DIY Mint Ikea Applaro Outdoor Sofa and Fuschia Ikea Loungers
I don’t know about you but spring has sprung and our Ikea Applaro outdoor sectional sofa and loungers need some love. We’ve had them for a few years and although I love me some Ikea, the finish on these really missed the mark.
Let me start with what I love about it. Â We have several pieces which makes this a very versatile piece of furniture. Â Every summer we rework it which makes it feel like new every year. Â But, the finish was wearing off EVERYWHERE. Â It looked rough, like really terrible.
Pic from last year you can see some of the weathering on the sides and back
I mean, it just looks terrible and is downright embarrassing.
Pic from last year of the loungers, SMH.
So I decided to paint them! We debated getting rid of it all and buying new patio furniture but I didn’t want to spend the money on a new set, (outdoor furniture is expensive!) and I really loved the layout options I had with this one.
DIY Ikea Applaro
I picked out 2 colors from the Sherwin Williams HGTV home paint line.  We went with “Mint to be” and “Hibiscus”. The “Hibiscus” fuschia was a bold choice; but it’s fun, it’s bright and it coordinates nicely with the “Mint to be” and cushions I already owned. We had the colors mixed into the Sherwin Williams Exterior All Weather paint for best durability in the elements.
Before sanding, oy my eyes
Step 1:Â
Move everything into the yard and sand, sand, sand. Â Hubs and I both took a hand sander and started sanding every inch of all 10 pieces of furniture, 8 pieces for the sectional and the 2 loungers.
It took us 90 minutes to 2 hours.
Step 2:
After sanding, which included all of the sides, seats, backs, legs and undersides, clean!
We busted out our K9III dog dryer and blew off all of the dust left from the sanding to get all the pieces as clean as possible (you can use a leaf blower to do this or wipe it all down by hand). You want to make sure you get all of the dust off.
After sanding and blowing off the dust prepped for paint.
Step 3:
Next up was laying out a bunch of cardboard we had left over from the shipping of our faux beams. Placing all of the pieces of the sectional upside down. I recommend starting this way for 2 reasons.
One; it gave us a little leeway for working the paint sprayer, in case the paint came out too heavy you wouldn’t see it and we could adjust it. Â And two; we could get a nice even finish on the top and let it dry sitting upright without risking messing anything up by flipping it over to do the underside later.
Step 4:
Paint the pieces! We have a Wagner paint sprayer that we snagged at Home Depot for painting a porch at our former house.  I don’t see our exact model available anymore but we love it and I highly recommend a paint sprayer if you are a regular DIY’er.
We primed the sprayer and spent a few minutes adjusting the nozzle for the right spray level. Once it was adjusted we finished the underside of the 8 pieces in 15-20 minutes.  One of the great things about living in a super dry climate is paint dries FAST.
By the time we made it down the line and made a second sweep for even coverage the pieces we started with were dry and we could flip them over. Â Halfway through the process we RAN OUT OF PAINT. Â Classic mistake, we had bought 2 gallons thinking it would be enough, whelp I went back for 2 more gallons.
We ended up using 3 1/2 gallons to get the whole thing painted.  The wood took the paint incredibly well and I expect it will last for quite some time. The finish feels and looks really solid.
Freshly painted
Step 5:
Let sit and and dry! We left the sectional overnight to give the paint a chance to cure, if you are in a more humid climate you might want to give it a couple of days.
But here in Colorado, the next morning it was fully dry and looked incredible. I’m thrilled with the results.
Perfect lovely soft minty blue color.
Slight sheen from the exterior paint mix, even coating from the sprayer with no bumps or lumps. It looks darn near factory finish.
Isn’t it so purdy?!
Of course now I couldn’t wait to do the loungers!
I had picked up 2 gallons for those which turned out to be just enough. Followed the same process as the sectional: sand, clean, prime the sprayer and away we go.
Post sanding and cleaning, ready for paint
 We let those dry during an entire sunny day (hand-painted the wheels which took longer than spraying both loungers).  We ended up using all 2 gallons.
This pic is super bright with the sun full on but it’s just after finishing the second coat of Hibiscus paint.
And the final color of the loungers, dry and all set up ready for some sun-tanning action.
Don’t they look so much better?!
And the moment you have been waiting for, here she is! All jazzed up with some colorful pillows and some extra extra. Our family of 6 spends a lot of time out here and the sectional is now something beautiful to look at instead of an eye sore.
A large oversized rug really makes it a focal space.
The blue sectional pops and you can peep the pink loungers on the other end of the patio. It’s all about bright and fun!
Who wants to come over?!
For an entirely new look and what amounts to new furniture, I’m really happy with it! Some elbow grease, a weekend and a little bit of $ is all you need to transform sad outdoor Ikea furniture. See below for the full cost breakdown!
Total spent for the IKEA applaro sofa and loungers project:
Paint Sprayer – free we already own it (highly recommend if you don’t have one!)
Sandpaper and Sanders – free already had on hand
4 gallons of Sherwin Williams Exterior Semi Gloss “Mint to Be” paint – $164
2 gallons of Sherwin Williams Exterior Semi Gloss “Hibiscus” paint – $82
4 cans of Rustoleum Gloss Berry Pink Spray Paint – $14
All accessories, pillows, rugs, etc I already owned – free
Total Spent $260
Would you do this DIY Ikea Applaro project? What color would you go with?  I always love to hear from you so hit me up in the comments!
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xoxo
Jessica
March 23, 2017Wow, that’s amazing. I absolutely love those colors. It’s amazing what paint can do
ttbousu
March 27, 2017Thanks Jessica! Yes it definitely is amazing what a little paint and elbow grease can accomplish. I love this set more than I did when we first bought it!
Ola
March 23, 2017Girl, you’ve got yourself a new fan here! I’m loving this. It seems we have very similar tasters on out door styling. Can’t wait to see more from you. Great job!
ttbousu
March 27, 2017Thank you so much! Yay, I so love it when I find like minded styles! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Allison
May 7, 2017Beautiful make over! Where did you get the cushions? Specifically, the back cushions?
ttbousu
May 7, 2017Thank you! All of the white cushions came from Ikea when we bought the sofa, the large orange and other pillows (including chaise cushions) are all from World Market!
Jessie
July 22, 2020Which cushions at Ikea are they specifically if you don’t mind? We are having trouble understanding the sizing. Thanks!
Tina Bousu
July 28, 2020Hi! I believe they are the Duvholmen size.
stizz
April 4, 2018looks great! how does it look after a summer of use?
ttbousu
April 5, 2018Hi! It looks as good as it did freshly painted. I just set everything up on the patio again for this year and I couldn’t be happier with it! I think the key to getting a good finish with the paint is a good sanding and cleaning before applying it. This is what we did and we have had zero issues!
jessica wirshup
July 12, 2018What an amazing makeover!
How are the white cushions holding up? We’re considering buying them to update ours but I was worried about stains with a small toddler and dog.
ttbousu
July 13, 2018Hi Jessica! Thank you so much! Of course they show dirt and stuff but I feel like the black would too. Our bigger problem with their cushions is that they mold. I have no idea why or how to prevent it. We bring everything in in the winter so it’s only out late spring-early fall. We live in a super dry climate (CO) too so the molding issue is even weirder. I’m debating on spray painting them or trying to make new covers. I hope that’s helpful and best of luck with your cushions!
Pauline
April 22, 2019Hi,
Love your work. Did you only do be coat?
Tina Bousu
April 22, 2019Hi Pauline, thank you so very much! I used a sprayer and did one really good pass, then went back (we’re in CO and it was pretty much dry by the time I finished the last piece) to the first one and checked for any inconsistencies in the paint finish and touched up/resprayed where necessary.
Jennifer @ Decorated Chaos
April 22, 2019I’m buying my neighbors Applaro set and I’m debating on using the Varda from Ikea to refresh it, or going in a new direction like you did with a better color. I haven’t decided yet but I’m glad I found you post for inspiration!
Tina Bousu
April 22, 2019Hi Jennifer, thanks so much for stopping by and good luck with your set. Let me know how it goes!
Mia
August 3, 2019This is so great and giving me lots of inspiration to finally deal with our ÄPPLARÖ table and chairs, which are looking awful after several seasons outside. How are your pieces standing up now that it’s been about 2 years? Is the paint holding? I don’t have a paint sprayer but am really tempted to sand like you did and then go to town with the spray paint. You didn’t put anything else on top once you sprayed, right? Thanks and great job!
Tina Bousu
August 4, 2019Hi Mia! It’s holding up great and we continue to use the sectional, although we sold the chaise loungers as we never used them. But you can see it in my outdoor spaces post up in June. The paint has had no issues withstanding rain and snow, no peeling or chipping. We do store it in the garage over the winter though. And nope no additional treatments to it other than the paint! Have fun with it!
Trish
May 12, 2020Looks awesome! Great job!
Tina Bousu
May 12, 2020Hi Trish, thank you so very much!
Michelle Booth
September 11, 2020Hi! Curious about the lounger cushions – did you custom make them or purchase them? I have the same lounger chairs and am searching for cushions that are the right dimensions! Thank you!
Tina Bousu
September 15, 2020Hi Michelle! Those were purchased from World Market. 🙂
Kathleen Keegan
September 21, 2020Thinking of buying the Appalaro and painting right away as you patio looks awesome. Loving the coffee table – where did you purchase?
Tina Bousu
September 28, 2020Hi Kathleen! That would be a great idea, it didn’t take long for the original finish to really start looking drab. The fire table is from a local Restoration Hardware Outlet. Have fun with your new sectional!
jenna meyer
September 25, 2020This was exactly the inspiration i needed!
Tina Bousu
September 28, 2020Hi Jenna! I’m so glad to hear this! xo
Felicity
November 2, 2020I love the paint job! Also where did you get those awesome round blue chairs?
Tina Bousu
November 5, 2020Hi Felicity, thank you so much! Those are from Home Goods. 🙂
Paula Johnson
May 21, 2021So it’s been a few years. How is the paint holding up? My Applaro needs a makeover and I’m not going to re-stain in again. It just doesn’t hold up in SoCal sun.
Tina Bousu
June 1, 2021Hi Paula! I totally hear you! The Colorado sun is intense, most outdoor pillows lose their coloring by the second season and stained furniture…it just takes a beating. I plan an updated post on this but it’s doing great! I have been really impressed with the exterior paints durability and we’ve even had it snow on it multiple times.
Paula Johnson
June 9, 2021Thanks for letting me know. Now I just need to decide on a color…
Tina Bousu
June 9, 2021Happy to help! 🙂
Noriko
November 7, 2021Hey there! Google search landed me at this old post. 🙂 Why aren’t more people doing this??? My only question is….you really didn’t have to prime with the lighter color? I was worried the wood tannins would bleed through and don’t want to do this twice. But if you worked for you….you’ll save me time and money skipping that priming step!
Tina Bousu
November 16, 2021Hi! I definitely didn’t prime, just used the paint in the post and it worked like a charm. I still haven’t had to touch it up or anything and it’s been a few years!