Tucson Patio Furniture Repair Bubbles, blisters or corrosion under the finish
Bubbles, blisters or thin thread-like lines under the finish on an aluminum frame are usually filiform corrosion: moisture got under the coating at a chip, scratch or drilled hole and is creeping along underneath. The fix is to strip back to clean metal and recoat. Typical cost is $25 to $100 a chair for stripping plus $75 to $95 for powder coat; tables run $135 to $300 to strip and $170 to $190 to coat.
Check this first
- Find where it starts. Filiform corrosion usually begins at a defect: a chip, a scratch, a cut edge, or a drilled hole such as a rivet or bolt hole. Look at the bubbles nearest those.
- Press a bubble. If it crunches and white powder comes out, it is corrosion under the coat.
- Count the spots. One or two small spots can be touched up. Many, spread across the frame, mean a full strip.
- Check what the frame is. A magnet will not stick to aluminum. If a magnet sticks and you see red-brown rust, the frame is steel, which is a different and usually worse problem.
What is usually wrong
| What you find | Likely cause | Fix and typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| One or two small blisters near a chip | Early filiform corrosion | Sand to bare metal and touch up |
| Bubbles along rivet or bolt holes | Moisture entering at the holes | Strip and powder coat |
| Bubbles all over, finish lifting | Corrosion spread under the coat | Full strip, $25-$100 per chair, plus coat |
| Red rust, magnet sticks | Steel frame or steel hardware | Assess; steel may not be worth it |
See the pricing page for every range.
Why it happens in a dry city
Filiform corrosion favours warm, humid and salty conditions, so Tucson’s dry air is on your side most of the year. What brings water to the frame here is the monsoon, which officially runs June 15 to September 30, plus sprinklers, misters and pool splash. Tropitone notes that in indoor pool areas chlorides accumulate on the finish and lead to finish failure. Outdoors the air carries them away, but a frame splashed and dried daily beside the pool keeps feeding any chip.
What the repair involves
Painting over bubbles traps the corrosion and it comes back. The frame has to be stripped back to clean aluminum where it is affected, any pitting dressed, and the frame powder coated and baked. Straps or slings come off for this, so it is the natural time to replace them. See powder coating and refinishing.
Prevention
- Touch up chips before water gets in.
- Rinse pool splash and sprinkler residue off the frames.
- Wax the frame, as Tropitone and Brown Jordan recommend (Winston says no wax on textured finishes; see the Winston page).
- See pool chemical pitting for poolside sets.
When to call
Call when bubbles appear in more than a spot or two, or when the finish is lifting. Send close-ups of the worst areas and a photo of the whole piece.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is aluminum supposed to rust?
Aluminum does not form red rust, but it does corrode. Under paint it shows as white powder, blisters or thread-like lines. Red rust on patio furniture usually means steel or wrought iron, or steel hardware.
Can I just sand the bubbles and touch them up?
For one small spot, a careful sand-back to bright metal and touch-up can hold for a while. If there are bubbles in several places, the corrosion is spreading under the coat and the frame needs stripping back to clean metal.
What does it cost to fix?
Stripping typically runs $25 to $100 a chair and $135 to $300 a table, and powder coat $75 to $95 per chair, $100 to $125 per chaise and $170 to $190 per table.
What we do in Tucson
- Patio Chair Sling Replacement in Tucson
- Vinyl Strap Restrapping for Patio Chairs and Chaises
- Powder Coating and Refinishing Aluminum Patio Furniture
- Patio Furniture Frame and Weld Repair
- Swivel Rocker and Glider Repair for Patio Chairs
- Patio Chair Glides and Feet Replacement
- Replacement Patio Cushions, Made to Size