Re painting metal bistro garden set

My old garden furniture needs repainting .
I'll use Hammerite .
I'd sand any flakey areas .
If your furniture is of great sentimental value I wouldn't part from it !

I would use an oil based spray paint, give it a light sanding, clean off the dust and spray away. Good luck.

Maybe use a wire brush first... sanding gaps in the pattern will be difficult.

I wire brushed then sprayed my old bistro set. The advantage with spraying is that you can give it a quick once over spray to brighten it up if necessary.

I rubbed mine down with medium grit sandpaper, bought some tins of Hammerite aerosol spray paint, put a cover on the garage floor, put on a mask and goggles and sprayed away merrily, It looks absolutely gorgeous. It only needed one coat. I do my wrought iron gates the same way, hang a cover behind them, dust them off, rub them down and spray with hammerite aerosol paint.

You could get it professionally sandblasted, that will take all the paint off and leave you with a rust free surface to paint over. I don’t know how expensive it is though.

Give it a rub down with something abrasive then spray it as suggested with something like Hammerite spray.
I spray metal garden ornaments each year, either with black for some items which I love or clear spray . Protects them well, also to save them when storing over winter give them a quick blast if WD 40 as extra protection, read that once and it works.

I do mine every few years with Hammerite spray paint. I just give it a brush down and the paint covers any rust successfully. I do it outdoors on the lawn before it is cut.

Perhaps use a wire brush spinning on the sander, then dust, then paint.

I need to paint my wrought iron gates and didn’t have a clue how to do it (my late DH did all the painting), so thank you for the advice! I’ll wait for some better weather & give it a go!

My husband uses brake fluid to remove the old paint. just brush it on and leave for a few minutes then use a wire brush to remove paint. Comes off really easily.

Wire brush and Hammerite for me!

I’d use cans of spray paint much easier.

Hammeritewill work miracles- but make sure your surface is well prepared beforehand.

I bought Hammerite paint that said to use straight on top of rust no need to do anything else first and I've used it again this year, chairs look great.

Sand blasting would clear all the rust and paint, not sure what it costs these days though. Then you have a lovely clean surface to paint it with whatever you find best.

Car spray paint.

I used a wire brush to loosen the rusty bits on my chimnea then I used rustoleum stove and bbq spray paint (specially made for high temps) It worked so well I tried it on the legs of my metal garden chairs and it worked great. You do have to keep shaking the can and the nozzle gets quite tiring on your thumb but it was a fine matt black finish and looks far better than I imagined.

I've never used spray paint. I am clumsy! Any further tips about preparation, please? Clothing? Goggles? Stray paint?

I wire brush mine then use spray to paint them I’ve even used BBQ spray whatever on offer I do it every year for a different colour change i cover mine over winter

Light sand and spray with hammerite or similar , it’ll look a treat

I agree with DH I think. Leave it for the scrap collector. Take a photo of it before you part with it and frame that. Then buy a new one. Things are just that - things! You'll always have your cherished memories in your head and heart even if you replace it. When my mother died I had so many "sentimental" things of hers and her ancestors that were so difficult to part with. But I photographed them all. My love for the things she cherished is intrinsic in them.

Bin it and spend your money on an all weather aluminium set from Lazy Susan!

Aluminium sets don’t last indefinitely either though Dempie, and once the paint flakes off you can’t sand them down and repaint them, like you can with iron ones. I know, because mine has now become what you’d call shabby chic if you were being kind.