The Pro’s & Con’s of Spray Painting Furniture
If you’re considering spray painting a tired piece of furniture, or perhaps using it to re-colour the walls of a room, here’s our quick guide to the ups and downsides of spray painting.
Pros of Spray Painting
- Quicker coverage – one stroke of a brush is easily bettered by the squirt of spray paint
- Faster drying – being thinner than canned paint means it dries quicker also. (Always follow manufacturer instructions for appropriate drying times)
- Smoother finish – lighter and less dense makes for a silkier finish
- Available for application on a wide variety of surfaces – metals, woods, plastics. Be sure to buy the right type though!
- Utensil clean-up is far less than that of paint brushes and rollers! No need for white spirit, excessive rinsing etc!
Cons of Spray Painting
- Can be messy – you will need to cover belongings and yourself – this in turn requires preparation with tape and overalls, safety glasses, a mask!
- This is important – you must wear a mask! You’re dealing with a toxic gas.
- It is therefore not suitable for application in a closed environment due to the fumes. Get as much ventilation as possible!
- If you’re inexperienced with spray paint, it can result in patchy coverage – some areas heavier than others. The trick is applying it in even, overlapping strokes, not large blasts.
- Whilst the drying time of a coat is faster, it could take more coats that canned paint.
- Spray paint sometimes suffer from runs / drips if you are using a thicker / more dense type.
- Cannot have a colour mixed at the DIY store!
- Lifespan and durability of spray paint is reported to be less than that of brush paint. Ergo, you might be needing to do it again in a few years time.
In short, know what you’re doing before starting. Prepare and prepare again. The finished thing can be great if done properly. If not yourself, perhaps consider consulting professional spray painters.
