Tips and Tricks for Spray Painting Almost Anything

A good can of spray paint can transform almost anything into something a lot more interesting. It can revive the unwanted "ugly" thrifty finds laying around your home into one of a kind decor that will make others envious.

I started spray painting things a year ago and in that year I learned a lot through trial and error. It really isn't as easy as it looks. You can easily mess up your project and cause yourself to do a lot more work to fix things that could have been easily been avoided.

You literally can't just pull out a can of spray paint, spray your project and expect it to come out looking good. So I am here to help! To share the mistakes I learned from so you can master the art of spray painting!

Here are my tips and tricks...

1. Clean your Object your Spray Painting: Your thrift find probably has a layer of scum on it.... no joke! That layer keeps spray paint from sticking and can effect the way the spray paint coats your project! Also any dust particles or hair can make your spray paint layer look crummy and bumpy.

2. Let your Object Dry After Cleaning it before Spray Painting: One droplet of water will make your spray paint uneven and cause the paint around the droplet to crack and peel. It's the perfect way to ruin a project and make it unfixable.

3. Buy a Expensive can of Spray Paint: I really can't express this enough because when you skimp and buy the cheap can you end up spending way more buying more cans to get a good layer. When you could have bought one can that is easier to use and has a more brilliant color. I like the spray paint that primes and paints or applies 2 coats in one coat. IT IS WORTH IT.

4. Scratch the Surface Before Painting: I am not always patient enough for this step but when it comes to certain projects it is a must to keep your paint intact for years to come. For example I bought a really cool pair of old wire yard chairs that were covered in a paint that had rusted. I made sure to sand the old rust and paint of completely before painting and over 2 years later they still look like new again. Sanding provides a grip on plastic surfaces.

5. Protect Yourself and Your Crafting Area: Try to spray paint outside or in a well ventilated area like an open garage. Be sure to cover your area with news paper or something to protect it from the residue that floats in the air during and after spraying. Wear old clothes and use a bandanna or ventilator to cover your mouth. Also goggles and gloves can be helpful to further protect yourself.

6. Buy More than you Think: Buy an extra can of spray paint. There is nothing like starting a project and getting frustrated because you ran out of paint. You always need a lot more than you think. Plus that extra can if not used could come in handy on another project.

7. SHAKE WELL BEFORE, DURING, AND WHEN YOUR DONE:  This is SUPER IMPORTANT because shaking only before like the can tells you is not enough to insure a perfect pretty covering. You need to shake between layers and when your done turn the can upside down, shake and spray to keep your spout from clogging for future painting.

8. Layers, Layers and more layers: When spraying be sure to only do thin layers that go across your project at an even speed starting from the top and working toward the bottom. Then step away and in a few minutes come back, shake your can well, and do it again. I like to do at least 4 layers, one for each side.  It pays to be patient and to spray in a different direction each time to insure complete coverage. Not spraying is thin layers results in running paint, uneven coats, and a long time before your project dries completely.

9. Allow the paint to Dry for a couple Hours before Handling: Otherwise you make find yourself in a sticky mess with a ruined project. Also projects can hold fumes for awhile.

10. Matte vs Gloss it Makes a Difference: Depending on what your spray painting and what your looking to achieve be sure to check the spray paint can before buying for either Matte which produces a flat color finish or gloss which will make your project shiny! I can't tell you how many times I bought spray paint and forgot to look at this and was disappointed with the effect I got.