How to Paint a Deck with Peeling Paint?

how to paint a deck with peeling paint

The deck in your house is the place that has to stand the roughest situations as it situates right outside of your house. It has to withstand the high traffic of people. Besides, from scorching heat to heavy rainfall, a painted deck has to endure the fluctuating weather, and thus with time the paint starts to peel.

Therefore, to make the outside deck of the house look beautiful, many people want to know how to paint a deck with peeling paint.

how to paint a deck with peeling paint
Image by JamesDeMers from Pixabay

As it takes a lot to maintain the deck, painting it can be a load of work. Besides, it’s a high-maintenance part of your house. If you do not take proper care of it, then it will expose to dirt and debris and you’ll have to adopt the process of repainting a deck with peeling paint. Therefore, it’s easier if you just follow the right procedure and do your best to maintain the peeling paint on your deck.

Important Reading: Pick Your Paint Strippers for Wood


Reasons Deck Paint Starts to Peel

Painting a deck might not seem a hard task but if you do not pay extra attention then there’ll be fickleness in your job. While painting a deck, you need to be patient and follow certain rules. If you don’t do this then you’ll have to face the peeling of the paint off your deck. Besides, there are some other solid and rational reasons that the paint starts to peel. Let’s check them out.

1. Low-Quality Paint

The main reason for peeling is when you adopt low-quality paint for your deck. As a deck has to expose itself to sun, rain and heavy wind sometimes, using a best qualified paint is worthy. Low-quality paint cannot stick to the surface due to its low adhesive ability. Besides, they don’t last long and cannot withstand rough weather too often.

2. Following Unprofessionalism

Unprofessionalism also causes terrible consequences after painting a deck. If you don’t take your work seriously and paint your deck without abiding by any rules, then the paint will not gain the strength to tackle hard situations. Patience is the ultimate rule. So, if you don’t provide time to make your paint dry fully and properly, then it will start to peel off.

3. Water and Dirt

Before painting the deck, you need to make sure if the surface is still wet or not. A wet surface cannot get along with the adhesion of quality paint. It’s one of the unexpected reasons that your paint starts to peel off. Another unexpected reason is when you don’t remove dust and debris from the surface and apply paint over them. Dust inhibits the adhesion of paint and the paint cannot seal itself to the surface properly.

How to Paint a Deck with Peeling Paint?

There are certain ways you need to follow to get the exact texture of the paint that you are going to apply on your deck. It’s not going to be hard to repaint a deck with peeling paint but it’s not going to be easy either.

Besides, hiring someone to paint a deck with peeling paint is costly enough. You can do it by yourself as long as you are acquainted with the process. From choosing the best paint for previously painted deck to apply it swiftly on the surface of the deck, you need to do some real jobs. So, let’s get started with the steps already.

Step 1: Wash the Deck with a Cleaner

The first thing that you need to do before applying paint on the deck is to clean the deck nicely. Use a deck cleaner to get an effective result. It will remove all the dirt, mold, and mildew from the deck also. For the proper use of the cleaner, mix it with water and then drown a broom or brush into the mixture.

Pull out the brush or broom and start rubbing the deck with a back and forth motion. After you are done with the rubbing session, now is the time for rinsing the surface. For rinsing it, you can use a pressure hose and clean the surface properly. Or, you can simply rinse the surface taking a bucket full of clear water.

Step 2: Scrape the Peeling Paint

When you are done with the dirt, mold, and mildew of the surfaces, you have to get over with the peeling paint of the deck now. Otherwise, repainting will not be effective enough. To remove the peeling paint from the deck, you need to go through some easy phases to hard phases. Begin with a wire brush, as it’s the lightest way to scrape peeling paint.

If the loose paint doesn’t come out with the wire brush, use a scraper up next. A scraper works way more effectively than a wire. However, a putty knife can also be used instead of a flat scraper. You need to be more careful while using these tools. Otherwise, the tools will cause scratches and crevices on the floor.

Step 3: Sand the Deck

Peeling paint is not an easy task to accomplish. Sometimes, the wire or putty knife is not enough. You’ll not get enough out of those tools. In a circumstance like this, sanding is the ultimate solution. It’s the toughest job to remove peeling paint from the surface of the deck.

Sanding will help the remaining paint to peel off properly. It also will help to even the surface. As the scraper leaves the surface uneven and unsmooth, you need to sand the surface to get smooth and seamless edges and surfaces. Adopt a sanding sponge to accomplish the job. It is better than ordinary sandpaper.

Step 4: Choose Quality Deck Paint and Apply It

Now your deck is all ready to be painted anew. But for this, you need to choose a quality deck paint that doesn’t peel. Search for a quality one from your nearest hardware store and buy it. You also need to buy a proper applicator to apply the paint over the deck. A paint roller is an easiest and wisest choice as it carries convenient features including an extension pole.

This is how you can repaint a deck without stripping as well. A paintbrush will also do. But a paint roller spreads the paint with the right consistency. Besides, it takes less time than other tools. However, you can also use stain pads. These pads are also convenient and take less time to apply paint all over the deck.

Choose the Ideal Exterior Paints Here

Step 5: Let it Dry and Recoat the Deck

After you finish applying paint on the deck, give it some time to dry and penetrate perfectly. It’ll take some days to dry properly and to avoid harsh weather, hang a canopy over the deck. Make sure the canopy is waterproof. Then let the paint dry. A single coat of paint is not enough as it seems less vivid and the old paint might still get exposed.

Therefore, apply another coat of paint and wait till it dries properly. The second coat will cover all the old paint and leaves the deck looks totally new. Also, check out the deck and its underside as well. To keep the underside safe from water and dampness, block the edges and sides of the deck. This way you’ll get a fresh and new-looking deck easily. And this is how you get to refinish a painted deck.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How to stop deck paint from peeling?

There are several reasons your deck paint starts to peel and we’ve already talked about it. To stop your deck paint to peel you need to take some major preparations.

Naturally, deck paints come with huge adhesion. Therefore, most of them don’t peel easily. If you choose the right deck paint, then it will not start to peel so easily.

Besides, good preparations always help to make the paint durable. Follow the right procedure and apply the paint nicely and it’ll give long-lasting service. Applying decking oil also helps tremendously in stopping deck paint from peeling.  

Also, you can cover the deck from heavy rainfall or exposed heat. But this will cost you a little more.

2. How cold can it be to paint a deck with peeling paint?

A dry day should be the day to paint a deck with peeling paint. Besides, to dry properly you need more dry days. Therefore, the temperature while remains between 60 to 80 degree F, you are good to go. Naturally, in late spring, the weather remains perfect for painting a deck. The nights of that time are also cool.

Besides, a total of four dry days will help in embodying the adhesion of the deck paint. Therefore, choosing the perfect cold time is also an important part of proper preparation while painting a deck with peeling paint.

But remember that, too much cold temperature will ruin the consistency of paint and you’ll not be able to spread it seamlessly.

3. How to get paint to stick to a deck?

A primer works better when you want your paint to stick to a deck. And the best paint for the previously painted deck is the same type of paint. If it was water-based earlier, apply water-based paint again to get the proper adhesion. And if you used oil-based paint earlier, in that case, use oil-based paint only.

Many paints come with the advantage of priming the surface and provide a new stain at the same time. As priming a wooden surface is not always a good idea, you need to choose the best deck paint that comes with both priming benefit and staining benefits.

How to Finish Cement Board for Paint?

how to finish cement board for paint

For exterior design or home renovation, a cement board is a great choice. This is one kind of fiber cement that is excellent backing for floors, tiles, and walls. While using cement board, it needs to be painted. But before painting cement boards, they require careful finishing. Only after a great finishing, you can paint the cement board properly. So, knowing ‘how to finish cement board for paint’ is definitely important.

how to finish cement board for paint
Image via wikimedia.org creative commons

The cement board is highly resistant to water and mold. So, it is also beneficial for interior uses where moisture content is high. It decreases the damage of sheathing from water. Finishing the cement board is the first and foremost thing to do before painting cement board. So, stick to us to know the whole procedure.

Next Read: Find the Right Concrete Paints

How to Finish Cement Board for Paint?

Painting cement board becomes easier once finishing is done properly. When the cement board is finished it can soak up the paint adhesive within its pores and improves painting quality. The paint also lasts longer no matter how rough the weather is.

Many people out there ask for cement boards instead of wooden boards because they are way sturdier. Also, cement boards will never rot or damage like wooden or other boards. Hence, for a lifetime benefit, cement board is a good choice.

Nonetheless, finishing cement board for paint is easy if you follow the procedure and its steps one by one. Let’s make it easy for you and describe the steps below.

Required Materials

Finishing cement boards requires different types of materials, unlike the ones that are used for wooden boards. Let’s see a list of the materials.

  • Cement boards and frame
  • Tape measure
  • Quick-set cement
  • Saw
  • Corner trowel
  • Paint roller
  • Screw or power driver
  • Screws for cement board

These are the materials needed for finishing the project of cement board. So, you can already predict that it is going to be a lot more different than the metal finishing or wood finishing.

Step 1: Cement Board Attachment to the Frame

This is the first and foremost step of this whole process. There are, however, two different sizes of cement boards are available. One comes with the size 3X5 feet and the other with 4X8 feet. Also, they come with a thickness from 1/2-inch to 5/8-inch.

However, if you are a DIYer, selecting cement boards of 3X5’ will be wise. It is because the size is easy to handle and work with. A larger construction site requires other sizes of cement boards. So, it is better to choose according to your need. Now, to attach the board to the frames, do the following.

  • To attach the cement boards properly to the frame, you need to cut them in a proper size first. A circular saw will be better for this job. With its six teeth blade, the saw can cut the board precisely.
  • Try to run the saw when the tips of the blade are faced anticlockwise. This will enable easy cutting of the cement boards.
  • When you place the cement board to a frame you need to screw it. There are cement screws available in the market that comes with a coating of blue color. These are some of the special screws specifically meant for this purpose. Because of their tough construction and evil sharpness, the screws stand out from all other board screws. It is so obvious especially when you are dealing with cement boards.
  • For equal distribution and proper attachment, set the screws after every 12-inch of the cement board. In this way, the screws can hold the board with equal force. So, the attachment will be long-lasting as well.

Also Read: Top Paint Sprayers for Chalk Paint


Step 2: Fill the Gaps

When you attach two or more cement boards to the wall, there creates a gap between the two boards. You need to fill the gaps between the joints otherwise the finishing won’t look good.

  • In this situation applying mesh tape is recommended. These are self-adhesive mesh tapes and work great with only one layer.
  • Put the tape over the board joints firmly without overlapping them. Overlapping the tape can result in an awful finish.

Here is a cement board tape: FibaTape FDW8436-U Cement Board Tape (See Price)

Step 3: Don’t Forget the Corners

The corners of the board also require filling. Otherwise, you won’t get a perfect finish. You can do it with the mesh tape too like the previous way. Nonetheless, with the help of a corner trowel, you can do this step quite easily.

Step 4: Time to Put in Quick-set Cement

This is one of the crucial steps of this process. Now, applying cement mostly depends on your preference. There are people who want to use cement only on the joints. Again, some want it all over the boards. Both will work well if you do the step carefully.

  • To make a mixture with the quick set, get a bucket first. Then make the mixture in a way that it makes a slurry yet thick consistency.
  • When the mixture is fully ready, you need to apply it right away. Use a trowel to put the mixture on the surface.
  • Carefully apply it to the areas where mesh tape is applied. The finishing won’t result as you have expected if you are not careful with the taped areas.
  • Make sure the mesh tape fibers get the cement in them properly.

Step 5: Let it Dry

Let the quick-set cement dry after applying it. It should not take longer than 20 or 30 minutes to set properly. Indeed, it will be unwise if you get started with the next step without letting it dry and set completely.

Step 6: Get to the Water Proofing Part

Waterproofing is highly recommended especially when you are up to use the cement boards in your washroom or shower room.

At least, till 4 feet of the wall should be covered. Therefore, you need to apply a layer of the waterproofing membrane.

  • Set the layer on the cement board and start it from the base. Let the layers set again. Adding more waterproofing layers will bring better results.
  • To expand the waterproofing layer, use a paint roller. It will save both time and the product. Nonetheless, inspect carefully what areas are most vulnerable to water. Cover those areas finely.
  • However, for the shower room since one layer of membrane is not enough, you need to apply the second coating technically. You just cannot go for a second coating right after the first coating. Let the first coating sit and dry first for at least a few hours.
  • Before applying the second coat, check the first layer by tapping gently with your finger.

However, the durability of the waterproofing membrane depends on the budget you have kept for it. There are some of the best waterproofing membranes available in the market within budget-friendly rates.

Step 7: Lastly, Inspect Properly

When you are done with waterproofing, inspect properly if the layer has sat properly. Also, check if the screws are on point and tightly screwed. Check if the gaps are filled perfectly. Again, check if you have not missed any place while applying the quick set. If everything is okay, dried, and fully set, then you are done with finishing and you can start painting over it.

What Kind of Paint Do You Use on Fiber Cement Board?

In most cases, acrylic paint for cement boards is used. This paint is suitable but only for dry areas. But in where there are chances of getting wet, you should not use this paint. Mostly, 100% acrylic is the best exterior paint for cement boards. Moreover, for painting cement board sidings, this paint is ideal as well.

Final Words

So, now you can presume the whole procedure of how to finish cement boards for paint is an easy task. Even if you are an average DIYer, you can do it once you go through the steps. However, it is important to wear safety gear before you get started with it.

Since you need to deal with sharp blades and screws, taking precautions is a must. Also, if you are dealing with a major project, better call a professional instead.

Does Paint Dry Darker or Lighter?

does paint dry darker or lighter

Does paint dry darker or lighter’, a frequently asked question that might have popped in your head at some point in your life, and surprisingly almost all of us can relate to it.

Imagine you just started painting your living room with a decent cranberry color with fine strokes that even Leonardo da Vinci might have appreciated. While the paint was drying, you saw changes in the color on certain spots. You painted those spots again thinking you missed those spots.

does paint dry darker or lighter
Image by Jarrett Tilford from Pixabay

Finally, you finished painting, the wall is still wet and due to your repainting, the spots are now darker while the rest of the wall seems lighter. Oh, those darker brush strokes on a nicely painted wall are enough to drive anyone crazy. That’s not all of it, it could have been the opposite! Your painted wall could look darker after drying.

Does the scene seem familiar? That’s not just you, multiple factors determine whether your wall will look lighter or darker after the paint dries. And there are homeowners out there who may be more than you can imagine with the same question as you are having right now, ‘does paint dry lighter or darker’.

Take a look at this brief article to find out the answer and why does your paint dry darker or lighter?

[toc]

Does Paint Dry Darker or Lighter?

Before we move any further, let’s find out if the paint dries darker or lighter. To answer the question precisely, “paints do not dry lighter or darker in general”. But to answer the question in a balanced way we can say that paints may appear darker or lighter after drying depending on various factors such as the temperature, paint types, environment, and many other reasons including psychological factors.

Here are some reasons that make dried paint appear lighter or darker:

Temperature

You might not expect this one, but temperature can affect the dried paint’s shade. If you paint a surface at a cool temperature, like more than 10 degrees cool temperature, thereafter the color of the dried paint, is most likely to appear in a lighter shade.

On the contrary, if you paint it over 10 degrees warm temperature, thereafter the dried paint color is most likely to appear in a darker shade.

Next Read: Top Commercial Paint Sprayer Reviews

Impact of Surrounding Walls and Objects

Another big reason for the paint to appear darker or lighter after drying might be the objects around the painted surface and the surrounding walls.

If you apply a color to a surface surrounded by objects and other walls with different colors, the color of the surface will be significantly different than the color you saw in the store.

But why does it happen?

Well, in some cases, the surrounding walls especially with walls painted in light colors create some sort of an illusion. Lighter shades create a deceiving contrast in the room. That means brighter colors on walls will reflect more lights than the darker ones.

On the contrary, darker colors absorb colors from the surrounding walls. So, when applying dark color on a wall surrounded by other walls with dark colors, your newly painted wall will absorb colors from surrounding walls. The contrast between the dark colors of other walls versus the newly painted walls will give you a darker shaded wall after drying.

That’s why sometimes you get your newly painted wall darker than the shade you saw on the color swatch.

A Quick Tip: When you are pairing a paint with red, you are most likely to get a brighter red surface if you choose red with its complementary such as blue or green. On the other hand, if you are selecting red with its similar colors such as yellow or orange you will get a darker red surface.

So, to get accurate colors after drying, always keep an eye on the color selection list considering the colors of surrounding walls and objects.

Lighting

1. Natural light

Light sources and the amount of light may greatly impact the color of your room. Lighting can be a potential answer for ‘does paint dry lighter or darker than swatch.

Both sunlight and your interior lighting slightly alter the tint of a color. Sunlight can improve your room’s color depending on the location of your room from the sun’s position.

  • If your room is facing the north, natural light from the north will add a bluish touch producing a softer, and warmer effect on your room. So, darker hues will turn into a bit more intense and light hues into more subdued.
  • If your room is facing the south and you have south-facing doors and windows, it will receive the most intense natural light through these doors and windows. As a result, darker colors of your room will turn brighter and light colors may appear lighter or a bit washed-out.
  • In the case of a room that has west-facing doors and windows, you will observe a little orangey warm cast in the room. So, if your room has already been painted with a warm tone like Warm Amber, Yellow, or Rich Cream, it may become a bit more saturated.
  • Finally, rooms facing the east will observe the enhancement of green tones on the walls. So, if you have color tones in your room similar to green, the eastern light rays may impact the color.

2. Interior Lighting

Fluorescent, incandescent, and halogen bulbs are widely used for our daily interior lighting. These artificial lights impact the color of your room too.

  • Conventional fluorescent bulbs are best-known to emit a bluish-toned, cool light. This cool light can improve the colors which are in the cool-blue region in the color wheel.
  • Incandescent bulbs emit a warm light. Bright and warm colors will be more intense if you use incandescent lighting in your rooms. On the other hand, paints with cooler hues will look a bit dull.
  • Halogen bulbs are very similar to natural light, just like a replica. It will keep the color of your paint very close to a hue that results in natural light.

Sheen

Before we dive into the depths of the effect of sheens, first let’s have a quick check on ‘what is sheen’. Sheen means the paint’s finish. It refers to the paint’s finish like matte, flat, and gloss. Okay, ‘sheen’ is understood. Now, let’s find out if sheen has any effect on paints or not.

  • Matte

Matte finish has nothing to deal with gloss and whatsoever. Since there is no special type of finish on matte paint there is no gloss or sheen to refract light.
Matte paints don’t make a glaze as the pigments are fully unhindered in paint. Woah, it’s getting involved in too much science stuff. So, if we finish it in a sentence, ‘they are light absorbent’, that’s the reason behind matte paints appearing lighter.

  • Satin and Eggshell Paint

Satin, an excellent choice for rooms that we use frequently. Its performance stands as a ‘one of a kind’ when it comes to scrubbing and regular cleaning, but does satin paints dry darker or lighter? Let‘s find out.

In our paint spectrum, satin and eggshell paints are in between matte and gloss. Satin has roughly 40% gloss and eggshell has roughly 15% gloss. So, Satin will appear brighter than the glossy paints.

  • Gloss

Gloss paint gives a reflective glaze. It has a special additive in it that makes it shinier. We are not jumping into science stuff again. We can simply say, glossy paints appear in darker hues.

Also Read: Is It Right to Paint Over Flex Seal?

Paints that Change Color after Drying

Some paints are known to naturally change their color after drying. The color becomes a bit lighter or darker after they dry. If Leonardo would have painted Monalisa with these colors, besides changing smiles maybe we could see her changing colors!

Wondering what would it be called, ‘the Chameleonisa’? Nah, I guess not, my jaws are hurting. Anyway, let’s have a look at the paints that change shades after drying.

  • Darker Drying Paints

Paints like acrylic, oil, and latex are more likely to dry in darker shades in most cases. Glossy and semi-gloss paints are also darker drying. The reason for their darker appearance is the reflection of light.

  • Lighter Drying Paints

Some paints dry in a lighter shade and the science behind them is different from the darker drying paints. Colors like Cream and White dry lighter. These colors appear light as the shades themselves are light in color. The reflection of light makes these colors appear lighter.

Metamerism

Last but not least, we have metamerism. Warning: metamerism is psychological-sciencey stuff, you may take precautions if you have science allergies!

Joking apart, metamerism is a phenomenon when in different circumstances color looks different to a person, which means your eyes are playing one of the oldest tricks from the book!

When selecting paints, we compare our selected colors with shades and colors of the surroundings, and this is where your eyes trick you. That’s why you may see a beautiful shade at the paint store and a completely different shade when you paint your living room!

To avoid this situation you can make large single swatches before selecting a color.

Wrapping It Up

To jump to a conclusion, the colors of your wall may change a bit for various reasons as we have discussed before. The quality of paints matters a lot, plus the mixing of paints and techniques of application plays a very important role for a color that remains the same for years.

Another important fact is that the paint swatch that you choose on the hardware store may not dry while you apply paint. If that happens, all you will see is wet paint. As a result, you will find your painted wall different from the paint swatch of the hardware store.

So, if you don’t want any surprises after the paint dries, you may wait for the paint swatch to dry or you can always call the experts to make sure you get the color that stays the same for years.

Can You Paint Over Flex Seal? [All You Need to Know]

can you paint over flex seal

Can you paint over Flex Seal?

Well, the answer simply depends on the Flex Seal type that you have chosen for sealing purposes. There are wider ranges of Flex Seal products available in the market. Each of them is different in type and has a different formula.

Flex Seals are in constant demand because of their efficiency in patching up leaks. These are suitable for covering concrete cracks or make pieces glued together. Therefore, consequently, the users come up with the question as well if they can paint over flex seal.

can you paint over flex seal
Image via Flex Seal Family of Products website

Well, the company Flex Seal Family of Products offers many collections of flex seals to their customers including Flex Seal Glue, Flex Tape, Liquid Flex Seal, Flex Seal Shot, and many. Some of these products allow paint over them and some do not. You will know detail when you read the guideline below.

Next Read: How to Paint Chrome Bumpers Effectively

Which Flex Seal Products Allow Paint Over Them?

As we mentioned before, flex seal is a great choice for patching leakages. Its rubberized, durable, and thick coating formula is applied as a liquid and seeps into leaks or crack. Then it dries resulting in a flexible and watertight coating.

It also holds water back efficiently. The company has to manufacture a variety of Flex Seals to come up with the solution to different specific problems. So, the products have different bonds and formulas that are not always suitable for working with paint. But some flex seal products are suitable for painting over them as their formula allows.

Flex Seal products that are suitable for painting over:

  • Flex Seal Spray
  • Flex Seal Glue
  • Flex Tape

The Spray from Flex Seal is ideal for any paints and urethanes that are commercially available. Also, Flex Seal Glue is an excellent adhesive. Apart from its adhesiveness, this product is used around doors and windows for being a great sealer as well.

However, make sure you use Flex Seal Spray before painting over the Flex Tape. Otherwise, you won’t get the desired color or finish.

Flex Seal products that are not suitable for painting over:

  • Flex Seal Shot
  • Liquid Flex Seal

However, in the case of Liquid Flex Seal, you can add as many coats as you want. Just make sure each coat dries properly before you apply another coat. Now to color your surface or wall, you can add your desired color with Flex Clear Seal and apply it before applying Flex Seal Liquid.

Also Read: Top Paints for Vinyl Shutters

Can You Paint Over Flex Seal Liquid?

Among all other products from Flex Seal Product Family, the Liquid Flex Seal is considered the best. It comes with the most powerful formula.

Thus, people are bound to pick this one over other Flex Seal Products. But as we mentioned Flex Seal Liquid is not suitable for working with paint, you have to come up with some creative ideas.

Now, if you want your wall to have a seamless finish and color that matches the rest of the wall, then you can follow the steps below.

Step 1: Go with painting the area first

Without applying the Flex Seal in the first place, paint the wall first where you want to get the job done. Painting over will be much easier if you apply the combination of paint and two-in-one primer. Also, make sure to grab the oil-based primer and paint that are high in quality. It will help to process the further steps.

Step 2: Fill the holes

This step is optional. If you find any hole on the surface of your wall you can fill it with a filler. It will make the surface even. Nonetheless, as we said, this prepping part is completely optional. Without filling the holes, you can apply the paint.

Step 3: Dry the paint

Let the paint on the wall dry for 24 hours and more. Make sure the paint dries properly. Otherwise, the surface won’t be ready to have Flex Seal on it. Again, if your project includes the roof, then let the paint dry for at least two days straight.

Step 4: Pick a Flex Seal clear

Now at this point, many go for a colored Flex Seal. But that will not be wise. Instead, choose a Clear Flex Seal. The Liquid Flex Seal comes with a see-through formula. After applying this Flex Seal, you can see the wall paint through the coat.

Step 5: Dry the Flex Seal coat you just applied

After applying the Flex Seal Liquid coat, dry it properly. Then feel the seamlessness and smoothness of the patch you just made. However, its drying depends on its coating thickness, humidity, and temperature. But it dries from within two hours to one day.

What Happens if You Paint Over Flex Seal Liquid?

The fact is that the manufacturers of the Flex Seal Liquid do not recommend painting over it. It simply won’t take the paint even after adding high-quality primer. Also, it will look gunk up as the paint wipes of gradually. It creates a funky appearance of the project.

Moreover, since the product is silicone, you cannot just paint over it. It is a harsh thing to deal with. So, if you ever try painting over it, you will need to re-do its caulking as well.

It will create a film of silicone that cannot be painted over. Sealant of other types will not create any bond with it. So, painting directly over Flex Seal Liquid will be a bad idea.

Which Product to Choose if You Have to Paint over Flex Seal?

Well, not all Flex Seal products are suitable for painting. It depends on the paint and its chemical as well. If the wrong type of paint is chosen for a sealant, there are chances that the sealant will call a halt from working. It can also peel off over time or dissolve causing a leak that you had previously.

Now, in case, if you have to paint over Flex Seal, you better go for a paint-friendly sealant. And till now, there is not any better paint-friendly sealant available in the market than the Flex Seal Spray. It is ideal to be primed and then painted over easily.

We know that Flex Seal comes with a variety of color options for Flex Seal Spray. The color includes black, white, clear, blue, red, brown, almond, terra cotta, silver, green, and all. So, basically, if you use the spray matching the color of the rest of the project, you won’t have to paint over it again.

You can spray it on different surfaces including concrete, wood, metal, tile, fabric, glass, and all. Moreover, you can apply the Flex Seal Spray over Flex Tape. Many do this and the result is amazing (painting will be stable). Instead working with it will satisfy you a lot.

This product of the company is very durable. Even in the winter season, the spray doesn’t peel. Also, in the summer heat, it remains the same without sagging.


Have a gun? Read this: Best Spray Paint for Guns like AR15


How to Apply Colored Flex Seal Spray?

Spraying the Flex Seal Spray is the easiest thing on earth.

Step – 1

First, carefully choose a spray according to your required color. Before you start to spray, shake the can thoroughly for up to one minute. This way the inside formula gets well shook and ready to be applied.

Tips

The spray bottle is equipped with a variable pressure nozzle. This nozzle allows both light coating and thicker coating. So, according to your job, you can make a thin or thick coat. For the largest and deepest cracks, you have to make multiple coats for sure.

Step – 2

Nonetheless, let every coat dry before you spray another coat. Make sure you have sprayed the product well to the problematic area. Wait till the final coat dries. You can easily understand, the coat has dried or not.

Tips

If you feel a soft or tacky texture, then it is not dry yet. There is another way to understand if the area is sealed properly or not. Just hold a light on it and see. If the light passes through the coat, then certainly it is not dry and sealed yet. So, to seal properly, add more Flex Seal Spray and create another coat.

Step – 3

Remember, only the complete dry coats can confirm the best adhesion. It will be long-lasting and precise. When you are done, clear the spray by turning the nozzle of the can upside down. Then press for some quick spray. This will ensure smooth spray without even clogging the next time when you will use it.

Important Tips to Paint over Flex Seal Spray

  • Make sure your working environment doesn’t include any sparks or heat since Flex Seal Spray is flammable in the fire.
  • Keep the product away from open flames.
  • The working environment should be well-ventilated.
  • Make sure to maintain safety.

What Are the Best Paints to Work with Flex Seal?

Well, both the Flex Seal spray and glue require the same type of paints to work with. You can pick any virtually mainstream paint that is available in the market. You can go for urethanes, acrylic, acrylic latex, or any major types of paints for this purpose.

These paints work well with these Flex Seal products. Still, if you are not sure about the paint selection, you can ask for help from professionals.

How to Paint Chrome Bumpers [Easy & Effective Steps]

how to paint chrome bumpers

Bored of having the same silver shiny chrome bumper? Or, want to fix your rusted chrome bumper? Well, painting over it might bring the desired look you wanted for your bumper. Painting chrome bumpers, however, is a bit different. Unlike regular metals, you just cannot paint over chrome directly. This will create flaking paint with a disappointed look.

how to paint chrome bumpers
Image by Lisa Johnson from Pixabay

Therefore, to cover you up with all details, we have come up with the article – how to paint chrome bumpers. Well, many are confused about the fact if chrome bumpers are paintable or not. For your information, to give a fresh look you can technically paint chrome bumpers. But it is a time-consuming and tough task since you can bring the perfect finish only when you are enough careful to complete the task.

Next Read: Pick Your Right Handheld Paint Sprayers

How to Paint Chrome Bumpers – Step by Step

To paint over chrome requires a special process. You cannot treat the material as regular metal. You may simply paint over chrome but after a certain time it will flake off revealing the underneath chrome. So, follow the process and get a custom-looking bumper that matches your vehicle.

First, Things You will Need:

  • Protection wear
  • Ventilation system
  • Screwdriver
  • Wrench
  • Water
  • Soap
  • Dry rags
  • Grease
  • Wax remover
  • Painter’s tape
  • Primer
  • Colors
  • Color coat

Step 1: Prepping the Chrome Bumper Surface

This is the first important process of painting a chrome bumper. Get the bumper prepared is not that easy. It is also an entire process. Now, to prepare the chrome bumper, do the following things.

  • Separate the Vehicle Bumper

Separating the bumper from the vehicle is a wise idea before you start painting on it. It will make the preparation and painting process easier. To separate the bumpers, loosen the bolts and screws with what they are attached to the vehicle. So, this way you can remove both front and rear bumpers of your vehicle.

  • Wash the Bumper

Second, it’s time to wash the chrome bumper. Use soap and water for washing purposes. There could be a lot of dirt, dust, and fingerprints on the bumper surface. So, washing it thoroughly is the only way. Otherwise, the paint will not result in a great finish on the dusty surface.

  • If the Bumper Is Rusted, Remove It

Chrome is prone to be rusted soon compared to other metal objects. So, you can also have a rusty bumper. If so, then getting the rust clear is highly recommended. To remove the rust, you can use several products including natural ones.

  1. For this, you can mix a thick paste of baking soda and vinegar. Apply the mixture to the rusty area and let it sit for up to 5 minutes. By this time, it will react with the rust particles and loosen them from the chrome bumper.
  2. If some rusts still pop up, apply the mixture again.
  3. Completing removing rust, wash the bumper again with soap and water.
  • Time to Sand the Bumper

For painting chrome bumpers, you need to make a proper paintable surface. Hence, sanding the chrome bumper is necessary. You can use either a dual-action sander or sandpaper for this purpose. Coarser sandpaper with a grit of 40 or 60 should be selected first. To remove scars, flaking, and deep spots, this sandpaper will help.

Again, to fix small scars, you can get a paper with 80 or 120-grit. Now, to get a finer finish, you can use a paper with a grit of 300-600. This will ensure a smooth surface for painting over.

  • Wipe the Chrome Bumper

When you are done sanding the bumper evenly, you need to wipe down the dust. You can also use wax remover and grease to clean off additional contaminants including oil, dirt, grease, and all. After cleaning with wax remover, dry the bumper wiping with a clean and dry rag.

  • Cover the Areas You Don’t Want to Paint

Lastly, cover up the places of the bumper where you do not want to paint. To come up with your customized design, you can cover the areas using a plastic or painter’s tip. Precisely seal the tape so that the edges are firmly pressed down.

Step 2: Prime the Chrome Bumper

  • Wear Safety Gear and Set Up Your Workstation

Ensure safety, and protection gear are a must since the painting process is not very healthy. The ventilated environment will be required as well. Otherwise, aerosol sprays and fumes can affect the respiratory system. Wear gloves, a mask, and a respirator or an exhaust ventilation system for ensuring safety precautions.

  • Spray Self-etching Primer on the Chrome Bumper

Using a self-etching primer, in this case, brings the expected result. It helps in better application of regular primer on the bumper later. Spray at least two to three coats of the self-etching primer evenly. But make sure you spray another coat when the previous one is dried completely.

Each coat won’t take more than three minutes to dry. But let the last coat on the chrome bumper sit for about four hours.

  • Spray Regular Primer on the Bumper

After applying self-etching primer, apply the regular automotive primer. It will hold a strong bond between the paint and chrome. It will also prevent rust and corrosion from the object. Apply two to three coats of this primer in the same previous ways.

However, drying time varies for different primers. So, check the time and let it sit according to that.

  • Sand Again the Surface

It is time to sand again but not on the chrome surface. When the primer is fully set on the bumper, you can sand it to make it smooth. Grab 400 to 600-grit fine sandpaper and sand carefully.

Tip: If you accidentally sand the chrome surface, apply the primer again in several coats. Then let it dry and sand again.

  • Wipe away the Dust

After sanding, wipe away the produced residue and dust from the surface. Be careful in this step also as there are chances of erasing the primer as well. you can use wax, grease, water, and anything like that to wipe it.

Step 3: Apply the Paint

  • Know and Practice the Spraying Technique

Now that we have come to the most crucial part, you better have some practice. Spraying a spray gun on a metal piece is a good idea for practicing. Make sure you are holding the spray gun 15.2 cm or 6 inches away from the metal surface.

Tip: In case you are using heavy paints, drips occur. If they occur use wet sandpaper of 2000-grit to sand them down gently.

  • Spray Paint on the Bumper

After enough practicing when you are confident enough, apply the spray gun on the bumper. Make a light and even layered coat of paint. It will require 3-4 even coats. Do not apply another coat until the previous one dries properly.

Step 4: Finishing and Final Attachment

  • Apply Clear Coats or Top Coats on the Bumper

This is for the finishing touch. Finish painting the bumper with your desired color, apply 2-3 layers of clear coats as well. Car clear coats are popular for this option. They help in preserving the actual color of the bumper protecting it from dirt, chemicals, sun, chipping, and other things.

  • Reattach the Chrome Bumper to the Vehicle

When it is properly and fully dry, attach the bumper part again to the vehicle. Tight all the nuts and screws accordingly. Finally, inspect your task.

Warnings

  • Don’t forget to wear protection gears.
  • Do each step carefully without making it a mess.
  • Before painting, make sure the chrome bumper doesn’t have any holes in it.

How to Paint Suede Shoes: Easy Step by Step Guide

how to paint suede shoes

Are you going to throw out your old and faded suede shoes? Wait here, read the article and how you can make them make look like a new one.  

Suede shoes are super stylish and add some unique collections to your shoe collection. Still, you might be giving it a second thought before spending any money while buying them. The reason behind the dilemma is, Suede shoes get ruined and faded quickly. I have experienced this hassle by myself for a long time.

how to paint suede shoes
Photo by Josh Sorenson from Pexels

But then, something came up to me as the most excellent advice and saved all my old suede shoes. The trick is nothing but painting them with some good-quality dye.

Here you’ll know: how to paint suede shoes and what things you would need to know while painting them.

How to Paint Suede Shoes Step by Step Easily!!

The easiest way of applying Suede paint is using ‘spray paint’. Spray painting requires some basic and easy-go-to steps for getting professional like finishing.

Especially when you’re a first-timer and don’t have any experience with hand painting, go for spray paint. This would be super easy to apply.

For painting, you only need to follow three easy steps: Clean, mark, and paint. Just grab a good spray paint, mark your shoes according to the design you want, and start spraying it out calmly.

You should do this entire procedure lightly and slowly. Once you’re done with the first coating on the shoes, let them dry for 12 hours. More than that will make it over dry and cracky. Ten, you need to do the regular steps for giving it a shiner finish. You can spray the shoes a second time for deeper color too. That will depend on your design and need only.

First of everything you will need to choose a good quality spray paint. Spray paints are more reliable and seem to be long-lasting than any other shoe paint on the market. However, you only have to choose the best brand in your budget for better performance.

Spray paints allow you to design your shoes in minutes. This will not only save time while painting but also will provide mess-free finishing. If you’re using angelus, acrylic, or fabric dye, they might hold a reasonable possibility of creating a mess.

Also, spray paint can keep your suede shoes safe from muds, rust, water threat, and all other possible damages.

So, you should choose to spray paint and make your old, faded suede shoes turn into new ones quickly.

Paint Your Suede Shoes Easily- Step by Step

Now that you’ve decided to paint your suede shoes let’s jump into the main topic here. Whether you’re a beginner or professional, these steps would undoubtedly get you the best finishing with every shot.

First, of everything, you need to collect these materials Here:

  • Paintbrush
  • Sponge
  • Warm water
  • Soap
  • Old rag
  • Old jar
  • Gloves ( Rubber)
  • Newspaper

Once you’ve collected all the required materials, Let’s move on with the steps here. The first step would be preparing. The second step would be Applying, and the last one is Finishing.

You don’t need to be any professional to do this job. Hold some patience and follow the direction here:

Step 1: Prepare The Shoe Surface for Painting:

  • Get your shoes and untie the laces.
  • Take a brush and start cleaning lightly over the shoes. This will get your shoes to get rid of extra dust and debris quickly.
  • Take some warm water and a good-quality sponge. You need to mix the warm water with Soap here. Then soak the sponge properly in the soapy water for cleaning your shoes.
  • Get the sponge and squeeze it properly to get extra water out. Then, wipe it thoroughly over your dirty suede shoes.
  • Grab the newspaper and warm the wrack up. You need to stuff the newspaper into the shoes where you put your feet in. This will keep the inner side of the shoe protected from paints. You can refer to this one as the safety step too.

Step 2: Get Started with the Painting Here:

First of all, get some good quality paint here. You can find different types of colors to use on suede shoes. There are angelus, acrylic, and spray paints. But over everything, try to get pigments that are specially made for suede shoes.

Now you need to grab a small amount of paint into the jar you got before. Applying directly from the actual paint jar can make things messier. Besides, in that way, you’ll hold the probability of wasting paints.

Grab the right kind of brush for the professional painting of your suede shoes. Make sure the brush you’re using is good enough to reach every tiny corner of the shoe. For this work, small scrubbing brushes will be the perfect ones. For the alternative way, you can grab a clean toothbrush also.

Here, you would need to grab the small paintbrush and start with the painting procedure. It would work best if you start from the edge of the shoe. If you want to do some unique design, you can always go for design and marking here. Try to dip the brush into the paint jar and start painting. But don’t forget to drip off the excess paints there into the jar to avoid all kinds of messes.

If you’re planning to go for some essential color shoe, just spread the paint all over the shoe lightly. Then you can take the brush and wipe all over this for a quick result. But here, you need to be careful and stay away from spreading too much paint.

You should not be worried if the color at the first look doesn’t come out as expected. That’s just the first coating here. Once you are done with the painting thing, leave the shoes overnight for drying out. Once you’re done with the drying process, you can go for the other layer. But don’t do the layering if you are not looking for any deepest color on your shoes.

Step 3: Give Some Good Finishing Touch Here:

This is the ultimate and crucial step of the entire procedure. Buff the shoes and get a good shine over the shoes. Then, it would help if you took a hairdryer or fan to dry the shoes entirely.

Now, you should spray some good waterproofing spray to prevent the color here. While spraying, keep your hand away from the shoes for 15 to 20 inches. This step will keep your shoes away from mud, dust, and debris.

Now, you need to dry the shoes before wearing them completely.

Tips:

Well, these are some tips and suggestions that you must follow throughout the entire painting procedure. They are going to keep your shoes safer and shiner for a longer time. Let’s give a quick check here:

  • Store the shoes in some good ventilated ambiance. This will keep it safe from drying out or ruining.
  • Please stay away from using the same brush for painting and buffing without cleaning it properly. You can take some warm soapy water to clean out the paintbrush before buffing.
  • You should never wear the suede shoes when it is dry. This will make potential damages easy.
  • Don’t let the shoes dry out after coloring for more than 12 hours.
  • Avoid second coating if you want your shoes in a light color.
  • While coloring the shoes, always use smooth, light, and circular motions all over the surface.

What Type of Paint Should You Use on Suede Shoes?

Well, you can use different types of paints to dye your suede shoes. Here you’ll get spray paint, fabric & textile paint and others too. But all of them, the specially formulated suede due will be the best and wisest choice.

The first reason for choosing suede dye would be its texture. This unique texture is made of natural leather. Also, this doesn’t hold any possibility of making your old suede more ruined with harsh chemicals.

Also, you’ll find various reputed brands offering suede due on a pretty affordable budget. They also offer a good range of color varieties with reliability.

For better performance and brand guarantee, you should spend some bucks and go for special suede dye. After the last step is done, you will understand the worthiness of using special paint by yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Can you change the color of the suede shoes?

Answer: Yes, it’s possible to change the color of your suede shoes. The previous faded color won’t make any difference. For better and darker finishing, you can apply two coatings on the shoes if you want.

Question: Is Suede Dye waterproof?

Answer: No, suede dye is not waterproof at all. It would help if you used extra waterproof spray here to save your shoes from dust, muds of rain.

Conclusion

You should never throw out your old and faded shoes just because of things they are not worthy of wearing. Just a few steps and some patience can make these stylish but old shoes go back as they were before. This article has explained everything about painting suede shoes. You must try this trick out for making some good try here.

How to Paint a Baseboard Heater: Step by Step Guide

how to paint a baseboard heater

Baseboard heaters are certainly ugly as well as helpful. This can make your house decoration fade in many ways. But painting them can be your best solution possible.

Do you know how to paint a baseboard heater the right way? You can try spray painting quickly. But this will require taking them off from the wall first. This seems an incredible hassle for the most. Also, how you should paint them depends on the type of baseboard heater you’re dealing with.

how to paint a baseboard heater
Image via Flickr creative commons

Well, I’ve done the research and found out some essential but crucial things that everyone should know while painting their baseboard heaters.

Why Should You Paint a Baseboard Heater?

Before we jump into the fundamental tips, a question should pop up in your mind. You must know how a painted baseboard can make a difference. This will encourage you to do your job wisely and significantly.

The main reason for painting your baseboard would be to get rid of the rust. We can’t disagree that baseboard heaters are boxy, ugly, and easy to rust. Painting the heaters can cover all the imperfections and make its appearance much decent to look at.

You can apply some rust-inhibiting metal paint of your favorite color over the baseboard heater. This will look much better so will your home.

The entire procedure will take around 2 hours. More specifically, it can stand 2 hours 10 minutes altogether. This would cost approximately $30 to purchase all these materials and tools for painting. Painting your baseboard heater at home by yourself will save a good amount of money and time.

Still, you can get professional like finishing with your baseboard. All you need to maintain is calmness and patience.

How to Paint a Baseboard Heater – 4 Easy Steps

First of all, you would need to gather some tools and materials. Make sure you’ve collected them all together.

Tools and Materials You’ll Need:

  • Clean cloth
  • Cleaning bucket
  • Steel wool / fine-grit sandpaper
  • Paint Brushes
  • Painting tape
  • Clean Metal Primer                    
  • Metal paint

Before starting with the painting method, you must identify what your baseboard radiator type is. There are basically two different types of baseboards used at home. One is the electric baseboard heater, and the other one is forced.

If you have no idea about the baseboard heater type, check on their power supplying system. The electric one would include a fuse box. At the same time, the forced one would consist of an oil or gas-fired boiler.

However, these days, people mostly install the electric baseboard heater for better performance. If you’re carrying the electric one, turn off the power system from its fuse box. Else, you’ll carry possibilities of hitting by shocks.

Now, you are all set to start with the painting procedure. Here I’ll mention some easy steps to complete the painting job easily.

Paint Your Baseboard Heater Step by Step:

Step 1: 

The first step for painting is preparing the surface. This one needs you to use some good steel wool pad/ sponge. You can also use Fine-grit sandpaper for sanding the surface. This will get you relief from the rusts and uneven faults on the surface.

Step 2:

Now, you need to use the cleaning bucket and clean cloth to wipe off the existing trash. Again, check out if the surface has got any unevenness left or not. A clean and flawless surface is a must before starting priming it. Also, you can apply the painting tape all around the targeted surface. This will keep you safe from making any probable mess during priming and painting.

Step 3: 

This time, you can move on with the priming step. You should garb a good brand of metal primer and start coating on the surface. Usually, one coat of primer is enough before painting any exterior. But you should not apply more than two coats here. Don’t forget to dry it out thoroughly before moving on with painting.

Step 4:

The next thing here would be applying paint on the baseboard heater. Here which color you should use will ultimately depend on your chance and decoration plan. However, grab the painting brushes and your favorite metal paint. Apparently, two coats of metal paint stand enough for the baseboard heater.

Well, these are the ultimate steps to paint a baseboard heater easily in a few moments. You don’t need to be any professional to complete the job. If you want knowledge in more detail, have a check on any online videos.

What kind of Paint Should You Use on Baseboard Heaters?

According to the expert suggestions, you should always go for oil-based paints. These are equally good and heat resistant for both forced and electric heaters. The type of heater you’re holding will make a significant impact on the color type.

Although the regular metal paints can work well if you know how much to apply according to the surface type, if you’re ready to spend some extra bucks, you can go for semi-gloss/ high gloss paint.

The paint’s heat-resisting power is the factor that will lead to your choice. Fortunately, these days almost all paint manufacturing companies offer at least 200 ºF heat-resisting power.

For a better opinion, you can directly talk to the paint brand you’ll be purchasing from.

Do You Paint Heating Baseboards The Same Color as Walls?

The ultimate goal of painting a baseboard heater is to make it look good. For that, you must have a good idea of color combinations. What color you should choose will entirely depend on the floor and wall color.

Experts suggest that you should match the heating baseboard color with the wall. But you should not really paint the baseboard as the wall. This will make it baseboard blended in with the wall.

Although some suggest if your baseboards are at the same height as radiators, try to paint them in the same color. This might look better in the sense of interior designers. On the other hand, if your baseboard is shorter in height, you can paint it in the same color as your home wall.

However, you’ve got plenty of color options available in the market. You can make a design and pick the one that suits your taste of decoration.

Can You Spray Paint Baseboards?

Spray paint is the most accessible and most handy thing to choose. The only thing your baseboard painting process will require is to detach this and take it outside or painting. With spray paint, you hold a higher risk of ruining the walls of your house.

However, spray paint still seems to be the leading choice for many. If you’re thinking of using spray paint at home, don’t forget to nicely mask the walls and floors. Also, it would help if you moved all the furniture around the baseboard before you start painting.

You can find some good brands offering high-temperature resistant spray paint. You can grab your favorite color and start painting.

While you paint, remember you should start from one side to another without giving any pause. Also, you should have at least 12 inches distance from the baseboard while painting. About two coats of spray paint are enough to get a shiner surface at the end.

Tips to Paint Baseboard Heater:

Here are some basic tips and suggestions that you should follow while painting your baseboard heater. The following tips are going to give you the shiniest surface:

  • If you are using Latex, use soapy water to clean that up. Latex is easier to remove, so that you can cut off extra hassles here.
  • If you’re using oil-based paint, you would need to paint thinner for cleaning the surface.
  • While you are sanding the surface, don’t forget to wear hand gloves and masks. This will keep you safer.
  • Keep your priming brush in a zipped bag. In this way, you can keep the bushes away from the air. If the meeting is soft enough, you can use the same one for painting too.

Read Next: Tips on Painting Chrome Grill

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to paint a baseboard heater?

Yes, it’s safe to paint the baseboard heater. But if you’re painting an electric one, don’t forget to disconnect the electric power supply from the fuse box.

Is it cheaper to paint baseboards or replace them?

Of course, painting is way too cheaper than replacing the entire baseboard heater. The tools and materials will cost around $300 only. You can easily save some bucks by painting it yourself.

What kind of brush do you use for baseboards?

The size of your paintbrush will depend on the baseboard size. But approximately a 2 or 2.5-inch angled brush is good enough for painting the entire surface easily.

Conclusion

Painting your baseboard heater can change your house decoration game. Also, the rusty and discounted baseboard heaters might kill your impression of the guests. This article has mentioned all the easy steps and tips on painting a baseboard heater. Just follow the lead and get an excellent result here.

How to Paint a Chrome Grill: Step by Step Guide

how to paint a chrome grill

Do you know that the chrome parts of your car body can get changed in any color you want? Well, you need to follow some DIY steps here.

Painting a chrome grill has always been a crucial thing for your car. This makes the car look shinier, cleaner, and brighter. But if you paint the chrome grill following some wrong steps, this can turn into a real hassle instead.

how to paint a chrome grill
Image by Francine Sreca from Pixabay

Well, most people prefer to make the chrome grill turn black. However, you can paint the chrome grill in any color you want to.

If you’re wondering how to paint a chrome grill, this article will be a great help to you.

Also Read: A Guide on Picking Top Gold Spray Paints

How to Paint a Chrome Grill? – Step by Step

Painting a chrome grill is not some rocket science. So, relax and decide which color your chrome grill needs.

Also, here you need to identify your chrome grill type wisely. The older chrome grills require extra steps to make the best outcome here.

You can undoubtedly hand your car over to the maintenance shops for painting the grill. But that would be just a waste of some extra bucks. By following easy steps and spending about only $38, anyone can paint their chrome grill at home.

In my experience, I’ve got a 100% satisfactory outcome from the paint every time. So, here I will mention all the exact steps that you can also follow for painting your car chrome grill.

Things You’ll Need for Painting Chrome Grills:

First of all, you must gather some materials to jump into the steps. All these materials are easy to find. So, you can get these from your nearest hardware shop:

  • Grit sandpaper – (2004-400)
  • Grit scuff pad- 800
  • Wet/dry sandpaper – 2000 grit
  • Dupli Color Black
  • Dupli Color scratch filler primer
  • Dupli Color protective clear coat finish
  • Knife/ flathead screwdriver
  • socket wrench – 10mm
  • T20 Torx bit driver
  • Paper towel
  • Soapy water
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Gloves (latex/ nitrile)
  • Elbow grease
  • Sponge Sponge

Optional:

  • Phillips head screwdriver
  • beer

Next Read: Tips on Painting a baseboard Heater

Paint Your Chrome Grill Step by Step

Step 01: Get the Grill Detached

Well, here, the first mandatory steps arrive as detaching the chrome grill from your car. This step will vary according to your car model or type.

First of all, take the Phillips head screwdriver, flathead screwdriver, and wrenches. Remove the 10 mm bolts from the grill and remove the pop-up clips from the head side. Next, you will notice a few plastic tabs on the lower side that are holding the grill.

You’ll also find a few plastic tabs by the car headlights and center. You need to pop these up and gently bring the grill out. Here you need to be extra careful that it doesn’t hamper any side of the grill.

Step 02: Detach the Grill and Surrounds Carefully

Well, only detaching the chrome grill from your car is not enough. The chrome grill has got its surroundings too. The following vital part would be making the grill detached from its surroundings carefully.

Just grab a T20 Torx bit drive to remove. You’ll have around ten metal tabs to open. It would help if you tried to pull the grill and pry the plastic detached from the metal tab.

Once you detach all these ten tabs, you will get another six primary tabs too. These are the light and easy-to-remove ones. These will automatically come apart by depressing lightly.

Continue Reading: Tips on Painting Carbon Fiber

Step 03: Clean The Grill Surface

While painting, the most crucial part is cleaning the surface of the grill. If any extra dirt and debris status under the painting, it will give a scratchy painted outcome. So, try to remove all the tints of bugs, sap, grease, or dirt.

This step is also straightforward. You need to take some soap and a sponge. Wipe the sponge with soapy water and wipe up the grill. This will remove all existing dust and give you the perfect surface for painting.

Step 04: Do Some Scuffing Here

The next step would be scuffing here. Cleaning is mandatory, but it would not make the surface prepared thoroughly for metal. You need to take 300-400 grit paper here.

Just tackle the paper and start scuffing the entire surface. You need to do a difficult job here. It would help if you continued scruffing until it covered the entire surface widely. You can try using beer here.

Although this is not a mandatory step, alcohol makes scuffing done in a better and faster way.

Step 05: Even Out the Scratches

Well, here, you need to grab the Dupli scratch filler primer. The packaging description will direct you to use it.

After you do the scuffing, you’ll find the surface uneven and spotty. So, you need to do at least 3/ 4 layers of castings over the surface. In this section, you can grab an 800 grit pad for even the surface out.

Step 06: Start the Painting

Here you need to take the paint and make the coatings start. Here you need to coat the surface up with paint. This is more like the repetition of step five.

The only difference here would be taking 10 minutes to break with every coating. And also, you need to have a 30 minutes break before applying any new layer here.

Here check out the painting wisely and make sure that it’s distributed evenly over the entire surface.

Keep Reading: Pick the Appropriate Paint Edging Tools

Step 07: Clear the Coatings

Here the next step stands, clearing the coats. The first step should be lathering, and the second is rising. The same two steps need to be repeated. This step will clear the nozzle out completely.  

Step 08: Sanding

This step might not stand as a must for everyone. If you get the flawless finishing directly after the painting, you can ignore it here.

If you find any uneven surface left, grab a 2000 grit sandpaper. It would be best if you were a little gentle here with the scrubbing thing.

Spray some water here and scrub the surface to get the smoothest finishing. You can make this process go a few times. You can use alcohol to get a shiner surface.  

Step 09: Assemble the Chrome Grill

Here the last step would be resembling the chrome grill.

It would be the backward repetition of the detaching process. You need to be aware to avoid any mistakes.

If you require any help, watch some videos online and take the help of someone around you.

Notes:

Here are some highlighted facts that you need to be aware of throughout the entire process. These will work as your safety precaution method. Also, these things are going to help you out with smoother surface in the long run:

  • Wear a long sleeve dress along with an apron and hand gloves. Also, wear good closed-toed shoes to protect yourself from chrome paints while working.
  • You need to wear goggles. These will protect your eyes from all kinds of exposures while working.
  • Don’t forget to double-check the painted surface. It’s normal to get uneven paint on the surface. That’s the reason you must put at least 3/ 4 coatings of paint on the grill.
  • Try to choose good quality spray chrome paint. Only then, you’ll find an even and smoother surface in the long run.

How Do I Make Chrome Paint Shine?

You can make the chrome paint shinier to go in the long run. If the chrome grill paint is new, you can try some waxing here/. You’ll find various types of wax available in the market. Using some wax wisely over the chrome paint would make it shinier.

If you want to try some home remedies here, that’s also possible. Just take some baking soda and a vinegar-soaked rag. You can spread them on the cleaned surface and accept to get a shiner output as chrome paint.

Frequently Asked Question

Is Chrome paint any good?

Answer: Yes, chrome paint can do more than you think. These are good for a shinier appearance on your car. On the other hand, you’ll find good protection from scratches, rain, bugs, or different kinds of dirt and debris.

Who makes the perfect chrome paint?

Answer: “Krylon,” this fantastic brand produces “Krylon Premium chrome spray paint.” This one is well-rated and popular spray paint all over the world. So, you can consider Krylon Premium chrome spray paint as a wise choice among all.

What paint will stick to Chrome?

Answer: Applying the spray paint harshly without taking any break would make the surface sticky. Here you need to use a more steady sweeping motion for smoother finishing.

Conclusion

Hopefully, now you’re aware of painting a chrome grille at home. Well, these are the go-to and straightforward steps to try at home. With these easy steps, you don’t need to be any professional here.

Just have some patience and follow all steps wisely. Doing any rush and applying any wrong products might affect your chrome grill. Be aware, follow all these steps wisely, and get a shinier effect on your car chrome grill.

How to Paint Ceramic Pots: 2 Ways and Step by Step

how to paint ceramic pots

Ceramic pots are one of the most common planter. Many peoples use this type of pots for gardening. These pots are especially best for tropical plants that need their soil moistened for a long time. Besides, when these pots are painted, it looks amazing.

how to paint ceramic pots
Photo by RF._.studio from Pexels

So, do you want to paint your ceramic pot? If the answer is yes, we will say that you are in the best place. Here we will give the ultimate guide on how to paint ceramic pots. Let’s check it out.

How to Paint Ceramic Pots: Step by Step Guide

Painting is not so tough as people think. You can easily do it yourself if you have the necessary stuff and the right method. You are probably wondering about the methods. Right? No problem, we are going to help you out. You can paint your ceramic pot in two methods. These are as follows:

Method 1: Hand Painting

Hand painting is slightly harder, but you can easily turn your simple ceramic pots into a very attractive and beautiful ones as you want by this method. Besides, this painting lasts for a long time. Anyways, in this method, you need some necessary things to gather before start painting which are given below:

Things You Need to Paint a Ceramic Pot (For Hand Painting Method)

  • A Ceramic Pot
  • Latex Primer (as your need)
  • Ceramic Paint (according to your choice)
  • One or two Brushes (Small or medium size)
  • A Plastic Bowl
  • A Cotton Swab
  • A Wire Brush
  • A Crystal-Clear Acrylic Spray
  • A 200 Grit Sandpaper
  • Acrylic Sealer Spray.

These are mainly the things you need to paint a ceramic pot in the hand paint method. You will get these materials in your nearby hardware shop, or you can order them easily from online. After gathering these things, you have to take some safety measures before starting the main process. Some necessary safety measures are given below:

Safety Precautions You Need to Take Before Painting (For Hand Painting Method)

  • You should wear safety glass which will protect your eyes from different types of chemicals contained in the materials you will use.
  • You also should use hand gloves and dust masks to keep you safe from paint and other material. You should not avoid it because it is not easy to clean, even if one drop of paint sticks to your hand or face. So, to avoid these kinds of situations, it is better to take safety measures.
  • Always keep the paint away from the fireplace, gas stove, water heater, and some related things.
  • Don’t touch the paint before being dry.

After gathering materials and taking all the safety materials, you are now ready to start the process. So, without any delay, let’s get into the process.

#STEP1: Prep the Ceramic Pot

In the first step of this process, you need to prepare your ceramic pot for painting it. That is why, at first, Soak the pot in hot water for an hour. After that, scrub the pot with a hard brush. It will allow you to remove the spots, existing stickers, and dust from the surface. Then, let the pot dry.

After thoroughly drying your ceramic pot, take the sandpaper and roughen the pot. It will remove some of the glazes of the pot, which will allow your paint to adhere to the surface of the pot properly. Then, wash it up and dry completely. After that, wide it perfectly so that any dirt can’t exits. The first step is done here.

#STEP2: Apply Primer

Then in the second step, apply the latex primer on the full surface (both inside and outside) of your ceramic pot where you will paint. Now, you need to wait for being the paint to dry. After that, apply the additional coats if you feel the first coat is not covering the entire surface well. It is very important for making the design long-lasting. There have three major benefits of applying the primer to the pot.

Firstly, it will cover the existing color of the pot which you need so badly for being your painting perfectly. The second one is that it will cover the permanent spot and repaired surface (if your pot has) and lastly, applying primer will help the paint adhere to the surface perfectly.

#STEP3: Prep the Paint

Take the bowl and pour the paint on it. After that, mix the paint with the other shades if you need them. You can also thin the paint if you want by adding some water to the paint. Always try to use bowls whenever you paint something. It helps to do the process perfectly and reduces the wastage of paint.

#STEP4: Apply the Paint on the

Apply the paint on the entire surface of your ceramic pot with the foam brush. Paint thoroughly both inside and outside of the pot. Here, a frequently asked question is, “can I design my ceramic pot?”. The answer is obviously yes.

If you want to design your pot, you need some new stuff, including varieties of ceramic color and some small brush. After gathering these materials, you can start making designs on the surface. Here you have to make sure that you finished the base painting before making designs.

However, after applying the first coat, you need to give few minutes to let the paint dry. After that, apply the second coat and let it dry. After drying for the second time, check the paint on the pot. If you think you need one more coat, then apply an additional coat.

#STEP5: Seal your Paint

Now we are in the final step of this process. In this step, you need to apply the acrylic sealer spray on the paint you did. This will protect you from small scratches and dust, and at the same time, it will keep the finish of your painting fresh. By doing all these, we are done with the process.

Next Read: Types of Paint to Use on Glass

Method 2: Spray Painting

Are you finding the easiest way of painting a ceramic pot?  This one is the easiest way. By using this method, you will be able to paint your pot in a very short time, which will also give you an attractive look. So, if you are a very busy person and want to paint a ceramic pot, you can try this out. Here, you also have to gather some important things that you need for painting as the previous method. These are as follows:

Things You Need to Paint a Ceramic Pot (For Spray Painting Method)

  • A Ceramic Pot
  • A Primer
  • Spray Paint (According to need)
  • Warm Water (Quantitatively)
  • A Brush

These are mainly the things you need in this method. Here, you also have to take some safety precautions same as the previous method. We are not repeating the previous precautions.

Here we are just adding some new safety measures that you need in this method with the previous precautions. You should follow both in this method. These additionals are as follows:

Safety Precautions You Need to Take Before Painting (For Spray Painting Method)

  • Don’t place the pot where dust blows. It is better to choose an air-tight place.
  • Don’t keep the pot under direct sunlight because it can cause damage to the surface where you will paint.
  • Shake the spray paint bottle well before applying.
  • Always try to keep your ceramic pot in a cool and dry place.

Before starting the process, make sure you have taken all these safety measures. Anyways, now let’s get into the process.

#STEP1: Prepare the Ceramic pot for being Painted

At first, clean the entire ceramic pot very well with warm water. Use the brush to clean it properly. After that, wipe the pot and let it dry perfectly.

#STEP2: Apply Primer

In the second step, apply the primer to the surface where you want to paint. It can be both inside and outside of the pot or only outside of the pot. Nowadays, you will get primer and paint mixed in one bottle. In that case, you don’t need to use any additional primer.

#STEP3: Apply Spray Paint

Now, it is time to apply spray paint. Spray it by keeping the paint bottle 15 to 20 cm away from the ceramic pot. Make sure you are painting thoroughly to the entire pot. You can also make different types of shapes on your pot to make it more attractive.

In that case, you just need some painter tape extra and wrap an area with that tape. Then, press it well so that it can adhere to the pot very well. After that, apply paint well on the remaining area of the pot. When the process is finished, you just need to peel away the tape to get the shape design.

However, after finishing the first coat, let the paint dry. Then, apply the second coat and wait for being the paint to dry. If you found the third coat is needed, you need to finish the process by applying an additional coat again.

Read Also: How Much Does 5 Gallons of Paint Weigh?

Final Words

Painting your ceramic pots is a kind of fun project for adding color in your own style to the pots. If you want to make a super fancy pot for your home or garden, this article will help you a lot.

Here, we have the step-by-step process and the ultimate guidelines on painting ceramic pots or planter. We hope you have got the answers to all of your questions regarding this process in this article. Then again, if you have any other confusion, feel free to ask in the comment section. Have a good day.

How Much Does 5 Gallons of Paint Weigh: Learn More Here

how much does 5 gallons of paint weigh
how much does 5 gallons of paint weigh
Photo by Blue Bird from Pexels

Do you want to paint your place?  The first thing you have to do to start painting is buying gallons of paint. Here, sometimes people get confused about how much does paint weighs. That is why, we are simply giving you an idea about the weight of the paint. 

How much does 5 Gallons of Paint Weigh? in average, one gallon of paint weighs approximately 11.2 pounds or 5.1 kilograms and 5 gallons of paint weigh around 56 to 56.5 pounds or 25.1 to 25.5 kilograms. You can’t be so exact about it because it varies from paint to paint.

However, in this article, we are going to discussion about of different types of paint weight. You will also get all the necessary information regarding this topic here. So, without any further delay, let’s get into the discussion.

How Much Does 5 Gallons of Paint Weigh?

In general, paint is measured in gallons, and here most common size is one gallon and five gallons. But actually, how much is a gallon of paint?

A gallon is mainly a unit of measuring volume. More clearly, a gallon is the amount of space that any substance occupies.

Here, weight or density is not considered. For example, a gallon of paint, a gallon of water, a gallon of oil, and a gallon of milk are the same amount of liquid, but the weights of these liquids are not the same.

Besides, the term “Gallon” refers to three different types of measurements which are U.S Gallon, U.S dry Gallon, and the imperial Gallon. Let’s discuss these in detail.

U.S Gallon:

One U.S Gallon is equal to 3.78541 liters which is basically the standard measurement that people use in the case of paint.

U.S dry Gallon:

One U.S dry Gallon is equal to 4.404 liters. This term is used very rarely.

Imperial Gallon:

One imperial gallon is equal to 4.54609 liters. This unit of measurement is mainly used in the United Kingdom and Canada.

We hope you now have idea about a gallon (unit of measurement). This knowledge will help you to easily find out that how much do 5 gallons of paint weigh.

However, to calculate the weight of the paint, you need to know its density, which is different in different types of paints. Now we will discuss these different types of paints and calculate their weights. These are as follows:

Latex Paint:

Latex paint is the most popular paint that used in home and workplaces. There also have reasons for being so popular. Latex paint is very easy to use, which also takes less time to get dry and very easy to take care of at the same time.

However, a gallon of latex paint weighs 11.3 pounds (approximately) or 5.13 kilograms. So, we can easily find out that 5 gallons of latex paint weigh 56.5 pounds (approximately) or 25.6 kilograms. This is actually the most common weight of latex paint that can also vary slightly by different brands.  

Acrylic Paint:

Acrylic paint is the main element of art and craft projects which is basically water-based paint. This one is also one of the most popular paint in the world. If you are an artist, you will definitely have used this type of paint.

One gallon of acrylic paint weighs approximately 11 to 12 pounds or 4.5 to 5.5 kilograms, and the weight of 5 gallons of acrylic paint is around 55 to 60 pounds or 25 to27 kilograms (approximately). It also can vary slightly by different types of acrylic paints.

Enamel Paint:

Enamel paint is mainly used in painting outdoor furniture and sometimes in covering the basement of a building. This kind of paint has different varieties. That is why it is very hard to determine the actual weight of this paint. If you face this type of situation, you can contact the paint manufacturer and know the density of the paint you want to buy.

After getting the density, you just need to multiply it by the volume to get the weight. But in general, one-gallon enamel paint weighs 11 pounds or 4.99 kilograms. So, here you are simply being understood that 5 gallons of enamel paint weigh approximately 55 pounds or 24.9 kilograms.

Oil-based Paint:

Oil-based paint is the oldest paint in the world. This paint was used in cave paintings at the ancient age. Oil-based paint is not so advantageous, and that is why it is less popular. Then again, there have some important uses of this paint, so people buy it. Here one notable thing is, this paint has higher toxicity.

Therefore, take the necessary precautions before using this paint. Anyways, generally, one-gallon oil-based paint weighs 6.7 pounds or 3 kilograms (approximately), and five gallons of oil paint weigh 33.5 pounds or 15 kilograms (approx.).

So, these are mainly the wrights of different types of paints. We hope you have found your type as well. If you don’t, let us know in the comment section.

Read Next: Making Body Paint at Home

How Much Does 5 Gallons of Paint Cover?

One gallon of paint covers around 350 to 400 square feet. That means you can use this for a very small room like a washroom.

So, you will easily be able to calculate that 5 gallons of paint cover around 1800 to 2000 square feet area.

Here, we can assure you that 2 gallons of paint will be enough, sometimes more than enough for an average room.

How Much Does 5 Gallons of Paint Cost?

The cost of paint can vary a lot. In the case of lower quality paint, the cost can be $18 to $20. On the contrary, high-end paints can cost double the lower ones. So, it is very difficult to determine this cost. Then again, in general, one gallon of paint costs approximately $120, and it will be $550 to $600 for 5 gallons of paint.   

The Bottom Lines

When you need to buy your needed amount of paint and take it to your home, it is very important to know the weight. But in most cases, you will only be able to know the amount of paint in a gallon. That is why, here, we have given the approximate weight of all types of paints.

Besides, we have specifically answered about 5 gallons of paint weigh. Hopefully, you have got everything that you were searching for. For every kind of confusion regarding this topic, the comment box is open. Happy painting.