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Krylon, the nation’s leading spray paint manufacturer, offers a rich palette of colors and textures to make the most of your creativity. Crafting with spray paint is fast and easy, and choosing a spray over a brush-on finish reduces your application and drying time, leaving you more time for other things – like more crafting! Krylon offers the following suggestions to help ensure your success when spray painting. Once you’ve tried Krylon’s spray paints and finishes, you’ll be amazed at how easy they are to use and the professional results you can achieve. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions on a can of spray paint – application instructions and dry times, as well as how long you should shake the can vary for specialty paints. For most general-purpose spray paints, you can use the following technique and get very good results. - Use paint in a well-ventilated area and protect your work surface from overspray with a drop cloth or newspaper. For best results, do not spray in humid conditions. (See our "Helpful Hints" below for tips on making your own spray booth.)
- The key to any paint project is surface preparation, and the most important step is a clean, dry surface. Ordinary household detergent or mineral spirits usually do the job.
- When working with wood: Sand smooth with medium to fine grain sandpaper. Wipe clean with a tack cloth to remove dust. Spray with primer.
- When working with metal: Remove loose rust with a wire brush, sandpaper or chemical rust remover. Remove oil with a degreaser or denatured alcohol. Prime surface to protect against rust and corrosion.
- When working with plastic, glass or ceramic: Lightly sand with fine grain sandpaper so that surface will not be slick – this allows paint to adhere better. Wipe clean.
- Always use a primer on bare wood or metal, or when dramatically changing color.
- Shake the can for two full minutes once you hear the mixing ball begin to rattle (refer to directions). Repeat for 10 seconds after each minute of use.
- To start the proper paint flow and to make sure you’ve shaken the paint enough, spray first on scrap material. Then test spray on an inconspicuous area of project to test the paint’s compatibility with the item’s base layer.
- Spray 10" – 12" (refer to directions) from project, starting off your project, then spraying across your project in a sweeping motion, maintaining a constant distance from the item being painted. Do not apply in one continuous spray; instead, release the spray button after each pass. Overlap each pass by about a third to keep paint finish even and consistent. Apply paint in thin coats to avoid runs or drips. Continue in this fashion until entire project has one coat of paint. Allow paint to dry for the recommended amount of time before adding a second coat. Repeat if necessary.
Helpful Hints & Time-Saving Tricks Create your own "spray booth" to make clean up easy. Select a cardboard box large enough to fit your project. In a well-ventilated area, set the box on its side on top of a drop cloth (to catch any accidental over spray). Place your project inside and spray. Place bottles, candleholders, vases and other three-dimensional projects on a turntable to reach all sides easily. Cover the turntable with plastic wrap, waxed paper or aluminum foil for easy clean up. As you spray, you can turn your project without having to touch it. When painting larger projects that you need to turn, create your own "turntable" by wrapping a large piece of cardboard with aluminum foil to make a nonstick, moveable surface. Place your project on top of the cardboard on your work surface. Turn the cardboard as you spray. Keep a grip on balls of STYROFOAM® by inserting a long, thin dowel, nail, hatpin or chopstick into the ball, and inserting the other end in a block of STYROFOAM®. This holds the ball in place, and you can turn the block as you paint. Use double-stick tape to secure other lightweight materials to your work surface. Juggling a paintbrush, paint pen, and a small or even tiny item? For small, hard-to-hold objects, try wrapping masking tape (sticky side out) loosely around your hand several times, overlapping it slightly to create a large, sticky surface. Adhere the item to be painted on the tape and voilá! Painting becomes easier. Slide the tape off when you’re done (item still attached) and secure to a table or other surface to finish drying. Hands remain paint-free! If you hate to wear gloves when painting, protect your hands with a barrier cream or other hand lotion before starting your project. If you get paint on your hands, it will be easier to wash off. Save plastic grocery bags – they’re great for masking off areas of a project when used with painter’s masking tape and won’t leave ink on your project the way newspaper does. When and Why to Use a Primer/Sealer A primer, sometimes referred to as a sealer, is a specially formulated paint designed for use on bare metal, wood or other surfaces. Using a primer can smooth uneven surfaces and make the finish coat beautiful and long lasting. Primers are often recommended to: - Ensure the true paint color is achieved
- Increase paint adhesion
- Get better paint coverage and penetration, particularly on wood surfaces
- Increase corrosion resistance on metal surfaces
- Hide stains and surface imperfections
- Seal porous surfaces
- Make the finish coat smooth and uniform
Hints for Using Metallic Finishes Metallic spray finishes are not actual metal finishes, but contain dyed metal particles that give the illusion of a metal finish. Better quality metallic coatings contain smaller metal particles that yield: - A smoother finished coat
- A higher gloss
- A finished product that more closely resembles actual plating, not painting
- A higher price (usually)
Metallics are not known for their exterior durability and when used outdoors, should be protected with a clear topcoat. Keep in mind, however, that a clear coat may diminish the metal-like finish.
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Krylon covers this frosty pair beautifully.
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