If you are into arts and crafts, you can relate to the joy of spray painting everything! Spray painting is so easy and fun to use that many crafters have that phase, where they spray paint everything.
The answer to this question depends on the type of spray paint
you are considering. In general, oil based paint needs a base that can hold the paint. So, smooth surfaces are not great for oil based paint, which is something most spray colors create. Porous and ragged surfaces are better at holding oil color.
Another factor to note is that thick, undiluted oil based paint will adhere to almost any exterior. So, you can paint with it over most spray paints. However, that is not ideal because some specific types of spray colors can cause the paint to peel after drying. The general rule to ensure the oil color sticks is to create a rugged base for the paint. This can be done using sandpapers, plasters, primers, etc. If the paint manages to adhere properly, then it will stay well. If you have time on your hands, it is more advisable to remove the spray paint layer altogether from the canvas before prepping it for oil paints.
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Types of Spray Paints
Water Based Paint and Latex Paint
Water based spray paint would hold oil based paints well. This is because water-based paints are porous, so they will create a porous finish the oil color can cling to. If you are planning on making a painting with a combination of spray and oil based paints, water based spray colors are your best bet.
Latex paint also falls under this category. So, if your spray color is latex paint, you can paint with oil color over it and do a great job too!
Oil Based and Lacquer Based Paint
By contrast to the previous type of paint, lacquer and oil based spray colors are not ideal for oil based paints. They create a smooth finish and are highly resistant to any stains or corrosion. This very property makes it tough for oil based paint to cling to this medium.
Even if you paint over these with oil-based paints, it will likely peel after a while. And they make a durable and hard finish, so you cannot use sandpaper to roughen the exterior up either. So, using oil based paint on top of these kinds of spray colors is not recommended.
Acrylic Based
Acrylic spray colors are also not the most ideal surface for oil paints, but they can work with some prep. These spray colors are flexible and water resistant. Because they are flexible, you can prep this exterior to accept oil based paint better.
To do that, use sandpaper to roughen the acrylic finish up. Then, follow with an acrylic plaster to prime. You can also use gesso at this point as a primer. The base will be prepared for oil painting after that.
However, do keep in mind that acrylic paint – a plastic, and oil based paint – an earthly pigment, do not sit well together. So, even after all these efforts, the oil based paint might come off.
How to Paint Over Spray Paint?
We have briefly talked about this, but here is a more detailed breakdown. These are the basic steps you should follow to prep a spray colored exterior in order to be able to paint over it –
Sanding
The goal of this step is not to remove the sprayed paint altogether. Rather, you are trying to remove the glossy layer on top of it because a smooth base is not ideal to paint on.
Use sandpaper and evenly sand the exterior of the paint until you notice that the glossy finish is gone. Light sanding should be enough for this.
Cleaning
As you have just sanded the paint down, there will be debris and dirt on top of it. These need to be cleaned before you can start priming them. Use your choice of mild cleanser to remove any piled up debris from the exterior.
Priming
This is a crucial step to ensure that the paint that will go on top sticks well. You need a base coat of primer for better results. For oil based paints, use gesso or acrylics plasters to prime the exterior.
For acrylic paints, you can use both oil based primer and water-based primer. Let the primer dry. Add a second coat if necessary. And your canvas is ready!
Painting
Use a thick coat of oil based paint to paint over the spray painting. Do not dilute the oil based paint with paint thinner, as that will make it harder for the paint to stick. It will also decrease the paint coverage, which is important to cover the paint completely.
You can also do trials and errors to find the right balance. The general rule is not to thin it at all, as thinned paint is not great for painting over another paint.
Final Words
We hope we have been able to answer the burning question – ‘Can you use oil paint over spray paint?’ Our last tip for you would be to use spray colored canvases for practice oil paintings only, as you do not want to experience any unexpected peeling from a painting you have worked really hard on. Oil based paints are hard to master, so a lot of practice can be helpful to you. Now it is time for you to prep all the old spray colored canvases and paint away. Hope your oil based painting project is a success!