How to Prepare Acrylic Enamel

With good preparation, acrylic enamel is easy to paint with and easy to clean up.

Acrylic enamel paint, also known as acrylic latex enamel, is a water-based paint that has a gloss or semi-gloss sheen when dry, depending on the sheen you choose. On the positive side, acrylic enamel dries quickly, cleans up with soap and water, has low odor and does not yellow with age the way oil-based enamel paint can. On the negative side, acrylic enamel often dries unevenly, shows brushstrokes and is neither as sandable nor as durable as oil-based enamel paint. Acrylic enamel is good for painting on slick or shiny surfaces such as cars and glass. Due to its durability, it's also a good paint for woodwork.

Things You'll Need

• Sealable bag or box
• Tarp, old sheets or newspaper
• Clean rags
• Soap and water
• Bucket
• Wood putty
• Putty knife
• Sandpaper (various grits)
• Primer
• Paint can opener
• Acrylic enamel paint
• Paint stirrer
• Nylon/polyester blend paint brushes sized for your project

Instructions

1. Remove all hardware, knobs, handles, hinges and anything else that sits on the surface you will paint. Removing these items makes painting much easier than trying to paint around them. Put the items you removed in a transparent, sealable bag or a box with a lid. Cover your work area with a tarp, an old sheet or newspaper.

2. Clean the surface you will be painting. If it is new it may only need wiping with a dry rag. Gently wash previously painted woodwork or trim with soap and water, wipe it with a dry cloth and allow it to air dry. Scrub greasy surfaces with a greater concentration of soap or degreaser. Wash glass with soap and water but be sure the soap does not have lotion or other greasy ingredients that will keep the paint from adhering to the glass.

3. Fill holes in any wood with wood putty by using a putty knife to push enough putty into the hole to fill it completely. Overfill the hole slightly, then run the putty knife over the hole to remove any excess putty. Let the putty dry.

4. Sand the surface. For woodwork, begin with a rough sandpaper and finish with finer sandpaper. Sand the outer and top edges of the holes you filled with putty. For auto painting, refer to a book or video for specific sanding techniques. Skip this step if you are painting on glass.

5. Seal wood and metal surfaces with primer made especially for wood or metal surfaces. This serves as a base that keeps the paint from soaking into the wood, and gives a smooth base on metal. Allow the primer coat to dry according to its directions. Sand lightly so the paint will adhere to the surface. Wipe the surface with a soft cloth to remove any pieces of sandpaper or grit that remain.

6. Paint the surface using the acrylic enamel. Allow it to dry. Add another coat if necessary, sanding lightly between coats and wiping the surface gently with a soft cloth after sanding. If you are painting on glass, no sanding is needed.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear thin latex gloves to keep the oil from your hands away from the surface you are painting. This is especially important if you are painting glass.

References

• The painted surface: How to paint woodwork and trim
• Painter Forum: What are paint types?
• Your-decorative-painting-resource: Glass paint
• Trinity 1945 auto painting supplies: Frequently asked questions about auto paint and car painting

Resources

• Neil Slade: Easy Paint Your Car