5 Surfaces to Spray Paint
Warmer days are upon us – I just saw mid-40s for next week – and that means the start of spray painting season!
As an avid DIYer, I have spray painted just about everything and anything. From baskets to fabric, from lamps (like this one) to furniture, nothing in my home is safe from being revamped with a new coat of color.
When it comes to spray painting, there are a few tricks-of-the-trade to achieve a successful result, but with some practice & patience (and a few tips from my blogger friends), you’ll want to revamp every surface in sight!
Not sure what to spray paint? Here are tips for 5 types of surfaces to tackle using spray paint.
Wood Furniture
Whether a dresser, chair, desk, or armoire, most all furniture can be revamped and livened up with a few fresh coats of spray paint. You’ll be amazed how a new color can completely change the look and feel of something that was old and drear. After a quick sanding, it’s always best to first apply a primer coat, then you choice of color.
Diane of In My Own Style refinished her dining chairs and chose to use a 5 different colors – orange, yellow, blue, pink, and turquoise. What a fresh, happy update!
This is a before & after chair I restored after finding it on the side of the road a few years back…
Upholstery
From an ottoman to a wing back chair, another project to tackle using spray paint is upholstery. Crazy sounding, but it’s true. Recovering an upholstered piece of furniture can be costly (a typical wing back chair could cost about $600+), but for many who are on a budget, it’s an affordable and fairly easy way to get the result at a fraction of the cost.
If the fabric covered piece is in good condition, well built, and has good lines, then spray painting to change the upholstery color should be a fairly manageable task. Here is a beautiful side chair makeover using spray paint – the pop of color with the bold blue is an incredible update.
Ceramics
Because of the slick surface, ceramics can be challenging to spray paint. To achieve a great result, it’s key to use multiple thin coats and lightly sand the surface between coats using sandpaper or very fine steel wool. Wipe the surface clean again and spray another coat. A glossy finish is most durable when spray painting ceramics.
Jennifer of Dimples and Tangle achieved a great result with her spray painting revamp after scooping up an inexpensive garden stool and totally changing the look to a desired white.
Fabric (curtains)
Custom curtains can be expensive, but that shouldn’t stop you from getting the look you want. DIY curtain panels (all of my window treatments are do it yourself creations) can be achieved on a tight budget and spray paint can often help with getting the desired look for less.
Stripes (any size, horizontal or vertical) are the easiest and most manageable style curtain to make when using spray paint. Maury of Life on Mars chose to create a wide horizontal striped curtain panel for her bedroom in a vibrant, yellow hue. The result is gorgeous.
Metal
Despite dirt and rust, if a piece has good bones and is well built, it most likely can be rejuvenated with a few coats of spray paint. With the array of color choices, you can truly take something from blah to beautiful with a little elbow grease and a few dollars. When spray painting a metal surface, it’s important to sand down the surface and then use a primer. The more your sand and smooth, the better the result. If your style is more rustic / vintage, then sanding less and showing the “chippy” side of a piece is great, but for a modern aethestic, a slick / shiny surface is best.
From a bar cart that most people would steer clear of to a chandelier ready for the curb, these are two amazing metal pieces transformed with spray paint.
Bar Cart redo by Monica of Living in Vogue featured on Design Sponge
Spray painted brass chandelier by The Little Green Notebook
You can truly spray paint anything! If you’ve never spray painted before, give it a try – here’s a tutorial. With the arrival of Spring in only a few short weeks, now is the time to get thinking about what you want to revamp first. From furniture to home decor, using spray painting is an affordable and fairly easy way to update anything!