It is possible to change a look by painting upholstery.Whether it is the upholstery on a chair in your home, or the seat of your car, upholstery paint can be applied to give a surface a much needed facelift.You need to make sure you have the right supplies and that you are using the correct techniques when applying paint to upholstery.New life can be given to an old surface if you do.
Step 1: Take care of the surface.
Before you apply paint to your upholstery, you need to clean the surface.A damp cloth can be used to wipe down vinyl.It is important to remove dirt and debris from the surface.Before paint application, the fabric should be vacuumed and cleaned.The paint will stick better to the upholstery surface if the surface is cleaned well before painting.Make sure the surface is completely dry before applying paint.
Step 2: Pick something to paint.
Paint products can be used to paint upholstery.Depending on what type of surface you are painting and what application process you want to use, what product you use depends on that.Paints made for vinyl come in a spray can.They can be used for furniture or car upholstery.There are a lot of sprays for cloth.Make sure you read the labels of those you are considering to use.There are several types of brush-on paints that can be used for upholstery.There are paints that can be used for upholstery as well as regular latex paint.
Step 3: Your work area should be set up.
You need to protect other surfaces from drips or over spray.It requires taping off any surfaces that might get paint on them and putting down a drop cloth.You might need painter's tape, clothes, and a dust mask when painting.You don't have to run to the store at the last minute if you get these supplies ahead of time.When it comes to painting prep, it's better to be safe than sorry.You don't want to have a mistake with the paint if you mask off more areas than you think.
Step 4: Take safety precautions.
You should always take your safety into account when doing a craft project.Before doing your project, you need to think about the need for protective clothing, eye protection, and any other safety supplies that may be needed.If you don't know if you need to take safety precautions, look at the labels on the products you will be using and see if they have any.This is a good place to begin.
Step 5: Prepare the paint.
If you are painting your upholstery with regular latex paint, you will need to change it.Adding textile medium will make the paint stick to the fabric.A jar contains one part paint and two part textile medium.This will allow latex paint to bond with the fabric.
Step 6: If necessary apply an undercoat.
If you want the paint to stick to the vinyl, you may need to apply an undercoat.Look at the directions of the paint you purchased to make sure.The undercoat can be sprayed with a brush or spray can.This is dependent on the product you are using.
Step 7: The first coat should be applied.
The first coat should be sprayed or painted.Depending on the product you are using, your first coat will either be very thin or thick enough to cover up the previous color of the upholstery.You want a smooth, streak-less coat if you are painting vinyl.Thin coats are usually used to apply this.If you are painting fabric, your first coat will absorb a lot.Make sure that the entire surface has paint applied to it, even if you don't have complete coverage.
Step 8: Between coats, allow the paint to dry.
Allow your paint coats to dry completely.This assures that the paint sticks to the surface you are painting.It makes sure that coats dry quicker.For dry times between coats, follow the directions on the container.The amount of time it takes to dry each paint may be different.
Step 9: Apply more coats.
When the surface is covered to your satisfaction, put on more layers of paint.This could be one more coat or many more.Do as many coats as you can to get the finish you want.Skipping additional coats can lead to a less polished finish.
Step 10: Follow directions for when to dry.
Follow the directions on the packaging for drying paint.Allowing each coat to dry completely before applying the next coat could help to make your finished product look better and last longer.Depending on the paint that you are using, the thickness that is applied, and the climate it is being applied in, there will be different drying times between paint coats.Until it dries completely, keep your project in a safe place.It will be dry before being disturbed.Don't use your painted surface for anything until it's completely dry.
Step 11: Correct.
You will need to maintain the surface in order to keep it looking good.If you spill something on it, soak it up quickly with a dry towel and then use a damp cloth to clean it.The painted upholstery is more sensitive to abuse than the fabric surfaces.It's a good idea to avoid setting rough or sharp surfaces on the upholstery.
Step 12: Add touchup paint to fix the surface.
You can always add new coats to the upholstery in the future.After you have used it a bit, this can give your surface a whole new life.If you want to add more coats in the future, you should take the time to thoroughly clean the surface.The new coats will stick to the old surface.