Painting Wood to Make Look Like Metal

Sand the wood with 220-grit sandpaper to smooth out any rough spots. To get the best metallic finish, sand the wood until it is smooth to the touch. Wipe the wood with a clean rag to remove any dust.

Apply three primer coats. Using a paint brush and a shellac-based primer, such as those available from Zinsser and Sherwin Williams, apply the primer, one coat at a time. Completely cover the wood, and make sure each coat is dry to the touch before adding the second and third coats. Allow the primer to dry completely before applying metallic paint.

Shake the spray paint can until it is completely mixed. Apply metallic spray paints in even, light coats -- spray in a left-to-right pattern while holding the can nozzle 12 inches from the wood. While sweeping the paint spray over the wood, overlap each pass roughly one-third of the spray width over the previous pass. Spray one coat at a time, allowing each coat to dry before applying the next. For complete coverage, paint the wood with at least two to three coats of metallic paint.