Your garden decor may look fantastic the first year or two you have it out, but it'll eventually start to peel, chip, and fade due to normal wear and tear as well as exposure to the elements. While there's not much you can do to prevent this except keep it inside, you can use spray paint for metal to help breathe new life into it and bring it back to like-new condition. A few coats can help seal out the moisture and weather while protecting the metal from rusting or flaking. You can even color match to the current shade or try something totally different to make the yard decor look like you bought something new.
However, there are so many different types of spray paint for metal available that picking out the best one to suit your metal type and situation can be a confusing task. This is why I've rounded up 10 excellent spray paints for metal from a few well-known brands. My goal is to give you short reviews that you can use to compare the products and narrow down your choices. When you get one or two, the buying guide will highlight important features you want to keep on-hand to help you make your final choice.
Yard decor can slowly fade and look shabby after a few years, and spray paint for metal can help restore it to like-new condition. It can seal it against the weather, prevent it from breaking down, and help it last longer.
Pintyplus Evolution Spray Paint - Top Pick
Each can of spray paint for metal will cover up to 22-square feet before running out, and the paint will dry after 15 minutes. However, you can repaint your object in just five minutes after you apply the first layer to keep your project moving along quickly. You should stand 25 to 30-centimeters away from your surface before you spray it, and you want to apply thinner layers in a horizontal pattern before spraying it vertically. This helps ensure you get an even coat that will last for years, even if you expose it to the elements. You reverse the can and push the nozzle when you finish to prevent the nozzle from clogging.
- Can take slightly longer to dry with thicker coats
Krylon K05356507 - Step-Up Pick
Krylon is a very well-known brand for producing the best spray paint for metal, but you can use it on several different surfaces without worrying about it smearing like metal, wood, and plastic. You can use it indoors and outdoors without it fading, but it does have a slightly stronger smell that means you have to apply it in a well-ventilated area if you can't apply it outside. You can choose from flat, gloss, matte, metallic, primer, satin, semi-gloss, and semi-flat for a style, and it has two sizes with over 30 colors available that let you tailor your choice to suit your needs.
This spray paint for metal will dry in as little as 10 minutes of less when you apply it to stop it from running or sticking when you pick it up, and it leaves brilliant colors that create eye-catching decor and signage. There is durable Covermax technology in this spray paint that ensures you get the most coverage possible for each can of spray paint, and this can save you money because you'll use fewer cans to complete your project while breathing new life into your yard decor. It also has a durable color staying power with each coat.
- Colors can vary from what's advertised
Seymour 620-1433 Spray Paint - Mid-End Budget Pick
This spray paint for metal will protect your items against corrosive chemicals, gasoline, oil, rust, and most weather conditions. It acts like a sealant to lock out moisture to help your decor last much longer, and this can prevent the metal from rusting and corroding and the wood products from rotting or swelling. This product is very resistant to heat and abrasion, and this is great for people who live in very hot and humid environments because it won't peel away. This is a slightly thicker formula that has single coat hiding technology that reduces the amount of spray paint you have to use.
Rust-Oleum 7798830 - Bargain Budget Pick
Rust-Oleum's spray paint for metal uses a premium oil-based formula that gives you great rust prevention and a durable protective coating that will lock out the elements without breaking your bank. You can choose from 17 colors and a one or six pack to tailor your order to suit your needs. It has a nice semi-gloss finish that will make your yard decor look like new, and it costs less than five dollars per can. Each can has enough paint to cover up to 15-square feet, and this is more than enough to do one or two pieces of decor before you have to open another can.
This spray paint for metal will dry within two to four hours of the application, depending on how thick you apply it when you spray it on. It won't fade or chip, and this is important with decor that is outside and exposed to things like sunlight or different weather conditions. It's also resistant to abrasions, and this is important if you knock it against things when you move it or store it, and this can help a single coat last much longer than other spray paints.
CRL Touch Up Paint - Best for Aluminum Decor
This spray paint for metal seamlessly covers pits, mars, scratches, and surface discoloration with one simple coat, but you shouldn't use it as a full coat because it goes on very thick. Once you apply it, it can take up to 10 minutes to dry enough to apply a second coat. It gives you an excellent durability factor and color retention capability, and it comes in an aerosol can that goes on evenly. This paint will go on darker if you put multiple coats on, and this can help you match darker aluminum.
Design Master 746 - Best for Planters
If you have planters you want to upgrade to an elegant and classic look, Design Master's spray paint for metal is a great option because it has a quick-drying formula with a nice satin finish. All of these means you can get a bright planter that looks like new, and it's fresh flower safe. This means you can spray it, let it dry, and pop your flowers inside it without worrying about particles of spray paint getting into the dirt and harming your newly planted flowers. This is a semi-transparent pigmented spray, and this means that it can take more than one coat to completely cover your planter, unless you put it on thick.
You get a very versatile product when you purchase this spray paint for metal because it works well on wood, terracotta, plastics, and different types of metal without flaking or chipping off. It also won't fade with sun exposure, and this is great news for outdoor planters. The metallic finish is very classy, and it goes with a lot of different decors. It works for professional and DIYers, and it goes on thinner to reduce the total amount of time it takes to dry between coats.
Rust-Oleum Antique Brass 260728 - Best for Multiple Surface Types
This spray paint for metal will cover up to 15-square feet per can to help you finish all of your decor, and it has a fast-drying formula that takes 30 minutes to dry to the touch once you apply it. You'll get a rich, attractive shimmering metallic finish on most surfaces that looks classy, and it's very easy to apply. You do have to shake it for a minute before you use it, but it goes on evenly to cover any imperfections. It comes in an 11-ounce size, and it comes in 21 color options.
Seymour 620-1415 - Best for Protecting Against Rust
Rust can cause your planters and yard decor to fall apart or leak, and Seymour's best spray paint for metal can help seal it to keep moisture out and preserve the metal. You get three or four times the coverage you would get with a standard can of aerosol spray paint, and this allows you to get further in your project without having to swap out paint. This paint has a slightly thinner formula that adheres to the surface to prevent sagging or running, and this gives you a very professional-grade finish while helping you update your faded and worn-out paint.
This spray paint for metal will protect your decor against corrosive chemicals, rust, gasoline, oil, or weather. It also has heat and abrasion-resistant properties to make it more durable, and this is great for people who live in areas that have harsh weather changes. You'll get single-coat hiding capabilities, and this makes every can of spray paint go much further. In turn, this can help save you a lot of money. You can choose from 24 colors, and they have a semi-gloss finish that looks nice on both indoor and outdoor decor.
KILZ L540746 Chalk Spray Paint - Best for Upcycling Garden Decor
You'll get an average coverage area of 12-square feet per can, but this depends on the porosity, surface texture, and on your application method. You can further enhance anything you coat with this spray paint for metal by adding Dark Sealing Wax or Kilz Clear Sealing Wax. Once you apply it, you should give it an hour to dry to the touch. You can coat it again after two hours, and a quart of the paint can cover up to 100 square feet. You can use soap and water to clean it if it gets dirty, and you should stir it very well before you use it since it comes tinted with colorant.
Design Master 239 - Best for Large Coverage Areas
The final spray paint for metal comes from Design Master, and it works well for any project that requires a larger coverage area. It is suitable for most paintable surfaces ranging from metal and wood to plastic and fiberglass, and you'll get professional-grade results that look great for years after you apply it. It dries very quickly after you apply it as long as you use thinner layers, and you get a very durable finish that won't chip, fade, or crack when it's out in the sun or exposed to different weather conditions. You'll get a scratch-resistant finish on any hard surfaces you spray it on.
This is a modern metal line that comes enriched with very neutral hues that will complement most decor styles or colors with this spray paint for metal, and it'll create a luxurious modern look with sleek accents. This product dries very quickly to the touch, and it allows you to apply several coats over the course of a few hours to get a professional-grade finish that lasts from season to season. It has a semi-gloss finish that goes on slightly thinner, but it won't run or sag as it dries.
The durability is one of the biggest factors you want to consider when you shop. This will determine how long your spray paint for metal holds up against the elements like sunlight, humidity, or moisture. Ideally, your spray paint will last at least two or three years before you have to redo it, and this can help your yard decor look like new for much longer. It also cuts down on the amount of money you spend on replacement spray paint each year.
More extreme weather conditions will require more durable spray paint for metal to adhere to your yard decor without bubbling or peeling off with the heat.
Do you need a quick-dry paint spray paint for metal, or can you let it sit for an hour or two until it dries to the touch? The drying time can range from 10 minutes up to two or three hours after you apply it, and this can drastically slow your project time down. Make sure you take a look at the recommended drying time before you buy anything, and get a shorter drying time if you want to put multiple layers of your spray paint for metal on your decor.
The finish on your paint will determine how it looks. Matte is very flat, and it's not as durable as gloss or semi-gloss, and a lot of outdoor decor requires you use at least a semi-gloss so it lasts.
Your spray paint for metal should have a higher versatility factor. This means that you can use it on metal, wood, plastics, fiberglass, concrete, and more. The more surfaces the paint will stick too, the more use you'll get out of it. In turn, this can help you save quite a bit of money if you have different types of yard decor that you want to upgrade or refinish because you won't have to buy new paint for each one. Some paint on our list is for metal only, but others are very versatile.
The best spray paint for metal will give you even coverage that restores your garden decor and items both inside and outside of your home. I've picked out 10 high-quality spray paint for metal and reviewed them for you. You can compare the various products to get a good idea on what's available on the current market. When you narrow it down, use the buying guide to pick out the best spray paint for metal to suit your needs and have it shipped straight to your door.
