DIY Patio Cushion Makeover Using Paint

Ever wandered how you can reuse and makeover those ugly faded patio cushions? Let me share with you a DIY patio cushion makeover using paint.

Now that the spring season is finally upon us, I like to start dreaming about ways to make my back deck cozy, warm and welcoming. A cute outdoor area can easily be an extension of your home and make a great spot to hang out while enjoying the warm summer days and evenings. While thinking about how I’d like to set up my outdoor area, I immediately can’t help thinking about my ugly patio cushions that need replacing…. So I’d like to share with you how I solved this problem with a DIY patio cushion makeover using paint.

Finished blue patio cushions on a brown chair

Why Use Paint For a Patio Cushion?

Paint you say…..that is a strange way to makeover your patio cushions. But let me explain. First of all it’s not just any paint, it’s called fusion mineral paint. I will explain more about that later. The second reason is that patio cushions are very expensive to replace. I need to replace seven cushions in total for my wicker outdoor set, which consists of 2 chairs and a love seat. By the time I added this all up it was going to cost hundreds of dollars. I felt like I could almost just buy a complete new patio set. I contemplated buying new outdoor fabric but this also was costly and required a lot of time to sew, which I just didn’t have. Painting the cushions seemed like a budget friendly, time friendly option.

Jar of blue paint sitting on a patio cushion

Fusion Mineral Paint

I first heard about fusion mineral paint a year ago. It is a natural mineral pigmented paint that is easy to apply, has a washable matte finish, a built-in top coat, excellent coverage, minimal prep, low VOC and is almost odourless. The best features of all are that this paint is water resistant and UV resistant and can be used outdoors. This made it a great option for painting my outdoor patio cushions.

Here is a great website about the fusion mineral paint that I use. (Note: I am not sponsored, I just love this paint:) https://fusionmineralpaint.com/

Last fall, I painted a wood table in a black colour for my back deck. I wanted to see if it would hold up to our harsh minus forty winters, so I left it out on my deck uncovered all winter. I am pretty impressed and happy to say that the paint held up great.

Blue paintbrush and paint on striped patio cushion

Supplies Needed

Fusion Mineral Paint 500ml
A good paintbrush (I used a 3″ angled brush)
Empty container for your paint
Cleaning rag
Drop Cloth or plastic to protect your surface
Sanding sponge- super fine

The supplies needed are fairly basic and easy to find. Decide on the paint colour you want and buy your paint. Fusion mineral paint comes in many colours and I found it a little hard to decide. I went with a dark blueish grey colour called Blue Pine. I used 1 1/2 jars of paint for the front and back of all seven cushions. How much you use will greatly depend on how many cushions you have and the size of them.

Other supplies to pick up or find in your supply are, a good paintbrush and an empty plastic pail (I like to use an empty sour cream container). A cleaning rag for wiping off your cushions, a drop cloth for laying down on your painting surface and a sanding sponge in a super fine grit.

Prepping the Patio Cushions

I wanted to do a trial run on an old patio cushion first to see how it worked. So I took a small worn outdoor cushion and painted one side of it. I learned what to do and how the paint would look applied. I was very pleased with the results and this helped me make my final decision to go ahead and paint all my patio cushions.

The prep before painting the cushions is really quite minimal. Take a slightly damp cloth and wipe over all the cushion surfaces to remove any dust. I did not scrub hard or attempt to remove and stains. Place the pillows in a warm spot to dry before I started painting. Note: my cushions are made with waterproof outdoor material.

Lay out a drop cloth or plastic sheet on your work surface where you are going to paint the cushions. I did my painting on top of my kitchen table.

Shake your paint jar or give it a stir with a wooden stick to make sure it’s all mixed together. Pour a little bit into your plastic painting pail. Using another container instead of the paint jar keeps it much cleaner and keeps particles out of your actual paint jar while painting.

Closeup of hand painting blue paint on a orange cushion

Painting the Cushions

It’s time to grab your paint brush and start painting. On the cushions with the middle indented button, I started painting in the middle of the cushion and worked my work to one side and then the other side. The rest of the cushions, I started painting on one side and worked my way across the pillow to the other side. Make sure to use long even strokes across the surface of the cushion, smoothing your paint out as you go.

I painted the tops of 2-3 cushions at a time, let them dry and then painted the sides and then the bottom. This paint dries very quickly in about 20 to 30 minutes, especially if you place them in a warm, sunny spot to dry like I did.

DIY patio cushion makeover with blue paint

This took several hours over some different days for me to complete but I found the painting quite easy. In between painting, wrap the paintbrush in aluminum foil, place in a plastic bag and set in the fridge. The paintbrush will keep for days like this and you don’t have to wash out the paintbrush every time you stop painting.

After the paint has dried, give the cushion a very light sand with the super fine grit sanding pad. If you need another coat of paint repeat this process again for the second coat of paint.

Enjoy Your DIY Patio Cushion Makeover

It takes 21 days for the paint to fully cure and be ready to use with all the benefits this paint offers. This is usually not a problem when painting something that’s placed inside your home where it won’t be used or touched too much but it’s especially important for these outdoor patio cushions. I wanted the cushions to set and cure for the proper 21 days so I would have all the benefits of them being waterproof and durable. If you can’t wait that long to use them, I’d suggest taking them inside during the night and during any rain. Covering them with a waterproof patio furniture cover would help too.

After pic of finished blue patio cushion makeover

Set up your new patio cushions and enjoy

I hope that I’ve inspired you to try this DIY patio cushion makeover using paint. It really is an inexpensive way to update your patio or deck for the summer season. For more spring decor inspiration check out my previous blog post. https://behomeinspired.com/2022/03/09/5-beautiful-ways-to-decorate-your-home-for-spring/

Have a wonderful week!

XO Rachel