressed wood.
• If you want an amber tone or sepia color. Polyurethane is best for this.
• When your indoor wood has any interior grade paint and you want to use it outdoors.
• If you are changing gloss but maintaining color.

Whenever you are sealing your wood, do it in a well-ventilated space and ensure you are fitted for the job by wearing protectives like gloves and safety glasses. 

How to protect outdoor wood furniture from sun damage

 

We spend a lot of time yearning for sunlight during cold months. Sunlight is warm and desirable, but it has many downsides and disadvantages to outdoor wooden furniture.

 The harmful UV rays cause fading, discoloration, darkening, and slow but sure degradation. However, this doesn’t have to be your case at all, as there are steps you can take to prevent the sun from permanently damaging your wood. 

Coat Regularly

Treat your wood regularly to coatings, depending on how extreme the temperatures get in your residential area. Painting, staining, and applying a solid wood varnish will build up strong barriers that will prevent your wood from being permeated through UV rays, and ultimately their lifespan will be prolonged.

 Like water sealers, varnish goes a long way in protecting the look of your furniture. You can always get them in your local store, but ensure you choose out of the outdoor variety perfectly suited for your furniture. Then, diligently apply coats of varnish every few years to renew its strength.

Use Covers

This is a step you have to take pre-relaxation time and post-relaxation time, but it does have an advantage. You shouldn’t just do it during the winters but all seasons because outdoor furniture is susceptible to heatwaves, rainstorms, hail, snow, etc. Make it a consistent habit whenever you aren’t using your furniture to cover them up if you want them to last. 

Do not just cover your wooden furniture with an old blanket or a sheet, but with covers designed to protect furniture. The covers are made with more durability and protective elements, so they should be your preference. 

You can easily buy them at any store where the patio furniture is sold or a request from the furniture manufacturers or retailers that provide you with your wood.

Shade

Shading techniques don’t just protect you and your guests during relaxation hours; they also protect your wood from harm. Umbrellas, patio covers, pergolas, sail shades, patio screens, and plants or trees are the many ways you can shade your furniture.

 If you are going for umbrellas, shades, or patio covers and screens, be sure that they are equipped well enough with UV protection. There are a lot of fabric umbrellas that have this UV feature. 

Protective Wood Oil

One way to protect your wood is to find products designed specifically for doing the job. For example, protective wood oils with water and plant-based elements harden and Strengthen the wood from the inside, and many of them even come with UV protection that can protect your wood for many summers to come. 

Placement Matters

This factor depends primarily upon how your house is constructed. The point, however, is to move your outdoor furniture from the spots where the sun shines brightest. 

Placement can play a long-term role in sun damage, so move your furniture to wherever harsh sun rays cannot permeate on sunny days.

Related: How to care for your wooden furniture 

Stripping

Stripping involves removing layers of old paint or varnish. It can either be done physically or chemically. The physical process consists of a lot of stressful scraping, and it can deface the surface, not to mention being time-consuming.

 Chemicals remain the easiest form of stripping away old coats of paint without any destruction. Stripping and coating with new paint can go a long way in protecting the wood from sun damage.

How to waterproof painted wood furniture for outdoors

To use your indoor wood outdoors or protect your outdoor wood from cracking and splitting, you need to waterproof your outdoor wood with a sealant. Sealants guarantee durability and a shiny protective finish. Using a sealant is outlined in these five steps:

• Clean: Mix a quarter of liquid detergent with one gallon of water. Using a cleaning brush, rub evenly over the surface of the wood. Ensure that it is properly mixed before you start cleaning.
• Rinse the soap off the wood using water from a hose and then leave it to dry out for about three hours.
• To make the sealant more durable, apply the primer evenly on the surface of the wood with a brush.
• Apply your chosen sealant or polyurethane or varnish evenly over the wooden surface
• and leave it to dry over the next 24-48 hours.

Can You Leave Wooden Furniture Outside?

Depending upon the type and quality of wood, wood life expectancy is usually up to half a century – 50 years. So if you treat your wood well and take care of it regularly, you can leave it outside all year round without worry. 

When purchasing wood furniture, the first thing you need to do is to ensure that whatever you are buying is of high-grade quality. Teak, oak, mahogany, or treated wood are some of the best options for outdoor furniture.

Your maintenance will require repainting, re-staining, and re-oiling as the years go by. Whenever your furniture is not in use, cover it, and protect it from excessive moisture and UV rays. This is how you make your wooden furniture last, even if it is always outside.

Can You Leave Resin Wicker Chair Outside?

The first thing to keep in mind regarding resin wicker chairs is that they are built differently, and they aren’t made equal. Polyethylene resin wicker is designed to resist the effects of sunlight UV rays and the negative effects of water and snow. Therefore it is a classic example of a wicker chair that can be left outside.

If the polyethylene resin wicker chair is made from aluminum or galvanized steel, it is qualified for outdoor use, as these two factors ensure its strength.

Conclusion

Furniture is versatile and functional in more ways than one, so everyone asking can you make an indoor wood table an outdoor table now understand that the possibility is endless, provided you can put in the effort to do the things that matter. 

Consistent maintenance, a demonstration of diligence and awareness, and seeking out relevant knowledge are all you need to have durable, functional, and long-lasting furniture.