What to spray: Stools, louver doors, coatracks, shelves, frames, bulletin boards, ceiling fans, anything with detailed carving or grooves.

Application:

Wood is porous and must be sealed before you paint it. Apply a coat of aerosol primer to any wood surface, even if it is varnished. Sanding glossy or raw wood beforehand will result in a better finish with fewer coats.

Before painting a ceiling fan's wooden blades, remove them, then spray them separately.

RS paint pick: Kilz Odorless Aerosol Sealer-Primer (white only, $4.50, 866-774-6371) and Krylon Interior-Exterior (41 colors, shown in Celery, $3 to $5, www.krylon.com for store locations).

Also try: To simulate the look of metal on wooden objects, use Krylon Metallic Enamel Paint (nine colors, $4 to $5, www.krylon.com for store locations) or Rust-Oleum Clean Metal Primer (five colors, $3.50, Lowe’s).