Top Tips For Using Spray Paint At Home

It is fair to say that when you’re wanting to revamp something at home, paint is often the perfect solution. Changing the colour or the finish of something can completely transform the way it looks and paint is a must-have for any up-cycling project. Whilst your go-to may usually be a tin of paint and a paint brush, it is definitely worthwhile trying spray paint at least once, and you can guarantee it will make lots of DIY jobs much easier.

There are a number of benefits to opting for aerosol paint, from its ease of use to the professional finish it provides, and it really can be used for a wide range of projects. If you’ve never used this type of paint before and you’re a bit apprehensive about doing so, don’t worry, it is much easier than you think and to help anyone who is new to using spray paint at home, below are some useful tips for beginners.

Always wear protective equipment

Whether you’re spray painting inside in a well-ventilated area or outside, which is usually recommended, you should make sure that you’re wearing protective equipment. Ideally, you should wear a mask to prevent any respiratory problems and gloves to prevent any skin irritations. This can sound scary, but it is so easy to protect yourself when you’re spraying.

Clean the surface before your spray

Spray paint is known for giving a better finish as it prevents things like brush strokes, but it is slightly less forgiving with imperfections on the surface you’re painting. So, before you start, make sure you have cleaned the surface and that it is free of any debris or dust, this will help to ensure that the finished look is smooth and professional.

Use lots of light layers of paint

When you’re using spray paint, doing multiple light layers/coats of paint rather than a couple of heavy ones will always look much better. Patience is key with spraying and once you’ve applied one coat, it is essential that you let it dry completely before you apply the next one. This will help to prevent the paint from running which often happens when you apply too much at once.

Purchase the right type of spray paint

Similarly to when you’re using a tin of paint, it is essential that you use the right type of spray paint for the surface you’re spraying. For example, if you’re spraying a plastic surface then you will need spray paint for plastic. Thankfully, there are so many different types of aerosol paint and it is easy to pick up something that is suitable for your project.

Move around what you’re painting

In order to get an even coverage of paint and to reduce the chances of stripes of darker and lighter shades, if possible, try to move around whatever it is that you’re spraying and spray different coats in different directions. Moving around what you’re painting will prevent you from having to touch the painted surface and leaving fingerprint marks as well.

Don’t hold the can too close to the surface

You usually need to hold the can much further away from the surface you’re spraying than you may think and generally speaking, it will need to be around 10 inches away. This will help to ensure that the paint you apply evenly distributed and again, it helps to prevent the paint from running. Always make sure that you read the instructions on the back of a can too.

Purchasing spray paint

There really is no denying that using spray paint is a brilliant way to completely transform various different pieces of furniture, objects or anything else you can get your hands on. Once you have used spray paint at home once, you will be hooked and you can guarantee that all of your next DIY projects will involve aerosol paint. Hopefully, when using spray paint at home for the first time, the tips above will make things slightly easier.

When searching for somewhere to purchase spray paint, whether you’re looking for spray paint for metal, spray paint for wood or spray paint for plastic, be sure to visit the Decor Express website. We have a brilliant range of aerosol paints to choose from that can be used both on interior and exterior items, so no matter what you’re wanting to spray, it is highly likely that we will have the perfect can for you. If you need any advice when purchasing spray paint to use at home, our expert team will be happy to help.