Buy Tropitone Touch Up Paint

Q. I would like to change the color on my outdoor furniture. I would like to know if I can Spray paint Tropitone furniture that is powder coated on aluminum frames. This furniture sits in the sun all day. The original finish is a baby blue colored powder coat. We would like to change the color to brown. My concern is whether it can be done and how long it will last. And, what kind of paint would be required.

buy tropitone touch up paint

A. Sorry that no one who has that brand of furniture has done this, seen your letters, and chosen to reply yet. In general, though, it is okay to spray paint a powder coated finish. I would add the usual warning to try it in an inconspicuous area first, and then suggest that conventional outdoor enamel for metal, like Rustoleum or Krylon, will probably be fine, after scrub brushing with detergent and light sanding. But if you want to be super safe, try to order the spray paint from Tropitone in a color you like to ensure compatibility; their website has repainting instructions. Good luck.

Q. I saw your info about painting Tropitone frames. I've been trying to find out if the whole chair could be painted without removing the vinyl strapping. The strapping is in fine condition except for discoloration from weathering. This set is from 1980 but still so sturdy I hate to get rid of it. Thanks for your help.

A. Hi Kris. It certainly can't be painted properly with the strapping still in place. I'm not familiar with your furniture and am not really clear on why you can't remove the vinyl strapping. Sorry.Regards,

Q. I have tried to contact Tropitone directly but they only communicate through their distributors. Tropitone only sells small quantities of touch-up paint, which is totally ineffective if you need to paint whole arms or legs of sun-damaged aluminum patio furniture. It's only (just) good enough for minor scratches.I am still trying to find a way to purchase matching spray paint from Tropitone so I do not have to trash my expensive patio set. Does anyone know how to do this or to get a constructive response directly from Tropitone?

A. Hi Emma. Yes, customer service is a serious issue with many companies today, I share your frustration. But it is valid for companies to only work through dealers (as Tropitone apparently told you). GM and Toyota won't sell you paint directly, and I don't think other patio furniture manufacturers will either. It can be problematic to repaint properly ... the fact that there are a quarter million Q&A's on this site is testament to it. So if the company doesn't want to sell repainting supplies with their name on them directly to consumers, and then have consumers display blistering and peeling pieces, and tell friends & neighbors this is representative of that company's furniture, nagging them with how to get the overspray off their automobiles, or about what to do if the dog licked the wet paint, etc., it's understandable. Tropitone offers paint through their distributors and they tell you how to repaint at www.tropitone.com/sites/default/files/page_files/touch_up_paint_aluminum_surfaces_031110.pdfI'd suggest that you o through their distributor as they request, or buy paint from one of the many companies whose business model is to sell paint to consumers. A patio furniture supplier or car manufacturer not changing their business model and selling paint directly, doesn't necessarily condemn the furniture or auto to the landfill. Best of luck!Regards,

A. I have Tropitone furniture & we spray painted our furniture using rustoleum multicolored textured spray paint. We wiped a liquid sanding mixture on them first. They look good so far, how they will hold up over the winter I don't know. If this might help you!

A. Hi Linda. Pictures can be deceptive, but it looks to me like once the varnish is gone, the wood graining is gone? Perhaps the aluminum was anodized in a tan color, and this was followed up with a streaky dark varnish stain to give the wood grain look?If so, it's not going to look good when you sand it and polyurethane it. It might be a good time to substitute paint for the clear coat. Steps (a) through (c) sound fine though.Regards,

A. Hi--After storing my Telescope Casual aluminum powder-coated outdoor furniture, I see that there are many chips in the finish! After reading the comments and noting that TC will not sell touch-up paint, I intend to look for a close spray of the pebbly finish!

3. If you have cast aluminum, wrought aluminum, or wrought iron collections we recommend that you wash your furniture with a mild liquid soap such as car wash soap. If the furniture is scratched down to the bare metal, we suggest sanding, with 400-grit sandpaper, ONLY ON THE AFFECTED AREA, to prevent rust oxidation. Next, apply matching color touch up paint. Factory-matched touch-up paint may be available from your retailer.

The high cost of quality patio furniture makes every penny spent on cleaning and maintaining it well worth the investment. Touch ups of scratches, nicks and scrapes on painted frames not only improve the appearance of patio furniture, they can help prolong the durability of the frame and finish.

Whenever possible, completely remove upholstered seats and cushions before attempting to touch up or repaint patio furniture. In the case of hard to remove sling-style seats on chairs, use painter's tape to carefully tape off all the edges where the material meets the chair's frame. Run your fingertip along the edge to ensure a tight seal. Then use newspaper and tape to finish covering the areas you don't want painted. Use this method to protect glass tabletops as well.

All surfaces needing touch-ups or repainting must be thoroughly cleaned first. Methods vary by the construction and material of the furniture's frame. Cleaning can also reveal nicks and scratches hidden by dirt or unwanted mold and mildew.

A few nicks and scratches on a single frame will hardly be noticeable, if at all, once they are touched up. However, if the color has faded, the paint is peeling badly or there are large areas of wear, it's better to just repaint instead of trying to camouflage dozens of touch ups. Be sure to buy an extra can of paint so you will have an exact match for future touch ups.

Good quality resin wicker is designed to stand up to outdoor elements and doesn't readily fade in the sun, as the material contains built-in UV inhibitors. However, after many years of outdoor use, even resin wicker can start to look a little dingy and some homeowners opt to paint it to suit their decorating style.

Vacuuming is also a good way to remove dust, loose debris and cobwebs from resin wicker. However, wipe down resin wicker with an ammonia-based cleanser or if the plastic is fairly new, use paint thinner for the best results.

Use the same two methods described for natural wicker to touch up the paint on resin wicker except for applying the primer. Primer is not necessary; just be sure to use the exact same paint used to refinish the furniture.

Krylon Fusion is the paint to go with on any type of outdoor resin or plastic furniture, as it can bond to plastic and is recommended for wicker furniture. You can also eliminate the need for primer on natural wicker by using paint with primer included such as Krylon ColorMaster Paint + Primer.

The frames of cast aluminum patio furniture are not likely to rust. However, exposed areas from chips or scratches in the paint are susceptible to oxidation which can make it difficult for paint to adhere in the future. Cast aluminum furniture often has a rock-hard, powder coat finish that many manufacturers provide touch up paint for. Although a powder coat finish can be touched up with acrylic enamel spray paint, the touched up areas will not be as durable as the surrounding powder coat.

Check with the manufacturer of your cast aluminum furniture to see if they offer touch up paint. Companies such as Cast Classics, Homecrest Outdoor Living and Tropitone direct you to order the paint through a local authorized dealer.

Caution: Tropitone warns against attempting to get full coverage with the first coat of paint. Solvents in the spray paint may cause the surrounding finish to loosen and wrinkle if one heavy coat is applied.

Restoration Hardware offers outdoor furniture touch up kits designed to match their painted aluminum finish. Instead of spray paint, the kit includes a marker, sponge and scraper, similar to what you would find for touching up indoor wood furniture. Touch up paint for Hanamint Aluminum Outdoor Furniture can be purchased online as well. Note: Some multicolor finishes require a two or three paint color coat process.

If you don't know the manufacturer of your cast aluminum furniture, Orbit Industries makes touch up paint and pens for powder coat paint finishes. Rust-Oleum's Universal Hammered and Forged Hammered Spray Paint contain a built-in primer and mimic the look of a textured Hammertone powder coat finish.

Wood patio furniture requires the most maintenance and care to keep the furniture looking and performing at its best. Protective coatings such as paint, sealed stains and spar varnishes with UV blockers help protect wood from the drying and bleaching effects of the sun and the mildew and rot caused by excessive moisture.

Instead of just touching up scratches, nicks and areas of wear, it's usually better to repaint the entire surface of wood furniture - the more you encapsulate wood with a protective coating, the longer it will last outdoors. According to Today's Homeowner, wood furniture should be recoated every year or two.

If the previous finish is still in good condition, roughen the surface using coarse grit sandpaper, going with the grain of the wood. For cracked and badly peeling paint, use an orbital sander to remove the finish down to the bare wood.

You'll find a lot of good paint options for outdoor wood furniture, depending on how you want to apply it. If you're painting over a previous finish that is still mostly intact, you can skip the primer but exposed wood spots can cause an uneven finish. Cover the furniture with a stain blocking primer. Apply primer and paint to every inch of the surface, including underneath to seal the wood completely. 041b061a72