There are many ways to spray paint metal, however, there is one key way to ensure your spray paint stays on your item for good. Read on to see how you can spray paint your objects correctly.
Materials You’ll Need
For this project, you will need the following materials:
- Sandpaper
- Masking Tape
- Primer
- Paint Thinner
- Spray Paint
- N-95 Mask
- Protective Eyewear
- Gloves
How to Spray Paint Metal in 5 Steps
Step 1: Prep Your Surface
Before you begin, you will need to prep your surface. This means you should sand off all the rust spots or loose paint chips that have occurred over the years. You’ll want to do this so that the new spray paint can bond with the object you are painting. If you have an item that is not smooth on the surface, you will have a hard time getting the paint to stick.
Step 2: Wipe Down Your Item
Next, you’ll want to wipe down your item with a cloth to remove any extra dirt or dust. You can even dampen your cloth with water to ensure all the dust and dirt are fully removed from your item. You will want to ensure that your item is dry before you start painting. If not, it could result in the spray paint not drying evenly.
Step 3: Begin to Prep Your Work Station
At this step, you will want to begin prepping your workstation. You should consider this workstation to be outside, but free from the wind. Being in a windy area can mess up your paint job or blow things on your project that you may not want, such as dirt or pollen.
When working indoors, you should ensure all your doors and windows remain open while you paint. If you have anything of value to you, you may want to cover them in cloth or old blankets just in case your spray paint gets on your valuables. You may also want to lay down newspaper or old papers for larger objects.
This is also where masking tape comes in handy. You can tape off the places that you want to keep unpainted. This includes places on the actual item you want to keep free from your paint.
Step 4: Testing Your Paint and Primer
Next, you’ll want to grab your n-95 mask, gloves, and eye protection to test your spray paint. Your paint should have a thin and fine mist. Before you test your spray paint, you will want to shake your paint can for about 60 seconds. From there, you can test your spray paint and spray it on cardboard or any extra newspaper you have. This is to ensure that your paint is ready to be used!
If you have a separate primer that is not included in your paint, you will want to test that as well. You will want to shake the primer can for 60 seconds as well before you use it.
Step 5: Apply the Primer and Paint
For our final step, you will want to apply the primer before the spray paint. The primer will lay the foundation for your paint and allow your spray paint to lie better on your item.
Here you’ll want to apply one coat of paint at a time. It typically takes about three coats to see the results you want. Ensure you are applying the primer and paint in even coats.
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