Using acrylic paint on metal is one of the most amazing things you can do. It looks good when you refresh the home surfaces by painting them, which also gives a fresh look to the surrounding environment.
Acrylic paint is one of the best paints that you can use to paint the different materials of your home surfaces. Acrylic paint is versatile in nature, which gives the best and most vibrant paint texture on metal walls. Many of you must be thinking, can you use acrylic paint on metal? Does it give a smooth and bright color texture?
Well, there must be many questions regarding acrylic paint on metal that will be coming to your mind. This article will help you to solve your problem so that you can give your metal wall the same vibrant colored texture and look. Read the article to bring valuable knowledge about acrylic paint on metal in order to get amazing painting results.
Contents
Can You Use Acrylic Paint On Metal?

When it comes to painting metal walls or surfaces then you become very conscious. Many people think that what kind of paint is more suitable for metal surfaces? If I talk about acrylic paint then these paints are highly water-soluble, durable, and vibrant in nature. A person can easily use acrylic paints for painting all kinds of surfaces. Metal surfaces are tough to paint as they do not provide good painting results.
So, for metals, it is better that you use acrylic paint because of its high density, ductile and malleable properties. Before you apply paint on metals it is important to know the right procedure for doing it. Follow the article to know the correct steps for applying acrylic paint on metal surfaces so as to get an amazing and smooth finishing.
You may also want to know can you spray paint wood
How To Apply Acrylic Paint On Metals? – Important Steps

- Gather important stuff
- Remove old paint or dust from the metal surface
- Clean all the debris from the metal surface
- Use primer
- Apply paint on the surface
- Seal it
1. Gather Important Stuff
Before you start painting the metal surface it is important that you gather all the necessary stuff required. When you are applying paint on any surface then first you need to make it clear by removing all the dust and debris in order to get amazing results. Make sure that you clean all the areas in order to prevent obstacles between the surface and the paint.
The drop cloth will be best to clean all the rust and dust on the metal surface. Use a large drop cloth in order to clear all the surfaces to get the best painting results. Also, you can use paper tape to prevent the other areas of the surface from getting paint stains.
2. Use a Cleaner
A cleaner is another great thing that you can use to clean metal surfaces. You can use a rag or soft cloth and dip it in soapy water in order to clean the dusty metal surface. It is better that you use soapy water instead in order to get the perfect cleaning experience.
For a more appropriate cleaning process, you can use the scratcher or sanding paper. The sanding paper cleans all the stubborn stains and grease.
3. Use Primer
Using primer gives a smooth and fresh coating to the clean metal surface and further makes it ready for the painting process. The primer acts as the protective covering and makes sure to give a smooth paint finish. The primer holds the paint smoothly and prevents peeling off. Read a detailed comparison of Kilz vs Zinsser primer.
4. Apply Acrylic Paint
Now, you have applied primer on the metal surface so it is ready to be painted. You can apply acrylic paint by using foam or a brush. Also, you can use acrylic spray paint to get a fast and fresh paint finishing.
Acrylic paints are good for external or outdoor surfaces because they dry quickly. To give the glossy look you can apply sealing, which will give it a long-lasting life. You may also want to read about spray painting brass.
FAQs about Acrylic Paint for Metal
How do you get acrylic paint to stick to metal?
If you want to stick the acrylic paint on metal then it is important to use a primer before applying paint.
What kind of paint do you use on metal?
You should use oil-based paint (acrylic paint) to give the proper coverage on the metal surface.
Do I need to Prime the metal before painting?
Primer is very essential to use before painting because it sticks the surface from the paint smoothly.
Concluding Guide to Use Acrylic Paint On Metal
I hope you have got an idea of how to use acrylic paint on metal surfaces in order to get an amazing painting experience. Now, you just need to follow the steps precisely and make sure that you use the right paint for the metal surface. Complete your metal painting surface tasks smoothly by using acrylic paint on it.

Hi, I am Chris Berry, founder of MachinerySurgeon. I grew up in the Greater Houston TX while painting and doing different DIY projects in and out. While pursuing my enthusiasm for painting, I graduated in Arts of painting from Rice University, Texas. From last 12 years, I have been working as a painter in Houston and my expertise helped me to win the tag of best paint contractor in Houston.
Looking at my craze for painting and DIY tools, people started calling me Machinery Surgeon and this is where the idea to start MachinerySurgeon came in to my mind. Here, I share everything related to painting which I experienced and learned in last 25 years. Feel free to ask your questions related to painting.