(NC)—You can use spray paint to be kind to the environment by repurposing plastic and transform vinyl mini-blinds from bland and uninspired to home décor highlights. When paint and colour are used to create simple geometric designs on mini-blinds, they interact with sunlight for an endless variety of subtle visual effects.
An easy-to-use, one-step spray paint for this project is Krylon Fusion for Plastic. It can be used on wood, metal, wicker, hard vinyl and a wide range of plastic surfaces including ABS, PVC, polypropylene, polyethylene, fiberglass and rubber. Use it for all kinds of projects in and around the home, from sprucing up faded plastic patio furniture to freshening up plastic fences, mailboxes, shutters, planters and storage containers.
Use a reverse-spraying process (background last) to create geometric designs on mini-blinds. Draw figures on almost any sticky-backed, removable adhesive paper and cut them out. Before you paint, hang the blinds with S-hooks in a protected area, covering surrounding areas with newspaper or drop cloths.
Before applying the geometric shapes to the blinds, begin spray painting the first area you want to paint with your chosen colour. After the paint dries for one hour, apply an adhesive geometric shape over the colour. It will serve as a reverse stencil. Leave it in place. Repeat this process until all your coloured areas, except the background, have been painted. With the clear, geometric reverse stencils in place, apply the background colour.
Let the paint dry completely for 24 hours then gently remove the adhesive shapes. Allow the blinds to dry completely for five to seven days before hanging to allow the paint to fully cure to assure adhesion. As you adjust the blinds, enjoy the play of the light and shadow on your geometric pattern.
Materials
Krylon Fusion for Plastic in selected contrasting colours
Vinyl mini-binds sized for your windows, with hardware
Sticky-backed, removable adhesive paper
Drop cloths or newspaper
Screwdriver or other tools necessary for hanging blinds
- News Canada