How to Prepare a Cookie Sheet to Paint
Cookie sheets have come out of the kitchen and are being used in craft projects to create anything from scrapbook style magnetic message boards to beautifully painted holiday decorations. With a simple coat of paint and creativity, you can transform your cookie sheet into a colorful background or frame.
Before you start painting, you will need to prepare the surface of the cookie sheet. Cookie sheets require special preparation in painting because of their tendency to rut, but taking the proper steps will create a better surface for paint to bond.
Things You'll Need
- Medium-grit sandpaper
- Scraping tool
- Paint thinner (optional)
- Metal Based primer
- Paint brush (if not using spray primer)
Instructions
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1
Wash the cookie sheet thoroughly, especially if you are recycling a used cookie sheet. Remove any cooked-on food particles, scraping where necessary. Your paint job will look messy on top of stuck-on food from years of baking.
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2
Remove non-stick Teflon coating with medium-grit sandpaper. A scraping tool (like a painter's 5-in-1 tool) might help to flake some Teflon away. Paint thinner can be used to help break it up, but sanding is effective, so it probably won't be necessary. Use special care to remove all rust; existing rust will continue to destroy he metal.
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Brush or spray the primer on the sanded cookie sheet. Primer goes between the metal surface and top coat of paint, bonding the two for more even painting. In an article for Utah State University's Extension Service, Dr. Leona Hawks, Home Furnishings Specialist recommends reading labels carefully to make sure you have chosen a metal primer because there are different primers used for different surfaces. Metal primers contain additives that inhibit rust development and extend the life of your cookie sheet project.
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Allow primer to dry completely and add a second coat if needed.
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Choose an oil-based or latex paint to paint over a metal primer. Dr. Hawks adds that some metal primers will not accept a latex paint, so an oil-based product may be used. For craft products, brushed-on acrylics or spray paints also work well.
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Tips & Warnings
Use an unraveled coat hanger to hang cookie sheet to dry. This is helpful if you're in a hurry and want to prime both sides at once.
