Paint plugs to help them blend in or coordinate

Yes you can paint plug plates (socket and all) if you are unhappy with the finish. I've posted this before, but it was just a shot of this completed plug (since I had finished the project years ago).

I had two plugs left in my kitchen that I hadn't painted, so I tackled them today. I used Rustoleum hammered metal paint. I would recommend spray paint over house paint because it drys harder and bonds better (being oil based vs. latex, and in my case designed for use on metal).

Here is the shot by shot project.

Tape it off (use paper or plastic, to give you about 12 inches of coverage around the socket).

Lightly spray several coats of your preferred color until you are happy with the coverage (drying for 5 minutes in between coats...you don't want the paint to run).

After the last coat I take the tape off so I can correct any possible overspray or drips before it drys. If you taped well, that won't happen of course :)

Here is the side by side comparison before I did the second plug.

Let it cure 48 hours before you use it! This is important as the bonding and drying process takes time.

So now all of my plugs in my kitchen looked like hammered metal instead of black plastic!  Well, not the ones on my tile backspash, but that's a project for another day :)

Best spray painting tool on the market

At the mere mention of the word spray paint, does your index index start to cramp? Have you spray painted something big enough to require you to switch hands several times? Meet your new best friend, fellow DIY'ers...the spray paint handle.

Summer is coming and many of you will be painting patio or wicker furniture soon. It requires spray paint to get all of the nooks and crannies, and there is only one way to do it without cramping your hand and making the pad of your index finger sore for days.

This little piece of plastic converts the trigger of a spray paint can from using one finger to using four. Such a simple solution, but a lot of people I talk to don't know about it.

If you haven't seen this handy tool hanging on the spray paint aisle at Home Depot and Lowes, it's there, and it's a must own for any home improvement tool box.

Here's a link to one at Amazon...just read the reviews. The best part is that it is very inexpensive and will last you forever (I think I've had mine over 10 years).

Spray Paint Trigger Handle

So before you spray paint ever again, go get one! Your pointer finger will thank me for it :)