We’re answering a very common question and talking through the process of having our vintage wrought iron furniture professionally repaired and powder coated.
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Metal vs. Composite
We love the way metal furniture brings an air of grounded weight to an outdoor space. Modern composite furniture is fantastic for durability and an utter lack of maintenance, but vintage wrought-iron furniture like our Tempestini for Salterini Radar Cantilever chairs are an entire vibe. They provide springy movement that’s just not possible with wood or composites. They are also insanely comfortable. We were lucky to score our pair at a Wisconsin flea market over a decade ago at a fraction of current vintage pricing and they’ve been with us ever since. They have, however, seen better days so it was time for a tune up!
Locating a Pro
Our vintage chairs were in usable but rough shape. If they were going to survive our harsh Michigan winters, they’d need a better protective coating. We’re not experienced welders or powder coaters though, so we called in the professionals. We’re asked frequently how we located our trusted powder coater, so here are a few ways we’ve sourced professionals in the past.
- Google! A quick search for powder coaters in our area yielded half a dozen results, so we made a couple phone calls and went with the highest rated place that seemed easy to work and communicate with. Just make sure their ovens are large enough for your pieces!
- Ask around. We have friends that are into restoring vintage cars and motorcycles, so they were able to recommend a few powder coaters they’ve worked with for vehicle parts.
- Chat with vintage sellers. Chicago has an insanely great vintage furniture scene, and all of our favorite sellers are quick with recommendations for upholstery and restoration shops, including powder coating services.
Since our chairs also needed a couple of quick spot weld repairs, we made sure that our powder coater could handle that in-house as well. We went with Coating Specialties in South Chicago Heights, IL and they were fantastic to work with. After a quick conversation with the Bobs (Yes, there are two Bobs), we agreed to a price of $225 per chair. That price included repairing all welds, sandblasting and powder coating in satin black, which is a standard color.
A closer look at the broken welds. These chairs were manufactured in the early 1950’s, but they’ve held up insanely well for being almost 75 years old!
In addition to the broken welds, the finish on the chairs was starting to break down after the better part of a century. There were small patches of surface rust along with dings and chips all over the wrought iron. The sandblasting process completely removes the original finish and takes the metal down to its bare form. After a thorough cleaning, the metal is attached to a grounding cable, then sprayed with a dry coating material using an electrostatic charge. The item then goes into an industrial oven, which melts the coating into a uniform finish.
Powder coated finishes are significantly more durable than painted finishes once cured, so it was the perfect choice for our tough seasonal climate.
Fresh Surroundings
These chairs looked great on our Chicago front porch for many years, but now? They’re home. Where they were always meant to be. The Red House was added on to and became what it is today in 1957, so these 1950’s chairs as about as period-correct as can be.
We love the way the black satin powder coat pops against the deep red of the home. The round shape contrasts the geometric lines of the structure and plays beautifully with the cast stone coffee table. We’re in love all over again.
Coating Specialties did a phenomenal job on these very special vintage chairs. If you’re in Chicagoland, we highly recommend them. They’re a little bit off the beaten path, but we promise the trip is worth it. Just look at that ever so gentle satin gleam.
Vintage vs. New
We completely understand that buying vintage isn’t always an option. The search can be time-consuming. Prices for goods that are out of production can be astronomical. And if you live in an area without great vintage stores, travel and shipping can be prohibitive. That said, there are absolutely high-quality powder coated options being made today and there are deals to be had right now!
For example, we just purchased the Palissade Park Bench by HAY from DWR at 60% off! And the color is a nearly perfect match for the Red House’s exterior. When it comes time to outfit the (eventual) back deck at the Red House, we’ll absolutely be looking deeper into the Palissade collection for more beautiful powder coated heft.
Metal Outdoor Furniture
We’ve rounded up a few of our other metal favorites that will help bring bold, classic energy to any outdoor space. Fall is perhaps the best time to shop for outdoor furniture as stores clear out space for next year’s new arrivals. Many of the items below are deeply discounted, and likely at their lowest prices of the year.
1. palissade park bench | 2. outdoor stacking chair | 3. lounge chair with striped cushions | 4. powder coated steel side table | 5. elianne outdoor sofa | 6. hot mesh lounge chair | 7. sunset west provence outdoor bench | 8. steel side table | 9. abra loveseat | 10. stacking dining side chair | 11. elianne coffee table | 12. iron wood burning outdoor fireplace
Looking for more outdoor inspiration? Here is how we extend patio season, the Red House landscape plan, an easy solar light upgrade and our Tree House front yard.
So cool that the Bobs saved these chairs, and I hope they last another 75+ years!
We have the HAY Palissade Lounge Sofa and (2) Lounge Chairs. They look amazing in our front garden. I plan to purchase more from that line to outfit our back garden. Your chairs look amazing, and are perfect for the front deck.
We’ve read nothing but great things about the Palissade line! Now seems like the time to add more pieces with the crazy sales DWR has going on. We ended up getting our bench for 60% off!