Before You Spray Paint

A little prep puts a cap on fumes and drips.

E-mail

Average Rating:

▪ Read Reviews of This Solution
▪ Rate & Review This Solution

Protect yourself. Spray in a well-ventilated but sheltered area, such as an open garage. Avoid windy days — the paint will end up everywhere. If you must work indoors, open windows and set up a fan to draw fumes outside. Always wear a dust mask, safety glasses, and plastic gloves.

Protect your house. Lay down a drop cloth, and cover nearby walls with newspaper using blue painter’s tape. Spray small items inside a cardboard box.

Sand it. For optimal adhesion, use fine-grit sandpaper to scratch up items that have a slick surface, such as wood veneers, plastic furniture, and metal filing cabinets. Remove all dust with a vacuum or a damp microfiber cloth. Let surfaces dry thoroughly (trapped moisture causes bubbles).

Brush it. Scrape off flakes or rust with a wire brush. Wipe the object with a damp cloth.

Dismantle it. Remove any knobs, pulls, or hardware. Make sure lamps and chandeliers are disconnected from their electrical sources, and take out the bulbs.

Prime it. Even when a paint says it doesn’t require priming, says Genevieve Gorder, a Trading Spaces design expert, “you get a longer-lasting bond and a better finish using a spray primer on most surfaces.”

Written by Jennifer Jafarzadeh

September 2004

Halloween Ideas

Deck Out Your Kitchen

Enter for a chance to win $5,000 in merchandise from Williams-Sonoma

Host a Premiere Party!

Invite friends to watch the debut of REAL SIMPLE. REAL LIFE., a new makeover show on TLC, at 8:00 P.M. ET on October 17. Click above for a free invitation from Evite