One of the many projects the preservation team is currently working on is refinishing the outdoor furniture on our historic grounds. The 65 tables, chairs, and benches are being blasted and repainted by Casidy Brothers Forge in Rowley, Massachusetts. Casidy Brothers uses steel grit blasting, a high-pressured system that shoots an abrasive element made of steel grit at the furniture within a climate-controlled room. The abrasive grit removes dirt, rust, and paint to create an ideal surface for repainting. The furniture is then repainted using marine paint, which will withstand the harsh seaside conditions for years to come.
Most of the benches and chairs have already been through the process and returned to the site. In the photo above, you can see that the new paint on the chairs is a light blue, as opposed to the cream table that is still waiting to be stripped and repainted. The hope is to have all of the furniture finished and returned to the site this spring for guest to enjoy the (fingers crossed) lovely weather.