There are many places where spray paints can be very useful. Some of the most common brands of spray paint are Krylon and Rustoleum. However, there are many other brands of spray paint that work great including the “store” brands from Sherwin Williams, Ace, Home Depot, and Lowes. Here are a few tips when using spray paint.
- Whenever possible be sure to spray paint outdoors or in a garage. Spray paint has a very strong odor and the vapors cause many people headaches and other help problems. If you must spray paint indoors, try to do it on a day that you don’t mind leaving some windows open and fans on.
- Wear some protective clothing. Safety goggles, respirators or masks, and long sleeves (for overspray) are useful in protecting yourself.
- Cover everything around the object(s) you are painting with drop cloths, old sheets, newspaper, etc. Spray paint has a habit of getting absolutely everywhere!
- When spraying, make sure to keep the nozzle about 12-14” above the surface and keep your hand moving. Getting too close or moving your hand to slowly will result in paint running and dripping.
- This keeps the nozzle clear so it won’t be clogged the next time you need that can of paint.
Here are some tips on using a spray paint properly on various surfaces:
- Most spray primers will denote on the outside of the can what applications they are meant for.
- Metal: Bare metal always needs primed before top coating. I would suggest using a Rustoleum (or similar rust resistant) type of spray primer, then top coating with a spray paint which lists bare metal, and rust control as it’s functions. If the metal is rusty, then you need to sand/wire brush the rust off, then be sure to use rust resistant spray primer and spray paint.
- Plastic: Many people like to spray paint plastic objects (such as patio chairs) because it is much easier to spray them than to paint the plastic by hand. Spray paint also tends to stick better than your standard exterior paint to plastic. I like to begin by washing the plastic surface, follow this by lightly scuffing the surface with fine sand paper (this helps adhesion, be sure to wipe any dust off before proceeding to the final step), and finally spray paint the plastic surface with Krylon Fusion. Krylon Fusion can be found at most home improvement or paint stores, and is specifically formulated to adhere to and flex with plastic.