You must have seen them in your home, those décor pieces that are not broken or bent out of shape, neither is it time to throw them out nor buy new ones. They are in fantastic shape but they desperately need to be jazzed up.
One of the ways you can jazz them up is to paint them using spray paint.
Spray paint is paint from an aerosol can, such as the cans used for air fresheners in the bathroom. The paint is ready to use straight from the can, you simply spray it on.
You can spray paint pretty much any material on any piece: glass, plastic, metal, ceramics, clay, wood (both natural and artificial wood) and even fabric.
However, natural materials such as sisal and wicker are a no-no for spray paint. They will neither absorb the paint nor let it sit well – it actually cracks after a few days and falls off the piece.
There are different types of spray paints for different surfaces. The spray paint for fabric is not the best one to use on glass and ceramic, for example. Neither is the spray paint for wood to be used on, say, a plastic piece. Make sure to get the right paint for the right surface.
A can of spray paint costs about Sh300 to Sh500 from a hardware store. The colours are as varied as you can imagine. Colours such as silver, gold and matte black are popular.
When executed properly, a spray paint job can jazz up even the dullest of home décor. Here are the steps to guide you:
Step one: Prepare the surface to be painted
Clean it thoroughly and dry it well. When you don’t clean the surface or let it dry properly, there will be dust and other residues that will get covered in paint, resulting in an uneven and poor finish.
For pieces such as natural wood, go an extra step and sand the piece down with sandpaper. Sanding wood smoothes down any rough spots and old paint, and makes for a cleaner, more penetrative finish.
Step two: Set up a painting station outdoors
Once your piece is clean, dry and sanded down, take it outside to your painting station.
It is very important that you spray paint outdoors, where there is enough ventilation. The fumes from paint are toxic and they can cause migraines, teary eyes, difficulty breathing and, at its worst, you may pass out from lack of enough oxygen.
Cover your mouth and nose with a face mask, your eyes with plastic safety goggles and your hands with rubber gloves. Also, wear some protective clothing to catch any splatter of paint.
Set up your painting station at a comfortable standing height outdoors. Line the station with newspapers, and have a cloth nearby to correct any painting mistakes. On the piece itself, seal off any areas you don’t want to paint with masking tape. It is best to paint on a sunny day when the paint can dry evenly and quickly.
Step three: Prime your piece
A professional floor primer. Priming is an important step that you shouldn’t skip. Primer is a type of paint that further evens the clean surface and sets it for a more polished, more professional finish.
Now that you have cleaned your piece and set up your painting station outdoors, the next step is to prime the piece using primer. Priming is an important step that you shouldn’t skip.
Primer is a type of paint that further evens the clean surface and sets it for a more polished, more professional finish. It also enhances adhesion and absorption, which means that you will spray fewer layers of paint and the colours will pop more.
Primer is sprayed from a can as well. Shake the primer can for about three to five minutes – shake vigorously, shake up and down – and then spray it on a clean and dry surface. Spray as evenly as you can, lightly, from left to right, turning the piece around so you can catch the entire surface. Give the primer about 10 minutes to dry.
Step four: Spray the primed piece
Now comes the grand job of actually spraying the piece. First, as you did with the primer, shake the can vigorously up and down for three to five minutes. Check that the nozzle is not clogged up with any bobs of old paint.
A good way to check your vigour and distance is to spot spray first. Hold the can about 10 centimetres away from the piece and spray lightly on one spot from right to left then right again.
What does the spot spay look like? Are you squeezing the nozzle too hard, or too gently? Are you too close to the piece, too far? Is your hand unsteady? If satisfied, go on to spray the entire piece. Take your time, relax and maintain the spraying rhythm.
Once the first layer of paint is on, give it at least 20 minutes to dry up before you apply the second coat of paint. Fix any mistakes before you recoat. A primed piece will only need a maximum of two coats of paint. Use the same can for both coats.
Step five: Clean up right after
Once you have applied the second and final coat and left the piece out to dry, immediately clean up your hands and any spluttered paint that may have caught beyond your spraying station. It is easier to clean up the wet paint.
Wipe the cans well, especially the nozzle, and firmly shut the lid. Store your cans in a cool dry place to use another day. Dismantle your spraying station and discard your mask, but you will reuse the goggles and rubber gloves. BY DAILY NATION