Can You Put Interior Paint on Metal?

Preparation

• Rust-Oleum warns that most paint failure is caused by inadequate surface preparation. Wash the metal's surface with a nonsolvent cleaner to remove grease and dirt, then rinse the cleaner completely. Soap or trisodium phosphate cuts grease without leaving residue. Brush, sand or scrape away any loose rust and paint. Rinse the metal well, and allow it to dry.

Priming

• Priming the metal helps paint stick to the surface and makes for a more durable finish. Priming also discourages rusting. Galvanized metal already has a rust-inhibiting coating. Sand the surface to remove the coating before you prime, or use an etching primer meant for this purpose. Etching primer or standard gray metal primer is effective on aluminum. You may use white or gray metal primer on ferrous metals such as iron and steel.

Sheen

• Interior paint is available in several sheens, or degrees of reflectivity. Paint with a flat sheen has a matte finish without shine. It's a good choice for imperfect surfaces. Eggshell is only slightly reflective. It's nearly identical to flat in appearance, but it's easier to wash. A satin sheen is moderately reflective and easy to clean. It's suitable for large surfaces. Semiglass and gloss are highly reflective and very durable. They're used primarily as accent paints.

Painting

• You can paint metal with a brush or roller. Apply a base coat over the primer. Follow the manufacturer's guidelines for drying time. Once the base coat has dried completely, sand the surface with fine sandpaper, wipe all the dust from the surface with a damp cloth, then allow the full drying time again before applying a top coat. Don't touch the paint until the top coat has had time to dry. You can wash the surface after the paint is fully cured, or according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.