How to Paint Wooden Beads

Plain wooden beads limit your wardrobe and decorating choices.

Wooden beads are good components for craft projects like jewelry making, but working with plain, bare wood has its artistic limitations. Paint wooden beads to make them colorful and suitable for all sorts of decorating projects. Painting the beads also gives them some protection from scuffing or scratching. Whether using small or large beads, painting them first will make them bright and suitable for any holiday or special project.

Things You'll Need

• Wooden beads
• Tray
• Spray paint
• Wooden dowel
• Board
• Screw
• Craft paints
• Paint brush
• Newspaper
• Foam sheet
• Toothpicks

Instructions

Spray Painting

1. Lay your beads on a wooden tray or board in a well-ventilated area. Spread the beads out so they are not crowding one another.

2. Sweep your can of spray paint back and forth at least 6 inches from the beads.

3. Allow the beads to dry for about 10 minutes, and then turn them over.

4. Spray paint the unpainted side of the beads the same way.

Dowel Painting

1. Secure a wooden dowel to a wooden board by screwing it vertically in place. Dowels should only be 6 inches high. Use dowels that have a smaller diameter than the beads you are painting.

2. Slide the wooden beads over the dowel a few at a time.

3. Hold the top of the bead with your left hand while painting it with a brush using your right hand. Use craft paint and a small brush for hand painting. If you plan on using several colors on your beads, paint the base color or darkest color first.

4. Spin the bead around the dowel to paint all sides. Allow the bead to dry about 10 minutes, then remove it.

5. Lay the bead on a piece of newspaper and paint the inside. Allow the bead to dry for 10 minutes.

6. Place the bead back on the dowel. Hold it in place with the tip of your left finger while painting on the details you want with the paintbrush in your right hand.

Foam and Toothpicks

1. Lay a small sheet of foam on your workspace. A foam piece that is 1 foot long and 6 inches wide is big enough for working with about 20 beads.

2. Skewer toothpicks into the foam sheet. Spread the toothpicks apart, leaving a few inches in between each. This will prevent painted beads from rubbing against one another.

3. Slide one bead on each toothpick. Paint the beads using the craft paints and paintbrushes you have selected.

References

• Cut Out and Keep: Painted Wooden Beads
• Byzarah: Wooden Bead Jewelry