Can You Spray Paint A Nightstand [And How To]?

Wanting to update a bedroom's look without spending a fortune on new furniture? It may seem like an impossible goal at first, but there are many affordable options. One way to achieve a refreshing aesthetic is to repaint the furniture you already have. In this post, we will specifically be looking into whether or not you can spray paint a nightstand and how to do it. 

Not only is spray painting a nightstand possible but it is relatively easy to do. Once you have found the correct type of spray paint for the material in question, painting is a breeze. There are also plenty of tips and tricks for how to spray paint a nightstand well and safely. 

Though spray painting a nightstand is an easy enough task, there are a few things you will want to keep in mind. The material the nightstand is made of will help you determine what type of spray paint will work best. Techniques for spray painting will be helpful and so will tips for how to paint safely. 

A bright bedroom interior with sage green and white bedding, pillows on bed and a drawer nightstand. - Can You Spray Paint A Nightstand [And How To]?

Materials For Nightstands

The first thing to consider before spray painting a nightstand is what material it is made of. The material used will help determine the best type of spray paint to use. You will want to make sure the paint you get will correctly stick to the nightstand without causing damage or running off the surface. 

The most common materials for building nightstands are wood and pressboard. The good news is spray paint works well with both of these materials.

It is possible to have a nightstand with other types of materials such as metal. In such a scenario, you may need multiple kinds of spray paint to make sure everything you want to paint will hold well. 

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Real photo of a blue and white bedroom interior with wooden nightstand between a light blue bed and an empty wall. Paste your armchair here

Finding Spray Paint

Most spray paints should work for painting a nightstand made from wood or pressboard. The good news is most spray paint now will cover nearly any material.

So, even if there are other materials on your nightstand or it is made of something completely different, spray painting will most likely still be an option. 

With this in mind, the biggest question will be which brand of spray paint to go with for your project. While there are many, a list of the best spray paints shows the two leading brands to be Krylon and Rust-Oleum.

Though both these brands are good, they may have different color options. Finding the perfect shade to renew your nightstand could very well be the only deciding factor between these brands. 

Click here to see Krylon spray paint on Amazon.

Click here to see Rust-Oleum spray paint on Amazon

Other Materials And Tips

To have the easiest time while spray painting a nightstand, there are a few other items you may want to purchase. For protection, you should have protective glasses to keep paint from flying into your eyes as well as gloves. Gloves will keep the chemicals in the paint from harming your hands. 

After getting these safety items, having sandpaper, a sponge, and painter's tape will make the process much easier. These items will help you properly prepare the nightstand for painting.

By doing this prep work, you will ensure the result will be as smooth as possible. It will also better protect the new paint from chipping or being otherwise damaged. 

Before painting, sand down the surface of the nightstand to remove any splinters in the wood or pressboard. Making sure the surface of the nightstand is smooth will allow the paint to evenly coat the surface.

Once you are sure everything is as smooth as possible, you will need the sponge. You can use this to wipe down the nightstand to remove any debris from the sandpaper.

Lastly, you can use tape to ensure you paint clean lines. This will mainly be helpful if you are only painting sections of the nightstand or if you are working with multiple colors and want to keep the edges of each color clean. If you are painting the entire nightstand all one color, painter's tape will not be necessary.

man painting cabinet drawer

Additional Tips

In addition to sanding, cleaning, and in some cases taping, there are a few guidelines to follow when spray painting a nightstand.

The first thing to do after you have all the necessary materials is to find the best location to do the painting. The best options are to either move the nightstand outside or put it in a well-ventilated room. This is to protect you from breathing in harmful fumes. 

Once you have the nightstand in the best location, remove everything from it. If there are items in the drawers, these can be removed before ever moving the nightstand.

If there are knobs or pulls on drawers or cabinets of the nightstand, removing them will make painting much quicker and easier since you won't have to paint around them. 

This would then be the time for sanding and cleaning debris. If the tape is required, you will do this once those steps are done.

Once all of this is complete, you can start spray painting. It will most likely take a few coats of paint, so you will need to wait for each coat to completely dry before moving on to the next one. Most likely, it will need two to three coats of spray paint to look its best. 

Once the coats of paint have been applied and dried, you can add an extra layer of clear spray paint to act as a sealer. This will add an extra layer of protection to the nightstand. It will also protect the paint, making it last longer and keep you from having to repaint it anytime soon. 

Click here to see this clear spray paint on Amazon.

Should You Prime Before Spray Painting A Nightstand?

Primed with a roller with a primer putty wall before painting or gluing wallpaper

Whether or not you should use a clear primer on the nightstand before painting depends on the material and location. For wood and pressboard nightstands that will be indoors, you can skip the priming step if you choose. Priming before painting on wood furniture is mainly recommended for outdoor pieces. 

However, if the nightstand is metal or has areas of metal you wish to spray paint, priming will be a good idea. A clear primer will help protect the metal from rusting or corroding over time. By preventing rust and other similar damage, you help ensure the coats of paint applied will last without chipping away. 

Is Spray Painting Better Than Brush Painting?

Person spray painting a metal lawn chair

If you still aren't sure if spray painting your nightstand is the right choice, you may be wondering how it compares to brush painting.

Though spray painting has a few disadvantages, it will be the easiest and quickest option of the two. Brush painting typically has many drawbacks that would make your project much more time consuming. 

Spray paint goes on much more quickly and evenly than brush painting does. In addition to this, it also dries quicker, meaning there will be less time in between coats and that the project will be done a lot sooner.

The biggest drawback of spray paint is that it will be more expensive, but the time you save while painting may very well make the additional cost worth it. 

In Closing

Spray painting an existing nightstand is an easy way to bring fresh color into your room. Regardless of the material the nightstand is made of, there will be plenty of paint and color options available. By taking the necessary steps to prepare for painting, you will ensure an easy job with beautiful results. 

For more on nightstands, check out these posts:

Should Your Bedroom Nightstands Match?

11 Great Bedroom Nightstand Ideas

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