How To: Metallic Paint Furniture

October 15, 2016 • Terra George • All Blog Posts • How To

There's nothing shabby with metallic painting your furniture ... if you want to add glitz and glamour to your old tired furniture using Modern Masters metallic paints are your answer! Follow these easy steps...

But first lets get inspired! Here's some makeovers using Superior Paints and Modern Masters Metallic Paints...

Here's a dresser we painted in Superior Paint Co. Black Mountain and the top in Modern Masters Smoke.

Wooden chair I painted with Modern Masters Silver.

Here's a vanity chair I painted the fabric with Modern Masters Silver.

For directions how to paint fabric click here.

Dining table we refinished for a client with Modern Masters Snowflake.

Here's a dresser our Superior Paint Co. Retailer in Grand Forks BC

The Refinish Line painted with Superior Paint Co. Black Mountain and used Modern Masters Black Cherry.

Gorgeous headboard The Refinish Line painted with Superior Paint Co. Trainstation and used Modern Masters Pewter.

Directions:

Step #1

Find your project and take a "before" photo... then look for inspiration

Here's my project for today... a chair I previously painted in Trainstation and Little White.

Step #2

Once you have your inspiration choose your Superior Paint and Modern Masters Metallic paint.

HOT TIP: You can apply Modern Masters Metallic paint directly to your project or... if you want to save on $$$ you can Superior Paint Co. base coat on a similar colour then once dry apply your metallic paint over top.

For my base colour I've decided to go with Superior Paint Co. Black Mountain which is the true Blackest of Blacks.

I've chosen Modern Masters Black Pearl because the soft silver metal flakes pair beautifully with the upholstery in the seat of the chair.

HOT TIP: Always do a test piece first to ensure you get the look your going for.

I painted a stir stick with Black Mountain

Left side one part metallic Black Pearl with three parts SamaN Glaze Medium.

The right side 100% Black Pearl.

As you can see there's no different as the metallic is so heavily pigmented you can dilute with a carrier agent (Glaze Medium or Superior Top Coat) and make your metallic paint go much further!

YAY!

Step #3

Prep time ... repair and clean your project.

I always recommend using TSP ECO as its a professional grade heavy duty De-greaser that is rinse free, safe for your hands and the environment (and it smells AMAZING!). It comes in a liquid form so for a half bucket of water all you need to add is 20-25ml of TSP ECO.

I use a 300 Grit Pad to give the surface a good scrub down. This will etch the surface and allow the paint to adhere.

(I used to use the green brillo pads but I found they weren't abrasive enough, would shed and not last as long.)

Step #4

Here's the FUN part ... time to start painting!

Superior Paints and Modern Masters Paints can be applied with a brush, roller or HVLP Sprayed.

For detailed directions on how to hand paint please check out my other blog post here: "How To: Hand Paint Like A Pro"

One coat of Black Mountain was all I needed using the Earlex 5500 HVLP sprayer!

When spraying Superior Paints make sure to dilute with 25% distilled water.

Step #5

Once your Superior chalk paint is dry its time to apply your Metallic Paint!

Modern Masters Metallic paint can be applied with a brush, roller or sprayed.

For my project I base coated with Black Mountain and once dry I mixed Modern Masters Black Pearl with SamaN Glaze.

My formula:

2 oz. Modern Masters Black Pearl

6 oz. SamaN Glaze

(I only needed half of my mixture to do this project)

If your spraying your metallic coat make sure to very lightly mist the surface.

Once dry feel free to play and layer other Modern Masters Metallics colours or Superior Chalk Paints to add dimension to your project.

Step #6

Seal your project

Once your happy with your project make sure to apply your desired Superior Paint Co. Top Coat. Yes you always have to seal your projects for detailed directions click here: "How To: Seal Furniture"

Step #7

Enjoy and show off your masterpiece!

MORE HOT TIPS:

Prepping is important metallic paint, will show every imperfection.
Always prime your projects before metallic painting with Superior Base Coat or Superiors Paints (they have a built in primer)
To make your Modern Masters metallic paint go further, use an undercoat. Example: if your using slivers use Superior Paint Co. Bone White, Greystokes or Trainstation as your base coat once dry apply your Modern Masters shade of silver metallic paint on top.
When hand painting watch your brush strokes. You may need to use a roller to reduce brush stroke visibility.
Don’t over-brush. This can cause the paint to loose it’s metallic luster.
If your HVLP spraying dilute with 1 part distilled water and a maxium of 8 parts metallic.
Do not freeze metallic paints however if they freeze let naturally thaw to room temperature before use and make sure to stir well.
Modern Masters Metallic Paints are inter-mixable here's my two favorites to mix with other Metallics Snowflake and Black Pearl (1:1 ratio)