The flawless way to update your furniture

Summer is the ideal time to bring new life to home decor. Whether your outdoor items are looking worn and weathered — or your indoor spaces need a pop of color — spray paint is the perfect solution.

To ensure your furniture update goes flawlessly, follow these tips from the experts at Krylon, the nation’s leader in spray paint.

Prep properly

Surface preparation is extremely important and the best predictor of how long your finish will last. The goal is to make your surface as smooth as possible to ensure the new paint adheres well. Remove any loose rust or paint by lightly sanding. Next, clean surfaces with soap and water or degreaser, if necessary. Rinse and let your surface dry completely. Your surface should now be clean, dull and dry.

To prime or not to prime

Primer prepares bare metal, wood, canvas or other materials to create a smooth surface for paint. It also seals the surface to help smooth out blemishes, increase spray paint adhesion and improve corrosion resistance.

While priming is a critical step, research shows that consumers only use a primer 50 percent of the time. For the same results with fewer steps, try a combination spray paint with primer.

Choosing the right product

It is important to choose the product that meets the needs for your substrate — as well as your style.

Plastic/laminates

With the popularity of ready-to-assemble furniture made of laminates and storage items made of plastic, these surfaces are prime targets for painting. However, without the right product, your project could turn out less than desirable.

“Most consumers don’t realize that not all plastics are the same,” said Denise Patterson, Krylon product manager. “In fact, most spray paints on the market will not adhere to most popular plastics found in furniture, toys and storage. Krylon’s new Dual Superbond spray paint offers a unique formulation that promises quality adhesion to 85 percent of plastics, as well as hard-to-adhere surfaces, such as melamine and laminates.”

Metal

For metal surfaces — especially those that are exposed to outdoor elements — it is important to choose a product that provides rust protection.

“Many products that claim rust protection only work when used with an additional primer,” said Patterson. “Using a combination product, such as Dual Super-bond Paint + Primer, ensures that all surfaces will achieve superior rust protection without a multi-step process.”

Wood

Choosing the best spray paint for wood is dependent on the finish, use and location of your surface. Exterior projects should always be primed for the greatest durability. A general purpose spray paint, such as Krylon ColorMaster, is an ideal choice for wood. This new product offers the widest color selection with nearly 100 colors and finishes, as well as offering a combination paint and primer for a one-step application.

Spraying specifics

Before you spray, shake your can for about two minutes. Next, hold the can 6 to 8 inches away from the surface and use several thin coats of spray paint instead of one thick coat. Begin and finish your spray pattern off the object using an even side-to-side motion, releasing the tip at the end of each pass. Try to overlap your spray pattern by about one-third with each pass.

As you prepare to paint new life into your home decor, these few tips and tricks will ensure your project is painless and pretty for years to come. For more painting tips or information on Krylon products, visit www.krylon.com.

This article is courtesy of Brandpoint.