Chairspray
File this under fab and almost free mini-makeovers anyone can do. We had two yellow chairs (relics from our three months in an apartment with a balcony) that looked sweet enough with our yellow door but looked more than a bit mismatched with our current red one. Nothing two cans of Rustoleum Universal All Surface spray paint couldn’t solve.
The stuff is new, and compelling for many reasons: it can be sprayed at any angle (no more straining to keep the can upright while you spray), it covers ANYTHING (from plastic and wood to metal and wicker), and it has a nice trigger spraying device (which is much more comfortable than those older buttons on the top of the can). And at around $6 a pop, the entire chair transformation was super cheap.
Check out our fabulous “new” porch chairs. Aren’t they so much better? We love the look of the glossy black with our classic looking rancher (they tie in with the black shutters, trellis and even our oil rubbed bronze light fixtures and door hardware). And it really was a super quick project (plus it feels pretty good to recycle stuff instead of investing in entirely new pieces all the time).
But speaking of eco-friendly things like recycling, this spray paint is insanely toxic (probably because it can bond to anything, so it’s chock full of chemicals). I sprayed both chairs in our two car garage with the door open and although it only took a few minutes I left with a headache, a bit of nausea and even felt a little woozy/high for a while. So let this be a warning to you: they’re not kidding when they suggest a ventilated area. If I could go back I would have sprayed the chairs on top of some cardboard on the lawn for even more airflow. And one more helpful hint: DO NOT attempt this project barefoot. I made that terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad mistake and had to use about a half a bottle of paint thinner to pry the thick black tar-like build up from my poor feet. The overspray settles on the ground like other spraypaint, but instead of being dusty and harmless, this stuff is sticky and bonds like superglue- creating layers upon layers of black goo as you step in more and more of the dust. So wear old flip flops but prepare to exert some serious effort when moving your feet (they literally get stuck to the floor). It’s exercise meets home improvement.
But don’t get me wrong. The fabulous chair makeover was totally worth the effort, and there’s no need to be scared off by my warnings above. I just wanted to make it even easier on the next person. So now that you’re armed with all the knowledge for a fast and fabulous furniture makeover of your own… happy spraying!
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Comments
The chairs look great, guys!
I’m ready embrace spraypainting! I have some knick-knacks that just look out of place and mismatched as they are displayed now. I think if I spray paint them all glossy white I can give the space a more cohesive look. Do you think the Rustoleum that you have recommended would be too heavy duty for knick-knacks?
Thanks! :)
Sherry, seriously, you’re amazing. I’m beyond impressed with the time and care that you put in to repsonding to each and every person! Thank you both for taking the time, we all appreciate it so much.
Carla
Can you spray paint forced air heating ducts? We are changing the color of a room and the ducts/vents look really out of place.
Thanks,
Taylor
Hey Taylor,
It’s definitely a personal choice (some people paint vent covers and even light switches to blend with the walls while others leave them white) but you absolutely can paint the vent attached to a forced air heating duct (either by removing it and spray painting it or leaving it in place and gently applying thin and even coats of paint with a brush until it blends right in). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hello! Thanks for this wonderful website! I would really love to spray paint some outdoor chairs to better match the table we have on our deck but I live in New York City and the only place I could do it would be on our deck. I haven’t spray painted anything (and never furniture) in a long time. I’m wondering how much I should worry about inadvertently spray painting other things on my deck (like the floor – especially as we rent, fence, grill, etc.). So, how big of a tarp/cardboard do you think I’d want to put down and how much space should I try to keep between the chair and other items I want to keep paint-free? Thanks so much! You guys have definitely inspired me to take on some new projects (like sprucing up our deck!) when it warms up!
Best,
Lauren
You’ll definitely want to get some plastic drop cloths to cover the fence, grill, etc (you can get them at any hardware store or the Home Depot on 23rd St) Then you can use cardboard (or more drop cloths) to completely cover the floor of your deck so nothing gets any overspray. There’s definitely enough wind on a balcony to carry spray paint all over everything else out there so be sure to protect everything you can before you start! It might also bear mentioning that John and I spray painted a bunch of frames down on the sidewalk in front of an old apartment (we stayed out there all day with them reading and hanging out while they dried) so if you’re afraid of the balcony and can carry things out to the curb you might also be able to use a simple drop cloth out there to get ‘er done. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Your website rocks and is helping me save a ton of mula as I update my home!
I was wondering about spray painting doorknobs and door hinges… do you think it’s a good idea or something better left undone and just buying new ones would look better?
Thanks for all of the great tips and advice!!
Kelly
One option (the spray paint) is a good low-budget quick fix that probably won’t last forever but will certainly tide you over for a while as you save your pennies. The other option (replacement) is the best long-term solution (we plan to replace all of the old hinges and door knobs in our house, which is a bit expensive but actually makes all the doors look new and even elevates the perceived value of your home). One is sort of a budget shortcut but the other is definitely the better long-lasting approach which offers undeniable appeal (and looks a lot more flawless than any spray job could). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Your not the only one Sherry! I spray painted in my crocks, and then noticed later that day when I took them off that I had black dots all over my feet!
Love the website!! I recently stumbled upon your site and have gotten some wonderful ideas. My husband and I have had these boring, outdated, UGLY night stand lamps that he bought when he moved into his college apartment. They are brass with an ugly cream/white lampshade. I was strolling through Walmart and found 2 gorgeous lampshades in a silvery-sage color with vine print all over them for a whopping $4/each. I ended up spray painting the lamps themselves a glossy chocolate brown to match the decor in our master bedroom. So new lamps = $40+ versus my first DIY project (thanks to you guys) a grand total of $7.00 — THANKS!
Just wanted to offer an alternative to the Rustoleum- we used Krylon’s Fusion for Plastic spray recently on some old plastic patio furniture and it worked great! I ended up deciding on Krylon because they had waaaaaay more color options. However, when I didn’t see any colors I like on Rustoleum, I emailed them and they said, “I would recommend priming the chairs first with our Specialty Plastic Primer, it can then be topcoated with just about any of our paint.” Thought that was good info to pass along :)