by Janet Sandford

Created on: March 16, 2010

With the wide range of enamel spray paints now available in the shops, it has never been easier and quicker to paint on metal. Spray paints are ideal for quick and even coverage, and for stencilling, while the variety of colours available in small tins is useful for painting intricate details. Old biscuit tins can be made to suit the colours of your kitchen. The tins I am going to use as an example feature a simple lining design in dark green - but you can paint any kind of motif or pattern. Enamel paints provide a  hard wearing finish and do not  require varnish of any kind.

Materials required:

Metal tin

Masking tape/Paper tape

Cream enamel spray paint

Small lining Brush

Green enamel paint

Cloth

White spirit

Method:

I. Mask the inside of the tin so that no paint is sprayed inside. The wide paper tape is useful as only one edge is sticky, cover the surrounding area well with newspaper or  plastic sheeting when spraying paint. This paint is not easy to remove from areas it should not reach.

2. Following the instructions on the spray can, shake the can for at least a minute, then spray cream enamel paint over the tin as evenly as possible holding the can about 20-30cm away from the tin. It is best to apply several thin coats of paint rather than one thick one. If the paint is applied too heavily it will run and produce drips.

3. Allow the cream paint to dry for at least a day, then paint lining details around the rim using a small lining brush and green enamel paint. Hold the tin so that your finger slides along the edge, acting as a guide. If you do make a mistake, wipe it off immediately with a cloth dipped in white spirit.

4. Paint lines on the tin lid to complete the decoration. Always follow the natural curves and mouldings of the tin to keep a neat edging. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly before using the tin.

Top Tip:

If you find it difficult to achieve a steady line while painting free-hand, use low tack masking tape as a guide. However, always check first that this tape will not pull off the base coat of paint.Stick strips of low-tack tape first to your clothing to reduce the tackiness before attaching it to the tin.

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