Metal furniture can be compromised by heavy use and exposure to the elements. Metal furniture may need to be repaired periodically, especially if it is located in a garden or on an outside deck. Exposure to the elements and heavy summer use can often leave it damaged. Irrespective of whether your metal furniture is made of aluminum or wrought iron, you can repair it yourself. Repairs are a cheaper alternative to throwing out the furniture and buying replacements. Wrought Iron and Rust Rust can affect the integrity of wrought iron metal furniture and so you must address the problem as soon as possible. Start by using a handheld rotary tool fitted with a stainless steel brush accessory or a wire brush on the affected area to clean it down to the bare metal. This removes rust and flaking paint. Once you strip the metal furniture, apply rust inhibitor to the rusted sections and leave to dry. Apply primer to the bare metal and repaint the furniture to finish the repair. Aluminum and Corrosion If corrosion in aluminum metal furniture is located at an early stage, the repair is relatively easy to complete.

If you use a rotary tool with a stainless steel brush to remove the corrosion, be aware that aluminum is a soft metal and might clog the steel bristles. Use degreaser to clean the metal and work over surface scratches with steel wool to give a smooth finish. Rub a rag over the aluminum metal furniture to remove the loosened rust particles and apply a full coat of car wax. This protects the metal and stops moisture from penetrating and causing more corrosion. You must work the wax into all corners and crevices. Cracks in Aluminum Clean the aluminum as you would to take care of rust in the metal furniture. Once preparation is complete, cut small pieces of wire mesh and coat it with epoxy resin before placing over the cracks in the furniture. Ensure the edges are firmly bonded. Apply further epoxy resin over the top of the mesh until it is completely covered; it’s best to do this in small areas at a time to make the work easier. If there are any small chips in the aluminum, use a metal paste and hardener to fill them.

Sand down once the paste is dry to leave a smooth surface before applying protective car wax. Breaks in Wrought Iron Although wrought iron metal furniture is fairly sturdy, it can still break on occasion. The only way to fix this problem is to weld broken parts back on to the furniture. If you have experience in arc welding, this is a relatively simple process. Hold the electrode of the welding tip close to the wrought iron and activate the trigger to make the nickel melt into the join. Work across the join and ensure the weld penetrates deeply to give increased strength. Repeat the process on the back of the join once the metal has cooled. References Lock N Stitch: Cast Iron Welding Photo Credits Thinkstock/Comstock/Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionYou don't give it a thought all winter, and then take it for granted when summer rolls around. But then it happens -- -- rust on the edges of the table! Peeling paint on the chair arms! Cracks in the vinyl strapping of the chaise! And don't even mention the many hues of gray on what just last year was bright white plastic.

When it comes to that ubiquitous plastic patio furniture, the best bet is to throw it away. ''You can't clean it; you can't paint it -- but at $4 a chair, who cares?'' said Patti Jansen of Patti's Portico Outdoor Furniture Restoration in Greenwich. Home For Sale In Yamhill County''It's the disposable diaper of patio furniture.''Window Blinds Guam That's not the case with the outdoor furniture that she and her husband, Robert, specialize in restoring -- furniture made from tubular aluminum, wrought iron and cast iron. Best Digital Camera Under $150 Australia''We restore old pieces that are irreplaceable, that have been passed down in a family or that are already 25 or 30 years old,'' she said. She is talking about metals that have been cast from hand-carved molds and forged to create graceful curves, ornate latticework and intricate mesh patterns.

Pieces made from cast iron are adorned with grapevines and flowers. Some have cushioned seats; others use woven straps of durable vinyl webbing. There are tables and chairs, chaise lounges, club chairs, lamp tables, even matching urns and planters -- in sets of 15 to 20 pieces. ''You just don't see the quality and workmanship that went into these pieces anymore,'' she said. Over the years, however, the paint can fade, peel and chip; the metal can crack and rust; the vinyl webbing can break or oxidize. ''Sometimes you'll find that dyes from years of suntan oil have permeated the material,'' Ms. Jansen said. Her advice, not surprisingly, is that it pays to restore the pieces rather than replace them. Which is what Walter Lippman of Do It Now, another Greenwich-based business, has been doing for the last 19 years. The process he uses begins with stripping the entire frame by sandblasting. ''You can't use chemicals to strip the metal because the furniture frame has drain holes and the chemicals will get inside,'' he said.

Color is applied using a technique called ''powder coating,'' in which electrically charged paint is applied magnetically and then oven baked. Aniello Imperati, president of Furniture Restoration Center of White Plains, uses the same process in his business. ''If you replace your metal patio furniture, you're going to end up with inferior quality at a higher cost,'' he said. ''The welding process is not as good, and the materials are not as heavy -- and you're limited to the color selection they carry. Whereas, if you redo your furniture, you can choose from hundreds of colors, and you prolong its life for another 20 or 30 years.'' What's more, these restorers say, refinished furniture looks as good as new. ''I can redo a 35-year-old chaise, and nobody could tell the difference between it and a brand-new one,'' Mr. Lippman said. The restorers also agree that furniture rejuvenation is cost effective. A new metal lawn chair might cost up to ''$350 for a new metal,'' Mr. Imperari, said, adding, ''The more roses and curlicues you have, the more it will cost you.''

Refinishing an equivalent chair would cost between $90 and $135, he said. Mr. Jansen provided similar estimates. ''We can restore a chair for $150 that you would pay $300 to replace,'' he said. ''A new lounge chair might cost you $700 or $800; we can refinish an old one for $245.'' Do It Now's policy is that the cost of restoration is half the suggested retail price of the item bought new. Those in the know find used patio furniture at tag sales and consignment shops, then restore it to fit the color scheme of their homes. ''Someone brought in an 80-year-old piece that came out beautifully,'' Ms. Jansen said. ''I've worked on ornate, galvanized, cast-iron benches dating from the 1800's that you just can't find nowadays. And remember those funky metal chairs from the 50's that looked like a giant shell? They don't sell them anymore, but we restore lots of them.'' Mr. Imperati said: ''It's not just age and weathering that bring customers. Some people have moved and want to refinish their patio furniture to match their new decor.''

Once lawn furniture is back to like-new condition, how best to maintain it? ''The less exposure to the elements the better,'' Mr. Imperati said. ''Bring it in during the winter,'' he urged, adding that even a garage is better than the outdoors. ''Remove it from the line of the sprinkler system,'' he said. ''Keep it away from the acid residue from pine needles, and don't let wet leaves sit on it.'' He said it is better to store furniture on a deck than on the grass, and he recommended keeping it covered when not in use --specifically at the shore, where salt air can wreak havoc. Ms. Jansen suggested that if you must stack furniture, the items should be separated with old sheets or blankets. ''Don't stack to bash,'' she warned. Durable and Low Maintenance Most patio furniture restoration is done on metal -- aluminum, cast-iron and wrought-iron pieces. Other popular, high-end, outdoor furniture is made from teak and outdoor wicker, neither of which require the same degree of refinishing, says John Francan of the Leisure Living Shop in Mount Kisco.

Teak is durable and low maintenance. ''All you have to do,'' Mr. Francan said, ''is apply teak oil twice a year.'' Teak eventually attains a silver-gray tone, which, he said, many people find acceptable, although the wood can be restored to its natural color through a chemical process that owners can do themselves. High- quality teak furniture made by companies like Gloster and Brown Jordan is costly, running around $400 for a chair, $600 for a chaise and as much as $800 for a bench. Wicker can be even more expensive, with Lloyd-Flanders the leading manufacturer. Outdoor wicker furniture is made from a synthetic material consisting of wire and fibers that was originally used for baby carriages in the early 1900's, Mr. Francan said. ''Real wicker will rot outdoors,'' he explained. ''With outdoor wicker, you just wash it off, and you can expect it to last a lifetime.'' Photo: Bob Jensen, husband of Patti Jensen of Patti's Portico Outdoor Furniture Restoration, does powder coat painting on a stripped-down chair.