Spray paint has become one of the fastest and most affordable ways to paint whatever you want, including wooden decor. Whether you are a beginner spray paint artist or a professional carpenter, there is one question that you have to wonder about. What kind of spray paint should you choose and which works on all surfaces?
In this article, we reviewed the top 5 spray paints that are applicable to all surfaces. Then, we based them on criteria on their paint’s properties, their spray can design, and how it improves wood appearance. If it comes down to a tie between two products, we will narrow it down to what traits they have in common and pick the champion from there.
Table of Contents
COMPARISON CHART
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1. Rust-Oleum Universal Metallic Spray Paint
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2. Krylon Colormaster and Primer Paint
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3. Rust-Oleum Professional High Performance Enamel Paint
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4. Krylon Premium Metallic Spray Paint
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5. PintyPlus Aqua Matt Spray Paint
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1. Rust-Oleum Universal Metallic Spray Paint
The first spray paint on our list is Rust-Oleum’s Universal metallic spray paint. The can is designed with a hand-triggered nozzle for hand comfort and to apply less pressure with your fingers to prevent overspray. The oil paint is infused with primer for fast drying and metallic minerals to create an even coating with a lustrous shine.
The paint coverage does more than color your wood decor and other surfaces. With added primer, it can repair any damage on the surface, so you don’t have to sand your wooden furniture before painting. And the oil base prevents any chipping of wooden surfaces.
The name universal comes from the spraying range. Unlike other spray paint, the Universal spray can reach around the surface from one spot, including hard-to-reach areas. With a bottled neck, you have more control of the can than holding the entire top of the can.
For cleaning up any paint mistakes, you will need to use mineral spirits instead of paint thinner. Mineral spirits is a less toxic version of thinner because it does not carry any acetone and turpentine. And the least harmful paint cleaner for indoor and outdoor atmosphere. You will need to wear safety equipment to prevent skin irritation and respiratory problems. And it’s required to open your windows as the paint itself does contain acetone.
You will need to wait around 30 minutes before you reapply paint on your wood furniture. And you will need to wait for about one hour before you can display them or recoat them. This spray paint is best for beginner and professional carpenters and for DIY paint projects.
2. Krylon Colormaster and Primer Paint
Next, we have Krylon’s Colormaster. The spray can have the cap nozzle that needs to be pushed down by your finger. The rest of your hand will firmly grasp the top of the can. It can be uncomfortable for your hands as a beginner, for the spray can require strong hands.
On the other hand, the spray paint is also fused with paint primer for an even, semi-gloss coating and fast drying. It also protects against rust and repair cracks. Colormaster’s paint does dry faster to touch at 10 minutes but requires at least 4 hours before recoating. And needs to be dried at a moderate temperature between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
The spray radius can only spread on the surface at a fan spread. And is best for spray painting on flat surfaces rather than rounded ones. The paint can also be cleaned with mineral spirits and requires safety equipment and open windows before working with it.
3. Rust-Oleum Professional High-Performance Enamel Paint
In our third spot, Rust-Oleum reappears with their High-Performance Enamel Spray Paint. Its spray can also have a cap nozzle to spray the paint on surfaces that can also be difficult for beginners to handle at first.
Instead of paint primer mixed into the paint formula, it uses enamel paint. The differences between these two paints are that enamel has a hardened shell when applied to surfaces, mixing with oil paints is hard, and has a more harmful smell than paint primer. Wearing safety equipment and open windows are required to prevent damage to the respiratory system.
Enamel is better used for outdoor painting to reduce health risks and avoid nausea and dizziness. On the bright side, enamel shares properties with paint primer in their rust prevention properties and long-lasting coat.
Drying time to touch the paint requires 15 minutes instead of 30. It does take the same amount of time for handling and recoating for one hour. If you are in a rush to paint in a short amount of time, this spray paint comes in handy for those situations.
4. Krylon Premium Metallic Spray Paint
Our fourth spray paint is another wood paint option from Krylon. They bring in the heat with their Premium Metallic Paint. Like the previous two cans, it had a cap nozzle that sprays the paint at a widespread fan. This time, the paint contains metallic minerals to give anything a glossy sheen and a smooth, chrome appearance.
While the paint itself can provide a stunning finish on wooden furniture, its drying process is different. It can dry to touch in 10 minutes. But to handle the painted surface, you have to wait for two hours. That’s an hour longer than the Colormaster paint.
You will need to wear safety equipment and keep the windows as it can cause skin irritation and respiratory problems. This paint is best if you are creating faux metal furniture with wooden materials.
5. PintyPlus Aqua Matt Spray Paint
For our last spray paint, we have our only water-based spray paint from PintyPlus. Their Aqua Matt water-based paint formula does not carry any dangerous odors meaning it can be used without safety equipment to put on. It also sprays in a line instead of a widespread fan. This is due to their nozzle design.
Instead of a cap nozzle, the spray nozzle is a triangular dome nozzle that applies less pressure on the fingers and gives better aim with the paint. It’s the fastest drying paint when it comes to reapplying paint after 6 seconds. You will have to wait about an hour before touching it.
This spray paint is advertised to be used for DIY crafts. It’s also great for beginner spray paint artists and all levels of carpenters.
Conclusion
Now that we have reviewed all of our spray paints, it’s time to choose a champion. The spray paint that gives you the best coating on the wood came pretty close. But the can you want to spray is Rust-Oleum’s Universal Metallic Spray Paint. The second best goes to PintyPlus’s Aqua Matt, as it contains a less harmful paint formula while giving a clean finish to the wood.
However, Rust-Oleum’s Universal Metallic gives a smoother appealing look that also provides an attractive luster. It also can repair the applied surface without damages being seen, while the Aqua Matt is used for refurbishing. And its spray paint can reach all around the surface while spraying from one area, making it best to have completely-coated decor.
The other reason that narrowed it down is the spray bottle design. For many years, rarely were any changes applied to the spray can design until Rust-Oleum has decided to create one that applies little pressure to spray paint with its trigger and gives hand comfort while you paint. Aqua Matt’s triangular dome nozzle does allow you to spray paint efficiently, but your hand will feel uncomfortable with the cylinder can.
The last reason the Universal Metallic Spray Paint is the champion is the paint’s resistance to corrosion, heat, and moisture when used on outdoor surfaces. For Aqua Matt, this is best used indoors because the water-based formula is weaker against weather conditions.
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I am a woodworker with over 21 years of experience crafting everything from furniture to ornamental pieces. I take pride in my ability to bring out the beauty of the wood I work with, creating unique and lasting objects. My passion for woodworking has been a life-long pursuit and I strive to push myself further and further with each new project. I am dedicated to the craft and take great satisfaction in the final product that I create.Read More.
