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How to: recycle with PlastiKote spray paint

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If you’ve vowed to create less waste this year but are itching to change your décor now that all the Christmas bits have been put away, use PlastiKote spray paint to recycle and revamp what you already have and give your home a whole new look. Spray paint a table, chair, chest of drawer, vase, lamp, frame – the list is endless.

chest of drawers makeovers

This little chest of drawers had seen better days when it was picked up at a local charity shop for a few pounds around six years ago. It was a solid piece of furniture but not very attractive. Given a  makeover using Twist & Spray paint in pretty pastels, it was used in a girl’s bedroom. A couple of years later, a more sophisticated look was requested and out came Chalk spray paint in Cappuccino, Dark Hessian, Old Hessian, Pale Rose and Vintage White. More recently, the chest of drawers has been moved to a different room and is now a stand-out piece having been sprayed in Dusty Coral, again from the Twist & Spray range.

Here’s how to do it:

  • Prepare your spraying area with dust sheets, newspaper or cardboard. Set up in a well-ventilated room or preferably outside on a warm, calm day.
  • Lightly sand to remove any flakes of paint or varnish and wash with warm, soapy water to get rid of any dirt, dust or grease. Allow to dry.
  • For any bare wood surface, always use primer. PlastiKote Twist & Spray Primer is ideal. If your item has already been spray painted with PlastiKote, you can just put your new colour over the top but if you want to ‘kill’ the existing colour, ie if it is dark and you’re going light, or you’re not sure what paint or varnish was previously use, priming will give you a good base to start on. Priming also gives added durability.
  • Once primed, follow instructions on the can of your PlastiKote spray paint to apply your colour coat.
  • Allow to thoroughly dry. With high usage items, it is recommended to let the paint ‘cure’ for a good 48-72 hours before putting in to use.

Here are a few more upcycled items that might give you some ideas for your own projects:

more furniture makeovers

This stool and cabinet have both had a Chalk makeover, the stool in Pastel Green and the cabinet in Pale Rose.

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The nest of tables was rescued from a trip to the tip with a colourful makeover using Twist & Spray in Pink Burst, Smoke Infusion and Yellow gloss spray paints. Patterned wrapping paper was used under the glass tops to add interest. The dining chair was sprayed with Daffodil Satin. PlastiKote Twist & Spray is a great all-rounder, quick and easy to use and can be applied to most surfaces.

These are simple makeovers which hopefully have inspired you to have a go. We’d love to see your recycled projects – share with us on Facebook or Instagram#plastikoteuk.

If you’re unsure about using spray paint, watch our vlogs for tips on spray painting and inspirational projects (look on the right-hand panel for the vlog category).

For more inspiration, check out our YouTube or Pinterest page. 

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WIN: a £50 Ikea gift voucher with PlastiKote spray paint

SPIadmin

Start the year as you mean to go on – recycle, revamp and reuse! PlastiKote spray paint is the perfect paint to makeover unloved furniture and accessories quickly and easily. In this month’s blog, you’ll find step by step instructions on how to recycle tables, chairs and a chest of drawers but the possibilities are endless.

We had a plain wooden step stool that is now on its third incarnation! From bare wood, we masked off the bottom two thirds and sprayed the top White Satin from our Twist & Spray paint range to use as a bedside table in a guest room. A year or so down the line, it was re-purposed as a useful surface in the bathroom adding a pop of colour with Orange Gloss. When the décor changed in the bathroom, the step stool was sprayed with Mediterranean Blue Gloss to be used as, well, steps!

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To win a £50 gift voucher to spend in Ikea, enter our competition. Tell us which of our step stool projects you like best – Bathroom, Guest Room or Steps. Email your answer together with your name, address and phone number to competition@spraypaintideas.co.uk and put JAN COMP as the subject. We’ll pick one lucky winner at random after the closing date of 29th February. Good luck!

Entrants’ email addresses are added to our database to receive our monthly newsletter. If you wish to enter our competition but do not want to receive the monthly newsletter, please state NO MARKETING in your email.

Thank you to everyone who entered our November competition. Congratulations to Jo from Peterborough Blackpool whose chose Chrome as her favourite metallic finish. An Etsy gift card worth £50 is on its way. 

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For terms and conditions for the January competition, click here.

Want to know more about PlastiKote spray paint? Visit our website here for more information about the product or pop over to our Pinterest page for lots of inspirational projects.

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PlastiKote Christmas 7 - Fast Dry Enamel Flat White or Twist & Spray White Matt

How to: dream of a White Christmas with PlastiKote spray paint

SPIadmin

Reuse and recycle for an eco-friendly Christmas this year with a little help from PlastiKote spray paints.

Christmas is traditionally a time of excess and we all love to buy an extra decoration or two to add to our collection but to avoid spending out on more plastic ornaments, we’ve come up with a few ideas for making your own decorations on a limited budget and as environmentally-friendly as possible.

Use PlastiKote Chalk spray paint in Vintage White to create a White Christmas theme to your decorations. Chalk spray paint is water-based with 90% less solvents than conventional spray paint and therefore much kinder to the environment. So, go for a brisk walk in the countryside to collect pine cones, leaves, ivy, twigs and you’ll be set to create your own winter wonderland.

 

Christmas trees - in post

Create a mini Christmas tree using either a potted tree or twigs.

If you buy a growing tree and it’s in a plastic pot, spray the pot as well. Put a black sack over the tree and tuck in around the trunk while you spray the pot. Whilst the pot is drying, spray lengths of ivy, building the colour in fine layers. When both are dry, remove the black sack and drape the ivy around the tree. Add a string of fairy lights for a bit of sparkle.

Equally easy to do is our twig tree decorated with sprayed pine cones. Screw small metal eyelets into the top of the cones to hang them. If you want a more natural look, lightly spritz the cones and twigs with white Chalk paint to give the effect of a light dusting of snow.

 

4b wreath after

This pine cone wreath is quick and easy to make. Take an old willow wreath and spray paint with Chalk in Vintage White along with a selection of pine cones. Several layers of white have been applied to give this wreath a solid white colour but if you want a snow-dusted look, a light spritz will do. The thin, long cones were given a light coat of Fast Dry Enamel in Gold Leaf as a contrast to the white. When everything is thoroughly dry, use a hot glue gun to stick the cones to the wreath.

 

Plastikote paints

Large leaves make great place settings when sprayed. Either add a tag as shown or use a marker to write on the leaf.

 

step by step tree

One final thought regarding an eco-friendly Christmas…

There has been much discussion in recent years around having a real or artificial Christmas tree in the home. An artificial tree can be brought out year after year, making them a budget friendly option and saving a real tree from being chopped down. The over-riding argument AGAINST an artificial tree is very basic: they are made of plastic – usually from PVC, a plastic which is notoriously difficult to recycle because it requires specialist equipment. However, circumstance or, indeed preference, may mean you have an artificial tree. The advice if you do have one is to keep using it as long as possible. If it’s starting to look bedraggled or you want to change your Christmas colour scheme, spray paint it to ring the changes. This gold tree didn’t look right in its new home, so a couple of coats of PlastiKote Super spray paint in Black gave it a fab new look and it’s seen several Christmases since.

 

These are very easy ideas which hopefully have inspired you to have a go. We’d love to see your Christmas spray-painted makes – share your projects with us on Facebook or Instagram#plastikoteuk.

If you’re unsure about using spray paint, watch our vlogs for tips on spray painting and inspirational projects (look on the right-hand panel for the vlog category).

For more inspiration, check out our YouTube or Pinterest page. 

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Mini make featured

Mini make: affordable autumn decs with PlastiKote spray paint

SPIadmin

As a new season arrives, lifestyle magazines and blogs invite us to change our interiors to complement the time of year. If you’re looking for an affordable way to add some autumnal accents to your home, look no further than a pile of dried leaves and PlastiKote spray paint!

A metallic accent lifts any colour scheme and PlastiKote Fast Dry Enamel comes in Gold Leaf, Copper, Antique Gold, Silver (Chrome), Rose Gold and Brass. Available in 100ml cans, a little goes a long way and using (free) leaves means you won’t break the bank updating your decor.

 

Mini make 5

So, go for a brisk country walk and collect your leaves. We particularly like the large sycamore leaves. Dry them between a couple of heavy books to get them to lie flat. When ready to spray, prepare your spraying area with cardboard or newspaper and make sure the room is well-ventilated. Spray with your chosen metallic, using fine mists of paint to build the colour. These two images show the depth of colour and shine that is achieved with PlastiKote Metallic spray paints.

 

Mini make 1

The leaves can be used in all sorts of ways. Welcome your visitors with an autumnal wreath. Using Gold Leaf, Copper and Antique Gold, spray 6 large leaves and allow to dry. When thoroughly dry, hot glue to an old wicker wreath. Not just for Autumn, this could be used at Christmas too.

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Cascading sprayed leaves blu-tacked to a wall make an appealing display or they could be hung from a small branch to make a mobile of hanging leaves.

Mini make 4

A colourful garland using Copper and Orange Gloss is a cheerful addition to the home. Our top tip for attaching the leaves to the twine is to cut 15mm lengths of drinking straw and hot gluing to the back of each leaf. Then simply thread on to the twine.

Mini make 3

Looking for a quick and easy Halloween decoration? Use Fast Dry Enamel in White to spray some dried sycamore leaves and allow to dry. Their shape really lends itself to being transformed into spooky ghosts! Draw on a couple of black eyes and use washi tape to stick them on the window.

Mini make 2

Finally, what about place names? Perfect for any time of the year – great for Christmas! – choose large leaves to spray and, when dry, write on your guests’ names.

If you’ve used sprayed leaves for decoration, we’d love to see them. Tag us #plastikoteuk on Instagram @plastikoteuk

For product information, visit the website www.plastikote.co.uk.

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How to: make Halloween decorations with PlastiKote spray paint

SPIadmin

Love it or loathe it, Halloween is big business these days. Over £400 million was spent on Halloween last year and it’s an ever-growing market. But you don’t have to spend a fortune to decorate the house – take a can of PlastiKote spray paint (400ml retails at around £8) and get creative!

 

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PlastiKote Chalk spray paint comes in 10 colours and can be used on furniture and accessories but don’t be afraid to use it on pumpkins! These would make a stylish addition to any home.

 

PlastiKote Halloween 69

Just make sure your squash or pumpkin is clean and dry, then spray directly on to the skin. When the paint is dry, shield the pumpkin and spray the stalk with Metallic gold. The paint acts as a seal and a sprayed pumpkin should last for several weeks.

 

top tip Oct

If you’re more of a traditionalist, these next few ideas are for you. Welcome trick o’ treaters with a spooky doormat. We chose BOO! but if you’re more artistic, you could do a spider, witch or a bat. Just make a stencil from some cardboard, place the stencil on your doormat and spray. Roll it up after the 31st and store it for next year.

 

wreath in copy

Recycle an old wreath with black Twist & Spray paint. It takes no time at all to do, with the spray paint getting into all the nooks and crannies. This one is decorated with Fluorescent spray-painted wooden letters but for a more spooky look, wrap rubber snakes around the wreath and hang fake bats or spiders from it. Will they dare to knock?

 

Halloween pumpkin in copy

Got some leftover black paint? Avoid having to carve out your pumpkins – use homemade stencils and spray paint to decorate them.  If you want to make the Halloween tree, just spray some twigs black and hang paper bats or spiders from the branches.

 

ghosts in copy

For some cheap as chips window decorations, dry out large sycamore leaves or similar and spray white. When the paint has dried, draw the eyes on with a marker.

 

These are very simple ideas which hopefully have inspired you to have a go. We’d love to see your spooky spray-painted makes – share your projects with us on Facebook or Instagram#plastikoteuk.

If you’re unsure about using spray paint, watch our vlogs for tips on spray painting and inspirational projects (look on the right-hand panel for the vlog category).

For more inspiration, check out our YouTube or Pinterest page. 

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colourful dining featured

How to: colourful summer dining with PlastiKote spray paint

SPIadmin

Make your summer dining table dazzle with colour using PlastiKote spray paint!

Create a colourful outdoor dining  area to welcome your visitors, whether for a family barbecue or friends for afternoon tea –  it’s perfect for a themed summer party – Club Tropicana anyone?

It doesn’t have to cost a lot. Gather old candlesticks, glass bottles, jugs, baskets, cake stands, tin cans and jars and use Twist & Spray colours to give them a new lease of life – it’s a good way of using up left-over spray paint if you have any. Go bright or pastel, whichever suits your vibe. Just make sure the item you’re spraying is clean and dry, then follow instructions on the can.

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To achieve this colourful table setting, we’ve sprayed a mismatched collection of candlesticks and some cola bottles in glossy New Yellow, Orange, April Green, Pink Burst, Bright Red and Exotic Sea. The garden chairs were sprayed with Garden spray paint in Azalea and Surf Green. The clash of colours works really well against the green backdrop of the garden.

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Using coloured candles to complement the candlesticks adds another pop of colour!

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For ‘cheap as chips’ table mats, use paper doilies. Apply a couple of fine layers of the spray paint of your choice and allow to dry. Simple! We used Fluorescent Pink and Green for a zingy table setting.

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Stained Glass spray paint was used on bottles and glass jars to create inexpensive vases and tea light holders. Wrap elastic bands around the bottles before spraying to achieve the stripy pattern.

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Spray paint on a glass cake stand gets in to all the grooves and highlights the pattern of the glass. An old metal watering can looks pretty sprayed in Cameo Pink and makes a great container for summer blooms.

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If you prefer pretty pastels, you’ll find several in the PlastiKote Twist & Spray or Chalk spray paint range. Cameo Pink, Baby Blue and Daffodil Twist & Spray have been used on the jugs, cola bottles, tea light holders and cake stand. The cutlery basket is sprayed in Pale Rose Chalk.

If you’re unsure about using spray paint, watch our vlogs for tips on spray painting and inspirational projects (look on the right-hand panel for the vlog category).  This month’s vlog is an instructional video on using Chalk spray paint.

Hopefully, we have inspired you to have a go. Share your projects with us on Facebook or Instagram#plastikoteuk – we’d love to see them.

For more inspiration, check out our YouTube or Pinterest page. 

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reader proj featured July

Reader project: bright and colourful makeovers with PlastiKote spray paint

SPIadmin

Regular visitors to our blog will know how much we love to see how others use PlastiKote spray paint around the home and every month feature a project that has caught our eye.

If you love colour, you’ll love Denise @huggablehome on Instagram. Her posts are full of vibrant colour, whether one of her crochet or knit projects, a colourful accessory or a bright spray paint makeover. Denise was kind enough to share some of her pics with us and tell us how and why she uses PlastiKote spray paints.

She says:

“Hi, my name is Denise, I am a crochet and knit accessories designer, with a penchant for diy and a love for all things bright and colourful.

reader proj July 3

I love to fill my home with colourful and fun décor and accessories, Plastikote products help me to do just that.  These products allow me the freedom to make quick easy updates when upcycling.  I choose to use Plastikote sprays as they go on quick and easy, create a flawless finish and are available in a great range of colours.

reader proj July 1

I love that they are also quite economical, I can usually complete several home accessories projects with one can.  I always have my eye out for the next project and no item in my home is safe when it comes to spray paint.  My favourite products are the gloss sprays, they give such an amazing finish and pop of colour in my home, I only wish my local stores stocked more of the colour range.

reader proj July 5

I also love the gold Metallic finish spray, it is honestly like spraying liquid gold.

Here are my top tips for using Plastikote spray paint:

reader proj July 4

  1. Prime it!  Always use the Plastikote spray primer, it ensures that you have the perfect base for your finished pop of colour.  I find that one coat of primer is usually enough for home accessories.  It dries quite fast, so it’s worth putting in the little extra effort for the perfect finish on your project.
  2. Light coats!  If you want the best finish, use light even coats of your spray.  Pay attention to the distance directions on your can too.  These steps will give you the flawless finish you are after.
  3. Have fun!  Upcycling and decorating can be so much fun.  Dont be afraid to experiment with colour combinations.  Let your imagination run wild and you can add some really unique touches to make your home yours.

I have some of my upcycles and diys featured on my new blog at www.huggablehome.com with lots more coming soon.  You can also find me crafting and diying colourfully through life on Instagram @Huggable Home.”

We love the diversity of Denise’s projects and hope to see more when she has received her ‘thank you’ spray paints from us.

If you have some spray paint projects you’d like to share with us, email info@spraypaintideas.co.uk. If we feature them on our blog, like Denise, you’ll get some spray paints as a thank you.

For more information and inspiration from PlastiKote, follow us on Instagram here.

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