Remove all cushions from the patio furniture and move the pieces to the center of the yard. Spread a plastic tarp on the ground and center the furniture on top of it.
Scrub all surfaces of the mesh furniture with a wire brush using firm back and forth motions to detach any flaking paint and rust spots.
Set the brush aside and repeat the scrubbing process with a 600- to 400-grade piece of steel wool, which smooths the rough surfaces down.
Put on safety glasses and disposable gloves and pour 3 to 4 tablespoons of mineral spirits on a rag. Wipe all surfaces of the metal mesh with the rag to remove oil and grease.
Shake up a can of exterior primer designed for metal. Hold the nozzle of the spray can 12 inches from the top of one of the furniture pieces and spray it in sideways motions overlapping each stroke by at least 2 inches. Continue painting downward until you reach the bottom of the piece and then perform the same procedure on the front.
Prime all additional metal mesh patio pieces in the same manner and then wait for the primer to dry.
Shake up a spray paint that is designed for metal and paint the metal mesh using the same side-to-side motions you used with the primer. Do not try to cover all of the primer the first time.
Wait until the first coat of paint is dry and apply a second coat.