How to Paint Appliances

Painting an appliance is one way to make the appliance appear fresh and new. Many new appliances, such as dishwashers, ship with a reversible front panel so double check the unit before beginning a new paint job. Although a messy task, painting an appliance is a project that can be completed in a weekend with a little skill and technique.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Kitchen cleaning supplies
• Scouring pad
• Sandpaper
• Acrylic appliance paint

1. Clean the existing appliance with a solution of soap and water, taking care to remove any build up of grease, oils or dust. The unit must be free of contaminants before continuing. Use a solution of ammonia and water to achieve a dry, clean finish.

2. Scour the surface of the appliance with an abrasive pad. Ensure that all surfaces to be painted are scoured thoroughly.

3. Sand the surface of the appliance with course sandpaper. Wipe down after sanding and sand again with medium grit sandpaper. This will allow the paint to adhere properly to the appliance's surface.

4. Mask off any areas of the unit not receiving paint. Remove any hardware from the appliance that can't be masked off. Move the unit to a location free of dust.

5. Use good quality acrylic appliance paint. This paint can be purchased either through online sources or at home improvement stores, such as Home Depot or Lowe's. Kits are available for the entire project or for just specific touch-up issues.

6. Apply the appliance paint according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Tips & Warnings

• Paint the appliance in a well-ventilated area.
• Some automotive paint can be used to achieve an unusual color effect.
• Wear eye protection and a ventilated respirator when working with chemicals and paints.

Resources

• Do-it-yourself information
• Website for home projects