20 Mar Decor on a Dime: Tips and Tricks for Spray Painting Furniture
Never underestimate the power of a spray paint can, especially on a thrift store purchase in need of major TLC.The best thing about this type of project is it requires little skill. Trust me, anyone can do it! My husband and I even spray painted our entertainment center in the only outdoor space we have – our 5 x 12 ft apartment balcony.
Our final product gets rave reviews from family and friends and it was as easy as 1-2-3.
We styled it with some colorful books, candles and silver photo frames {all items you can find at affordable places like dollar stores, HomeGoods, TJ Maxx and thrift shops}. I absolutely love silver and mercury accents against red. So, here’s how to do it!
Spray Paint Process
Use a plastic drop cloth to work on and protect areas from spray. If painting wood, use sandpaper to make a rough surface for the paint to adhere to and make sure to wear your mask. Next, apply a solid coat of primer as instructed on the spray bottle. Now for the fun part, the color! Spray the paint evenly and let dry as directed on the can. That’s it!
Of course, during our process we had a few bumps in the road. But have no fear, I have you covered! Read on for a roundup of tips from our experience.
Sand with Care: Spray paint won’t adhere well to glossy surfaces, so be thorough with your sanding.
Check the Forecast: Don’t spray on a windy day. You’ll waste paint on your clothes and everywhere else except your project.
Don’t Be Lazy with Primer: Focus on getting an even layer of primer in the beginning. Without it, an even final result will be difficult and it’s a pain to fix.
Get Lots of Spray Paint: The spray paint cans cost under $4 each from the hardware store and some come in packs of six for under $25. Get the six pack. We only purchased one for the whole project. {What were we thinking?} We had to make several more trips to the store. Save yourself the trip and a few bucks by planning ahead.
Now it’s your turn to start spray painting!
Have you done a spray paint project? Share the link to your project below! Have any more spray painting tips? Comment with your must-know tips and tricks we may have missed!
About the author: Taylor Gordon is a freelance blogger from Washington, D.C. When she isn’t obsessively searching for deals, you can find her Instagramming photos of her cat Zeus and blogging about personal finance and budget living on her blog TrendyCheapo.com. Like Trendy Cheapo on Facebook, follow her @TrendyCheapo on Twitter and check her out on Google+.
Queen in Heels
Posted at 15:13h, 20 MarchI recently went spray paint crazy with my home office. I wanted it purple and white. The thing was I couldn’t find the purple colored items I wanted. A trip to the Home Depot for something else led me to the spray paint aisle. I have an oak desk that I didn’t want to get rid of so I sprayed it white and the accessories the purple. I am almost happy with my office now.
Amber
Posted at 17:06h, 20 MarchI agree with you one hundred percent on not spray painting on a windy day! I did that last year when doing this project here!
I had gotten spray paint on my legs – no fun to try to remove!!!
Love how your entertainment stand turned out!!
Gwendolyn Grant
Posted at 12:54h, 25 MarchMy husband repainted all of our outdoor art with gold spray paint. He sanded, painted a primer coat, then spray painted everything gold. He’s much more patient than I am, and his results showed it on our armillary.
Susan
Posted at 19:39h, 20 SeptemberLove the look! What is the brand/color/finish of the spray paint you used? Thanks!