As if painting furniture wasn’t fun enough already . . . have you tried to paint furniture with metallic paint?

Whether you use it all over a piece or just as an accent, it can really up the “wow” factor of your finished project!

My personal favorite line of metallic paint is the Fusion Mineral Paint Metallics.

They have the same great durability and eco-friendly properties as the regular Fusion paint, but with extra shine and shimmer.

There are a total of 9 colors to choose from at the moment (including the 3 limited edition colors or Rose Gold, Vintage Gold, and Champagne Gold), so there are tons of different options for your finished look!

Painting furniture with metallic paint does have a few challenges.

The mica pigments that are used to make that great metallic shimmer give the paint a slightly different feel than regular paint and can be a bit tricky to apply smoothly. 

Also, it’s easy to go overboard with the metallics and create a finish that looks more outlandish than elegant!

So I’m sharing today some of my best tips for how to use Fusion metallic paints to create beautiful and elegant pieces!

 

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Layer the Metallics to create a Multi-dimensional Finish

One of my favorite techniques is to layer different color metallics over each other to create a really sophisticated finish.

By layering the colors thinly, or by using a dry-brush technique to build up different shades of metallics, the finish has extra depth that gives it a really sophisticated look.

I use Brushed Steel, Bronze, and a bit of black to build this antiqued-mirror finish on a nightstand.

You can see the full tutorial here! 

 

Use to Accent or Highlight a Certain Area

Sometimes just a touch of metallic paint does the trick!

A custom client wanted the top part of her table to blend better with the metal legs (it was all orange-toned stained wood), but not be completely metallic.

So I connected the top to the bottom by just painting the insert areas with metallic paint, while keeping the rest of the top a clean white.  

See the full tutorial of this project here! 

 

On the Lightest Colors, Use a Basecoat of Regular Paint

The Fusion Pearl and Champagne metallic are a bit translucent, so it helps to paint first a basecoat of a similar color.

If you don’t use a similar-color basecoat, you will wind up painting on LOTS of coats of your metallic!

I wanted a solid finish of metallic Champagne for this little nightstand, so I started first with a base coat of Cathedral Taupe.

I then only needed 2 coats of the Champagne to get the solid coverage I wanted for this piece.

See this full project here!

 

Paint in One Direction Instead of Back and Forth

Remember those mica pigments I mentioned?

Those little beauties are what give the metallic paint its shimmer, but they also reflect light more than regular paint pigments do.

If you paint back and forth, your brush winds up laying down those little mica pigments in different directions, which means you they will reflect light in opposite directions. 

This causes streaks in your finish!

So if you’re going for smooth, solid coverage, apply the paint in one direction only.

Then you can say bye-bye to the streaks!

 

Understand the Metallic Paint will Feel Different when Finished

Back to those mica pigments . . . Another thing they do is add a bit of grainy texture to the paint.

This is totally normal!! If you’re not prepared to feel that texture though, you may be tempted to think the paint is not mixed well or that there’s something wrong with it. 

It’s important to understand that the bit of graininess you feel is just a part of using the beautiful metallics!

That tiny bit of texture is what gives the paint its beautiful shine 🙂

 

Mix with Clear Glaze to Make it Easier to Brush On

If you’re having trouble applying the metallic paint nice and smooth, try mixing it with a bit of Fusion’s Clear Glaze.

Pour out a bit of your metallic paint, add a teaspoon or 2 of Clear Glaze, then mix thoroughly.

The glaze will extend the “open time” of the paint and help you be able to work it a bit more with your brush to get it nice and smooth.

 

Don’t Forget the Small Projects!

The metallics are great for so many different projects! If you’re a bit nervous about tackling a whole furniture piece, then I suggest trying a small craft project first.

I used 3 different metallics to paint dried magnolia leaves from my yard, then layered them together to make a beautiful fall wreath! 

You can see the full how-to here. 

I also like to use a dab of gold metallic paint to add a bit of shimmer to worn-out vintage hardware.

See that full tutorial here! 

Are you excited to try the metallics now? I hope I’ve been able to give you a few ideas for how to use them and that you feel more confident now!

You can find all of these gorgeous colors, along with a full selection of Fusion Mineral Paint products, in my Online Shop.  

 

Thank you for letting me share today!