Cheap Trick: Fix Up Old Patio Furniture

I bet somewhere you've got an old patio set collecting dust in the back yard. How about giving that old set a good cleaning and some new paint? That's just what Rama did. Rama felt her Tucson home needed an injection of fresh new color and where better to begin than where you greet your guests: the front porch.

She explained that her cute little bistro set used to be brown, and "it has the look of metal, but is actually plastic," she says. She bought it at Jo-Ann's years ago for about $40. "It has been in the Tucson heat ever since, so it has held up well!" she says.

Rama first primed each piece using the Valspar plastic primer from Lowe's. She then used two different shades of blue Valspar spray paint: Pacific Blue and Mediterranean Blue. "The finish on the spray paint is very smooth, glossy and flawless," she says.

She found the metal wall hanging at a Goodwill store for about $2, which she prettied up with some leftover paint. She picked up a lovely outdoor rug from Target for just $9.99.

All of this, including drying time shouldn't take more than 1-2 days. Rama created a whole new front porch experience in a weekend for just about $52 + paint. Your turn!