How to Paint a Faded Outdoor Umbrella (+ Updates on How it Lasted!)
Save money and throw away less with this easy technique to paint a faded outdoor umbrella instead of tossing it in the landfill. Get tips on how to clean the umbrella and what paint technique worked best, plus find out how it looked years later (spoiler: you won’t believe how long it lasts!).
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Do you have a perfectly good umbrella on your patio that has faded from the sun?
If everything else is working – the opening mechanism, there are no holes, etc. – then it’s worth it to take an hour or so to revive it with…paint.
Really – and with just a basic spray paint! Our canvas cover looked 100 times better after using spray paint on it, so I’m confident yours will, too.
Wait, can I paint my outdoor umbrella?
Yes! I tested two types of painting methods and only one – spraying – worked well.
Our Patio Umbrella Before
We had a basic black canvas outdoor umbrella that we had used for about five years. During most of that time we didn’t have a garage or other place to store it for the winter and the constant exposure caused the black to slowly fade to gray, as well as add green mildewed areas.
Surprisingly, though, it was still in good shape with only a few small holes at the top thanks to birds who liked to hang out there. This was surprising because I paid less than $40 for it – such a deal (and with an easy to open hand-crank design instead of the cheaper wooden pulley system).
Since the underside was still black, and the canvas in decent shape, I decided to try to get another season out of it by painting the top. What did I have to loose?
How to Paint a Faded Outdoor Umbrella
I’m confident that this paint method will work for all kinds of umbrellas with canvas covers, as long as they don’t have holes and still attach to the umbrella skeleton.
Step 1: Clean the Umbrella
First I had to answer the question:
Can you wash an outdoor umbrella?
After researching, I found you have two choices for cleaning:
- Use a machine. Since mine was a cotton canvas, I simply threw it in the washing machine on a regular cycle with soap and a vinegar rinse. After laying it out to dry, it came out looking great, even the mildew was gone! (Another surprise…)
- Wash by hand. If you’re not sure about your cover material, you can lay it out and wet it with a hose. Then scrub with a brush and soap before rinsing with a hose and letting it dry. If dealing with mildew, add vinegar instead of soap or do a vinegar rinse.
So, yes, you can wash an umbrella. The photo of our umbrella cover before (above) is actually after cleaning, so you can’t see the green moldy stripes that were on the top – or the bird droppings. Yuck.
Step 2: Choose Your Method & Paint
Method 1: Spray Paint
Since I wanted to make this as easy as possible (always a goal of mine!), I used flat black spray paint – and the cheapest indoor-outdoor paint I could find, at that, since I didn’t expect this to last more than a season and this was just an experiment. This is similar to the paint I used.
TIP: since this was a huge success – see update below – I’d now spend $4 instead of .99 and get this flat black spray paint. Who knows how long it would last then?
Method 2: Regular Paint with Brush or Roller
I did not research this DIY advance, so I didn’t know there was an article on eHow about painting a faded umbrella.Ā But I can tell you this:
- I do NOT suggest using regular paint and a brush or sponge roller like the article.
- I tried it when I ran out of spray paint and found it takes a LONG time, plus the paint soaks into the whole fabric, creating a stiff, ugly pattern on the underside.
- I also found it impossible to apply evenly with a sponge – maybe a small roller would work better for even distribution, but there’d still be the problem of soaking into the fabric.
Based on these experiences in the spray vs. brush/roll debate, I would firmly land on the spray side.
How do you Spray Paint an Umbrella?
- Remove the cover from the frame (unscrew the finial and pull the cover out of the supports) and lay it out flat on the grass (we just mowed the black spray painted grass away) OR cover an area with paper or drop cloths if you don’t want to use the lawn.
- Start at the top and spray the vent and vent edges and undersides with a flat paint.
- Spray one section at a time, being careful to get all the seams and edges.
- Spray a second coat after it dries – it won’t cover evenly, so let it dry a bit and then and spray in a different pattern.
- Let it dry completely, put it back on the umbrella frame and then use a ladder to add a third coat (you can make this step the second coat and not do 3 coats, but it will be more mottled). It was really easy to stand and turn the umbrella as I sprayed, but I’d still do the first coats with the umbrella flat to get the tops, seams and edges without worrying about getting paint on the frame.
Step 3: Optional Clear Coat
Coat with a water-repellant sealer after the paint is completely dry, though the only option for this is to roll it on, since there isn’t a spray product I found. (NOTE: I did not do this and don’t think it’s needed after my results.)
Umbrella Painting Tips & Supplies
- It takes a lot of spray paint. Ours was a nine foot umbrella and I used 5 cans of paint. It probably could use another can, so I’d plan on about a can per section of umbrella. I found flat black paint for $1 a can, so it was a total investment of $6! I know that’s not normal – here’s a paint I’d use now (Home Depot – here it is on Amazon, too). That’s still less than a new umbrella – and I learned you’ll get many years out of it.
- Use a spray-paint gun that attaches to the top of the can. Trust me, your finger will not last, so this is worth the price and you will love it.
- Use a painting mask for safety – here’s an inexpensive, 10-pk of respirators with valves for painting odors.
Up close, you can see the cover is still a bit mottled. My daughter thought it looked like those photographers backdrops that are supposed to be that way, so I’m going with that.
I think it looks 100% better. Actually, a million times better than green mold on faded gray.
Especially for just a few dollars.
Looking for another great transformation? Check out our whole backyard transformation from a huge, ugly, rotting deck to four new outdoor rooms!Ā Click here to see the full backyard reveal.
Painted Outdoor Umbrella Updates
2013 UPDATE:
I didn’t add any protective coating on the umbrella, but I’ve gotten three seasons of life from it with only the one painting!!
I simply cannot believe how that cheap spray paint has held up all these years – this is definitely a way to get more life out of an outdoor umbrella!
BIG NOTE: We did build a garage and were finally able to store it through the winter, which may have helped it last.
2016 UPDATE:
Look at this photo of our backyard and the umbrella from our 2016 Garden Tour right before we put our house up for sale:
That’s a full FIVE years of use from a couple cans of paint!!
Yes, it’s more mottled looking. I could’ve painted it again, but by now it did have holes and we were just waiting until we moved to finally toss it. I still think it’s better than the light faded gray, don’t you?
This was a wonderful surprising result from my painting experiment – you CAN paint a faded outdoor umbrella and they DO last – with no top coating and just basic spray paint!
What to do when it’s time to actually get rid of your patio umbrella?
You have a couple choices:
- Buy a new one (obviously). My favorite have a crank to open the umbrella and a tilting head like this one or this one.
- Buy just a replacement cover that fits your pole. Here’s a 9 foot option (be sure to count how many ribs your pole has).
Let me know if you’ve used paint on a faded outdoor umbrella, too, and how it worked for you!
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I just spray painted my 9 foot umbrella black. It looks really good. However, I can’t get the canvas back on the frame. It’s quite stiff. Any ideas? Did you have that problem? Unwashed it in cold water and air dried it.
Shoot, I didn’t have a problem with that, Lisa! Maybe wet it and stretch when wet back on the frame to dry?
Hi my question is about a color to use. Do you think I need to go darker than my original color? My original umbrella was a terracotta color and unfortunately because my husband likes it to stay closed it faded in uneven stripes. The faded areas are like a yellowish tan color. I was wondering if I could spray the entire umbrella a khaki color or would that not be dark enough. I’m wondering since you said your is faded slightly into a more model color, if mine would fade and those faded stripes would show through??
And by the way I basically live on the sun. Southwest Florida
Yep, I’m with you and think the stripes would show through, though you can try it and then paint it a different color if they do (like maybe a darker brown?). I think living where you do it might become part of your yearly upkeep just to keep from buying a new one every year. š
Our building contractor told me they always paint the white PVC pipes for water BLACK because it protects them from UV deterioration. Articles about sun protection in clothing mention that skin is more susceptible to UV damage under pale clothing vs dark clothing. I wonder if not just the painting, but the color of paint you used, has added some protection?
Hmm, could be, Ina – I wouldn’t be surprised. But I think any color would give at least a few more years of life to a faded umbrella!
I read an article on patio umbrellas and it said the darker the umbrella the more UV protection it provided. Black is the best of course.
hi I read how you did your umbrella can I do this to canopy to I have a easy up and the top is fades bad I was going to dye it but I think the paint will seal it better to what do u think
If it’s made of a similar material to the umbrellas, I don’t see why not.
Thanks for your post! I’m about to do this to my ugly beige umbrella. Your garden is absolutely beautiful!!
Thank you, Cheryl – I hope your umbrella turns out great!
Where did you find outdoor waterproof umbrella fabric spray paint for .99cents-$3 !!!??? Brand name & store!
Also, why can’t you leave on stand while stretched out? Yes I know height, step ladder, 2-3 people, a lil awkward & dangerous bt ud need another hand to put on anyway (guess I’ve answered my own question!)! I juz feel I may have an issue getting it back on
It wasn’t any special spray paint, that’s why I was so amazed at how it worked and held up for so long!! It was just basic black spray paint from Walmart. š I was only trying to get another season from it, so didn’t search out any special paint.
You can leave it on – I didn’t for all the reasons you mention and I wanted to make sure to get the area under the vent at the top. It wasn’t hard to get on and off at all.
I too have 3 red umbrellas,that in one season turned pink. And did not match our patio cushions..saw your site and figured I had nothing,to loss but 20 bucks on spray paint. Being that I was painting them colonial red and still had a base of,pink it was only 2 cans of,rustoleum with primer in the,paint…I was able,to do 3. 7ft umbrellas with 6 cans of paint,on about 1.5 hours complete. I wish it did before and after..it was remarkable. I am,sure to get 2 if not,3 mpre,years out of them…..
Wow, that’s wonderful, Denise, and such a savings since you had 3 umbrellas!
Do you think using a “clear paint” would also protect as well as other colours?; as I’m interested in preserving the existing beer logos on the umbrella.
Not sure, Jim, but it’s worth a try!
Hi there! It’s always a good idea to apply a primer coat (outdoor) first- that should prevent the mottling/uneven application, and one or two cans of spray paint (max) should be sufficient. Without the primer coat, the paint has nothing to adhere to and will just soak through the fabric.
Thanks for the tip!
Bought 2 umbrellas 3 years ago at Christmas Tree Shops. Mine look exactly like your “before shot. Like you said, what have I got to lose. Bit windy here today, but will be spraying mine this week. So glad to hear that you had good results.
Thanks.
Finished doing this today with 5 cans of green Krylon Fusion that I had purchased last year to paint my shutters but wound up changing my mind about the color. My umbrella is about 10 years old and after paint it looks like new. Maybe I can get a few more years out of it before buying and new one. Thanks for showing how to do this.
Awesome, Alison – so glad to hear that! And if yours is like mine, you totally will get a number of years more out of it. š
Hi there- where did you find .97 spray paint? The cheapest I can find is $3.77!
I bought the paint at Walmart, Lauren, and I think’s it still the same price. We’re on our 4th summer and I haven’t even touched it up yet. š
I tried this last year with a brush and latex paint and only got one section done before I gave up.
The umbrella still needs painting so I think that I will try the cheap spray paint. The fact that it is a really good umbrella, old but well made in USA, is the reason I just have to try it. Besides, I NEED an umbrella at my store, Random Arts, in Saluda, NC. Thank you so much for all the tips.
What a good idea. We just purchased an outdoor table from Ikea, but couldn’t pay extra for a new umbrella. I’d like a little more life out of our existing one as well.
Anonymous- I was waiting for someone to mention the lack of mask/respirator!
Since I was outside, I didn’t think about it until I saw the picture where it looks like there’s a lot of overspray. Like you said, the wind was whipping it around, but I only did it for a few minutes like that- when it was flat on the ground I didn’t need to be as close when spraying.
Thanks for the reminder, I’ll have to remember that next time. š
Good for you inexpensive redo with big impact!
I think you did a great job with the repainting. I wouldn’t have attempted to fix it. It looks cool…and I’m looking forward to seeing the new pics of the back patio area š š Have a great weekend. Love and hugs from Oregon, Heather š š š
Not to be fussy but it’s really important to wear a respirator and eye protection when using any kind of paint in spray form. Even if you think you have enough ventilation or are spraying with the direction of the wind. I had a painting/ airbrush teacher warn us over and over (with accompanying horror stories) of this very thing. You would be surprised to see how much paint ends up inside even an ordinary paper mask at the end of a painting project- meaning paint that you have inhaled and then exhaled back out again and caught in the mask so without any protection is pretty scary. It has to be a real full-on respirator. That’s why teens get into trouble huffing paint (among other things) because you can get high off the inhalants and damage your lungs and nervous system. Even an air gun without propellants suspends pigments in the air ripe for breathing which will coat your lungs. A good one should cost only about 25-30 bucks so pretty frugal. š Particularly important since you’re using multiple cans at close range…
Necessary “scary” link on inhalant side effects:
http://www.inhalants.org/final_medical.htm
š
I might try putting something like that through the washing washing with a packet of black dye if it is made of natural canvas. If it is a synthetic fabric it may not work or need a different process.
Sorry for being such a downer… still loving reading your blog!
It is amazing what you can do with paint. I love paint.
Chloe
It looks a ton better. I wonder if you could dye them with something like Rit (is that how it’s spelled?) Dye? Ours was faded and beat up too, so this year I bought a new one at Ace Hardware – super sale – $19.99. They only had one brownish color for that price, but I thought it was a steal. Hand crank and tilt even!
I did read that you can dye them. Research it, because I can’t remember which website I read it on. Home Depot blog has some umbrella painting instructions, beginning with using a primer. My umbrella is a very heavy, waterproof canvas. Still trying to find exactly the right technique. Some advice said “some paints” will keep it from being waterproof.?? Don’t know how it would it the fabric already is.
I would like to know where you found spray paint for 99
cents!!!!!!
Walmart. š
That was brilliant!!! I certainly would have done it! I, too take chances like that and its all trial and error, how else would we know. I loved it Sweetie. Everything looks beautiful!
Thank you Wanda!
You can find .99 spray paint in Walmart, Dollar Stores and a few others.
Thanks for your posting. Too bad I didn’t see your blog about painting market umbrellas before I did mine.But I thought I’d share my experience using liquid fabric dye on my light green umbrella, which turned out well. I think the material is a canvas. I wish I had thought of taking it off to wash it in the machine but I just hand washed it. I used a small foam roller from Home Depot and bought Jacquard Dye-Na-Flow Fabric Paint online from Dharma Trading Company (a great resource but it was also available at my local art supply store.) I bought a 4 oz. container to try it and ultimately used about 16 ounces. I just set the umbrella on the ground, wet it with the hose and rotated to roll on the dye for each section. What was great about it was that the dye soaked through the fabric and revitalized the underside of the fabric as well. It also wasn’t messy but I did have it on a drop cloth.
That’s a great idea, too, Carole! Thanks for sharing, I wouldn’t have thought of that. š
Did you put a water proofer over it afterward? I was reading about that dye and it said to dilute it with water and heat set it? Did you do either of those?
Thanks,
Ann