Revamp your outdoor entertaining area for summer

House and storage box painted in Resene Pitch Black, bistro chairs in Resene Bud, terracotta pot in Resene FX Faux Rust Effect and small white Resene Grow pots in Resene Alabaster.

Here in New Zealand, our outdoor entertaining areas come in all shapes and sizes. One thing is for certain, a quick spruce up with Resene stain, paint and cleaning products will instantly transform yours so you can comfortably live, relax and entertain this summer.

Refresh and renew

For a simple, high-impact exterior transformation, wash your house with either Resene Paint Prep and Housewash or Resene Bio-Cleaner. A regular annual cleaning cycle will keep your home looking great and will extend the life of your paintwork. Dilute the cleaner with the right amount of water, wet the surface then wash using a soft-bristle brush or broom, then rinse off with fresh water. It’s essentially the same technique used when cleaning a car except without the need to chamois or dry the surface. Make sure you do all of this on an overcast day. If it’s too sunny it will dry too soon and leave streaks on your house.

Clean and clear

Moss and mould love concrete during winter. Not only does the slimy green stuff look awful, but it can also be incredibly slippery and become a major hazard if not cleaned off properly. To treat, liberally spray Resene Deep Clean onto all your concrete surfaces like patios, pavers and courtyards. You can use the concentrated version and dilute it yourself, or if you’re doing a large area get the handy trigger pack – connect it into your hose and you can get the application done fast. Then leave it to work with the weather. If you need a more immediate treatment, you can use Resene Moss & Mould Killer. It’s best to apply Resene Deep Clean once or twice a year to keep your concrete in good shape.

Using a broom with an extendable handle will help you get to any hard-to-reach spots when cleaning your home exterior.

Give concrete paths and pavers a spray with Resene Deep Clean, then simply walk away and let nature do the cleaning for you.

The great wall

Many properties in our part of the world incorporate retaining walls in and around the garden, and you won’t believe the difference a fresh coat of Resene paint will make to them, both in looks and timber protection. Treat any moss and mould with Resene Moss & Mould Killer, then clean with Resene Timber and Deck Wash. Most walls can be painted using two coats of Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen. If you prefer a stained finish, apply Resene Waterborne Woodsman or Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain directly onto the fence after cleaning.

Resene recently released the new Resene Woodsman Landscape and Fence Stain, which has been developed for retaining walls, fences and other exterior features such as trellis and planter boxes. It’s available in three dark shades: Resene Crowshead, Resene Bark and Resene Green Mountain.

Furniture flair

Give your outdoor furniture a slick and instant update with a fresh new Resene colour scheme. While the world is your oyster when it comes to choosing a new colour, you could try an on-trend green like Resene Bud and Resene Flax, which have been used on the day bed and table and chairs here.

For timber furniture, treat with Resene Moss & Mould Killer if needed, then clean with Resene Timber and Deck Wash. Sand down any rough, furry patches then prime with Resene Quick Dry. Once that’s dry, topcoat with Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen or, if you prefer a higher sheen finish, you could use Resene Lustacryl or Resene Enamacryl.

For metal furniture, give it a good wash before thoroughly sanding or use a small angle grinder with a wire brush or rust removal pad to get rid of rust and flaked old paintwork. Then apply a coat of Resene ArmourX GP Metal Primer, one coat of Resene Quick Dry then two topcoats of a waterborne enamel like Resene Lustacryl.

Resene Bud transformed this metal bistro set into a modern, on-trend set-up. Terracotta pot painted in Resene FX Faux Rust Effect.

This outdoor sofa and stool were given an easy makeover with a coat of Resene Flax.

Go potty

It’s amazing how old plant pots can be given a new lease of life and provide easy and adaptable decorative flair to your outdoor space – plus they can be moved around with ease. Resene FX Faux Rust Effect provides a striking rust look and can be used on both interior and exterior surfaces. Plus, like real rust, it continues to develop as the coating ages.

Top tip: Leave it as is for a living rust effect, or protect it with a clear finish of diluted Resene Aquapel waterborne water repellent.

Tips for painting in hot weather

Resene Paint Expert Jay Sharples shares his advice for painting in hot weather:

Try to avoid painting in direct sunlight. Overcast conditions are best, but if a cloudless day stretches out ahead of you, a good plan is to start early and work your way around the building, keeping ahead of the sun as you go. Take a break during the hottest part of the day, for the sake of your finish as well as your health, or use that period to prep, for example sanding or priming surfaces.

Use shade protection where you can. A gazebo or large sun umbrella will help keep you and your Resene products cool, while allowing you to continue painting in the heat of the day. If the surface you’re working on is dark, it will get hotter in the sun than light coloured areas, so try to do your darker areas when they are in the shade. If you do have to paint in direct sun, try to paint the darker areas first before they heat up. If darker areas are already very warm to touch, give them time to cool down first.

Paintbrushes need to be considered when painting in hot weather. Wrap your brushes, roller and roller tray in reusable plastic bags to keep them from drying out during breaks. If you find your paint is drying too fast, which can be a common problem during hot weather, Jay suggests lightly pre-dampening your surface with water.

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