Tips for Painting Faux Wood Blinds

Faux wood blinds add an element of elegance to any room in your house. If you ever decide to change the color of your blinds, you may choose to paint them, saving you the cost of buying new blinds. Painting your blinds will also add personality to the room. Here are some tips to make the job easier and more efficient.

Taking Apart the Blinds

Before you begin to paint, you will need to take apart the blinds. Remove the end caps and metal cover from the bottom bar. Slid the slats from the cording and remove any hardware. Keep the hardware at hand. Label the hardware, and make sure that you know the corresponding parts in order to make reassembly easy.

Number each slat with a pencil so that you will remember exactly where it was in the blind. If you decide not to number the blinds, place them in order, and keep them that way Paint them one by one, keeping the slats in order.

Surface Preparation

Another important step in painting your blinds is to prepare the surface of each slat. Clean the surface using lemon oil or detergent mixed with water. Do not use water or harsh chemicals. These will damage the surface. Remove any previous paint using non-corrosive remover.

Fill in any holes or scratches. This is easily accomplished with a patch kit found at local hardware or art stores. Once the surface is clean and smooth apply a base coat of satin or semi gloss latex finish and allow it to dry 24 hours. Depending on the job, you may need to apply a second coat.

Hanging the Slats

It is now time to paint. Hang the first slat from the ceiling using eyehooks. These hooks are screwed into the ceiling and then a piece of string is attached. This string should be threaded through the slat.

Patterns and Painting

Decide on a pattern or texture before you begin painting. Test out your ideas on a scrap piece of wood or cardboard. Use light coats of spray paint to cover the entire slat. You may use a sponge or other implement to add texture to your blinds. If you do this, know that the paint may not be smooth. You will also need to be sure that you do not cover any holes for the hardware. Once you have chosen a pattern, stick to it. Changing your texture halfway through will look tacky or incomplete. Once the slat is dry, return it to its place with the other slats. Be sure to keep the slats in order. There are subtle differences between them and an incorrectly placed slat may make your blinds harder to operate.

Finishing

When you have finished painting and are satisfied with the result, add a clear finish. This finish will help preserve your masterpiece by preventing chips and other damages. Replace all of the hardware and reassemble the blinds.