How to repaint a vintage refrigerator, stove or other appliance?
Mid Mod Pam on Nov 01 2008 at 8:00 am | Filed under: FAQs, kitchen
Two questions today about how to repaint a vintage refrigerator or other appliance. Oooooh, I get to use this great 1968 kitchen photo for this post! Is that a Drexel Declaration bench in the foreground? And look at the soffit - it’s a little shingled roofline. I love the planked wood cabinets. Tee hee, this kitchen is so awesome.
A question from Elise:
My son just bought and old refrigerator. It is in perfect working condition. It is a one door appliance with the little ice box in the top center. We would like to repaint it in a retro color, possible in aqua. I found some appliance paint but they only offer white, almond or black at the home center stores. Where can I buy some appliance paint in retro colors??? Thank you.
And a similar one from Rob:
Do you know where I can get my hands on some avocado green appliance paint?
I turned to Speedway Ron for help with this one. He responds:
I spend some time on-line after I got this message to see if there was appliance paint available in custom colors (because I didn’t think there was). I still do not see any. Appliance paint is still going to come in an aerosol can even if you find it. I’ve aerosol painted many things in my day but I’ve never found it to be a great finish for something that is supposed to be really nice. If it’s a garage fridge or something for a bar or place that isn’t well lit, ANY urethane aerosol would be fine. However, it still boils down to surface preparation (clean, sanded, filled as needed, and primed with a compatible primer). Even then, the durability of spray paint is so-so and some cleaners will actually remove the finish. You can’t spray something as big as a fridge with an aerosol and not get some splatter effect. The best method is still automotive paint. There simply isn’t anything better for smooth, glossy, durable finishes. The cost isn’t cheap. I checked an auto shop by my house and the price was $300-500 if I had the fridge disassembled and sandblasted for them and delivered it to them! A shop like Maaco Auto Body and Paint would do it much cheaper and without disassembly. They would simply clean, mask and spray it just like you brought it to them. Probably $100 or so there. Powder coating isn’t an option for these unless you COMPLETELY disassemble them and nobody wants to do that. Hope that helps. Final answer…if you want a decent job, spray paint it OUTSIDE (with good ventilation). If you want a good or great job, see a body shop for automotive paint.
Thanks, Speedway Ron!
Elise and Rob — also be sure to check my other resources:
- Go to my Steel Cabinet Restoration page - and read all the alternatives there. If you have the grit (pun intended) - the Rick Wrench method looks like a winner to me. Karmi has some good tips on using oven cleaner to strip the paint.
- And finally, for Avocado or another retro color paint - try the Sherwin-Williams Suburban Modern palettes as a starting point. Match any of these colors (and there is an avocado) and you will be in great retro shape!
Whoa…lest everyone think I’ll spray oven cleaner on anything (though I have used it with great success to clean porcelain sinks), let me say a few words. I only chose to strip my upper cabinets in this way because the paint was coming off as I washed them. I believe that they had been repainted and it was that repainting that weakened the original paint. Hence, the oven cleaner took them down to bare metal very nicely and easily. I have NO intention of stripping my base cabinets. I will simply sand, prime, and paint, and sand again. I don’t think that oven cleaner would effect the paint on appliances. I *DO* plan to paint my refrigerator, but I will use the same method I used for my cabinets that I don’t strip. A good sanding, foam rollers, and Sherwin Williams Industrial (oil-based) Enamel Paint. Once the paint is cured (24 hours or so), I will sand it with 320 grit and higher sandpaper to get a smooth finish. And thanks for the reminder… it is a gorgeous day here in Northeast Ohio, and we won’t have many more of these, so I’m going to get out there, decide on a pink once and for all, and paint my cabinets! Updates soon!
I have one of those fridges that was my grandma’s. It started out white with some surface rust. I had it painted aqua (actually, it’s pretty close to that Holiday Turquoise from Sherwin-Williams.) I found a stove from around the same period and had it painted to match. I had an autobody guy do it. I think the cost of that varies based on your location, but my guy disassembled it, got the rust off, masked it and painted both appliances for about $400. I’ll e-mail in before and after pics if you tell me where to send them. I carry pictures of my kitchen appliances around with me like some people carry pictures of their children!
I also have an original Youngstown sink base in my kitchen which the previous owner had gotten rid of the original white porcelain or enamel sink with the drainboards and replaced it with fake butcher block and a stainless steel sink (cringe!) My brother just found a perfect porcelain sink to fit on it for $20. I’m getting ready to have my sink base sandblasted and painted the same aqua to match the appliances.
Also, my mom had an old fridge from the 70s that was a little shabby and she just painted with glossy paint and a roller and it really did not look that bad!
I have to agree with Speedway Ron: automotive paint applied with a professional grade paint spray gun driven by compressed air.
Palm Springs Stephan and Speedway Ron - can you clarify, before one takes an appliance or steel cabinets to the auto body place for repainting - is it necessary that they be stripped first? Or, can the finish just be heavily sanded?
I just found your site and am floored. I LOVE it here!!!! Thank you for making me feel better about wanting to sell my new home for one like I grew up in. A 1955 ranch with a peach and brown bathroom!!!
Hi Pam… I know you asked the boys, but I think they will say that an auto body shop will insist that the existing paint is stripped first. I believe it is because their products are corrosive (in a good way) and made to really etch into the surface. Plus… strictly speaking… stripping is the absolutely accurate way to restore. Would love to hear more details guys… this does seem to be one hot topic!
Goodness, gracious, I’ve been sexist, arghh. Apologies, Karmi oh wonderful sign painter! You are now permanently ensconced in the trio of go-to experts on this subject!!!!
I didn’t have to do anything to mine except drop it off.
Let’s not forget the do it yourself option! With a little luck on clist, in the classifieds, or at pawn shops a usable paint gun and small air compressor can be had for under $100 (or try your luck with the under $50 Wagner paint sprayers), and there’s PLENTY of good information in various automotive forums concerning the how-to aspect of pulling off a very professional paint job at home. Sure, you’ll need some space to do it, probably have to buy a bunch of drop cloths or cheap tarps (if you don’t already have a bunch), and do a practice run on something (junkyards are great places to get hoods to practice on) but if you’re like me and have far more time than money, it’s worth it. I’ve painted a car that I owned (1967 Chevy II), it’s engine and engine compartment, and a few other engines as well, and they came out of the garage looking perfectly professional and exactly how I/they wanted them for a fraction of the price a shop would charge. The best advice that I can give, besides study up on it via the web or local library before trying, is make sure you spend about 95% of your effort on prepping things properly. If you start with a perfect “canvas”, the rest falls neatly in place with minimal effort.
Hi there everyone-funnily enough in the U.K. I have just this week spray painted my fridge aqua greeny-blue. You can get special fridge paints from this link;
http://www.paintsprays.co.uk/catalog/fridge-colours-p-219.html
in aqua, pink, lilac, silver and cream and it goes on brilliantly with no primer needed! The website that sells the paints ships worldwide too! Two cans was all I needed for a bg fridge-freezer unit! The end result is a very professional looking powder-coated finish!!
Hi, S! Thanks for the info…I’m sorely tempted by that chiffon pink color.