We know that painting a space can truly elevate it, adding colour, personal style and vibrancy. But there are some items we should leave unpainted, experts warn.
It might damage it to be painted, or even if it initially looks great, it can flake easily and look tired or cheap, putting your effort, time, and resources to waste.
To avoid these mistakes, we've asked our experts for their top DIY tips on what items shouldn't be painted in your home and why.
7 things to avoid painting at home
1. Kitchen cabinets
If you're debating painting the kitchen cabinets, it's good to know that whilst wood cabinets will be OK if prepped properly, if your cabinets are vinyl-coated, then it's a big no-no.
Kelly Mardis, owner of Marcel Painting, explains, 'I know so many people who insist on painting or having professional paint vinyl cabinets and drawers, and I can not stress enough that this is a terrible idea. Paint will not stay on vinyl cabinets, as there is nothing for the paint to grab onto.
'Every time you bump into it, the paint on your cabinets will chip, and it will look terrible very quickly. Don't paint vinyl cabinets. If someone asks me to do a job like that, I tell them no because I know I know the job won't meet the standard of quality I set.'
On the flip side, if you happen to buy a house that does have vinyl painted kitchen cabinets, you can scrape it off.
'Get a plastic scraper [such as Amazon's EHDIS 1.5" plastic scraper] and scrape the paint off. The bright side to all this is that since the paint does not stick well, it is not hard to get off. If some paint won't scrape off, just put some rubbing alcohol on the spot and rub it out with a rag,' advises Kelly.
If you end up having to purchase some for the first time, it won't go to waste, as there are many things you can safely clean with rubbing alcohol around the house.
2. Countertops
If your counters are a little tired and you're eyeing up counter ideas on Pinterest without the budget or time for a remodel, painting your counters may seem like a great fix. But our experts reckon you should step back and think again.
'One home upgrade I've never seen done well is a kitchen with repainted countertops,' says Jonathan Pallet, CEO at Clever Tiny Homes.
'While it is possible to get this look right, especially if you use an epoxy-based paint or clear coat over the top, you're going to immediately notice any imperfections in the surface. Heavy use is potentially going to wear away the finish over time, even if you use durable paint. If you want to redo your countertops, replacing them is almost always a better move.'
If you do want to have a go then Walmart's white epoxy undercoat would be a good start, it's good for using on MDF, plywood and other porous materials including countertops. A great alternative to painting is to use an adhesive peel and stick vinyl paper.
Head of Solved, Punteha van Terheyden has painted her kitchen counters before. She says, 'It looks so great initially but it quickly began flaking despite all the proper prep and application we took so much care over. I ended up sanding them down and wrapping them instead. That has lasted for two years so far, whereas the paint began chipping within 12 weeks.'
She recommends avoiding cheap materials if you are going to do either, and go for premium kits highly rated by shoppers.
Punteha says, 'I tried a cheap marble look contact paper first, and it was very thin. It bubbled and showed every imperfection underneath. When I switched to a vinyl waterproof wood-look paper like this, rated 5 stars by shoppers, it was a world apart. It was easy to apply, and it looks great still, many months after I applied it, even around water-prone areas like the sink.' She recommends having a smoothing kit, too.
3. The bath tub
Another temptation, especially when you see fabulous free-standing bathtub ideas – some of which might be painted – is to grab the brush and some paint and get to work.
In practice, it can be done, but it's not easy and with the bathroom being a high-humidity area, the results are unlikely to last.
Instead, you can buy tubs that are professionally painted and this is one instance where we'd recommend that service. You'll get a much more even finish and it will last.
If your tub is currently white and looks a little worse for wear, then you can touch up the chips with Amazon's Styleonme tub and tile touch up paint. It works on porcelain, fibreglass, enamel, acrylic and cast iron so if you have some chips or scratches it will do the trick.
4. Hardware
Hardware like handles, hooks, and drawer pulls, unless they are made from wood, are pretty much impossible to paint as the durable surfaces won't let paint stick for long, if at all.
If you do have wood ones, go for a good quality paint like Farrow & Ball's wood primer and undercoat.
However if you want to add a new look by upgrading your existing choices then it's better to buy new, or grab unique sets of door pulls from Etsy.
Crafted from premium-grade steel, these cabinet pulls have a brushed brass finish. They come in a pack of 25, which means you can easily update all of your kitchen pulls in one purchase. They can be used on cabinets, drawers, and cupboards.
Add a touch of intrigue with these gorgeous acacia wood hooks. They have a matching wall rack. Hardware is not included.
Add a vintage look with this decorative door pull that's perfect for interior doors and cupboards. It can easily be installed using a screwdriver and it's certified meeting ANSI grade 2 standards. For cohesion, use on all of your doors.
5. Shower tiles
According to Luke Siegal, CEO and founder of Raydoor, shower tiles is banned from his list of things to paint.
'Whenever a customer or family member asks for feedback on what what not to paint, I always advise against painting shower tiles. I feel it goes without saying, but constant moisture and steam will lead to peeling, bubbling, and mildew.'
Carr Lanphier, CEO of Improovy agrees, 'These are types of projects I do tend to discourage. It is possible to paint tiles in a way that looks good, even in a moisture-heavy environment like a shower. But, this is going to require sanding down any existing glaze or finish on the tile first, followed by an excellent tile-specific, waterproof primer and paint. Even so, I don’t tend to see painted shower tiles holding up very well in the long run.'
Our best recommendation, as advised by Carr is to use a really good tile-specific product such as the INSL-X SZA11009A-01 Stix acrylic waterborne bonding primer in white has the best ratings on Amazon. It has unparalleled adhesion to surfaces like glossy tiles, PVC, vinyl and glass, and provides a great base for a topcoat finish.
A better long-term bet will be to re-tile your wall. Punteha van Terheyden, Head of Solved, has tackled bathroom tiling before herself. She says, 'My cheat is to use a waterproof mosaic sheet tile, available from Amazon, and follow all the instructions. I tiled my bathroom upstands, and they have lasted five years, and look as good as the first day I installed them. The caulking was by far the hardest bit to get right, but having the right tools, such as a caulk smoothing kit and caulking gun, both from Lowe's, will help. Don't be afraid to give it a go.'
6. Hardwood floors
Whilst painted floor ideas can look amazing, be successfully executed with a lot of prep work, whether you should paint hardwood floors is another matter.
'Paint can disappoint on wood flooring,' explains Luke. 'It wears quickly and unevenly in high traffic zones, which will lead to chipping. Many times our customers will re-paint specific surfaces to match their new sliding door or walls, and whenever a customer suggests painting their floor, I highly advise against it.'
Instead of painting high sheen hardwood, give it a regular floor polish instead. Target's Orange Gloves 4-in-1 monthly hardwood floor polish with an orange scent is highly rated, and it protects against water damage, which is great for high-traffic areas.
You can also indulge in a few beautiful area rugs, such as the machine washable ones from Ruggable, to add the color you are craving and save yourself the hassle of fixing a painted floor.
Grab a beautiful machine washable Iris Apfel area rug from Ruggable to add a splash of fun and color to your floors without the DIY headache or risk of ruined hardwood.
7. Dishware
You may have had the pleasure of spending an afternoon in one of those art cafe's where you can spend hours painting plates, cups and bowls. These are later fired in a kiln or specialist oven at high temperatures by the store. That protective process sets and cures the paint, leaving it with a glossy and resistant surface.
Unfortunately, this is not a process you can easily replicate at home with dishware that you already own and regular paint, especially if you would like to continue to use it daily or put it in the dishwasher.
Instead, try an at-home plate painting ceramic kit from Amazon, which you bake in your oven. Afterwards, it will be dishwasher, microwave and food-safe.
Meet our experts
There are plenty of other weekend DIY projects you can take up to add a personal touch to your home, including painting wood furniture and painting IKEA items.
