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You are visiting: Home » Decorating/DIY » Create Your Decor » Glazing Metal and Plastic Surfaces

Glazing Metal and Plastic Surfaces

by Lindsay Ballard on May 23, 2011 20 Comments

After I tried my hand at glazing Miss Matched, I can’t get the technique off my mind.  Glaze can be mixed in a wide range of colors, and it looks amazing applied to wooden cabinets and furniture.

But what about other surfaces, such as metal and plastic?  Could non-wood pieces be glazed?

Last week, I decided to find out for myself.  I had a black birdcage that I spray painted Valspar’s Mediterranean Blue, but it seemed a little flat.  So, I broke out a cheap chip brush and my left over Ralph Lauren glaze (tinted to Black Silk).  I applied the glaze to a small section, making sure I covered it well.

Then, I used a wet paper towel to wipe off the glaze – wiping off more in some areas than in others.

I glazed the whole cage section by section using that process.  When I got to the base of the cage, I glazed the round section by spiraling my brush around the circle.

I wiped off the glaze with a wet paper towel following the same spiral pattern.  I left the pieces outside to dry in the sun for about an hour.

The glaze really brought new life to what was once really boring.  It has a lot of texture and depth now, and details are now pronounced that I didn’t even know existed previously – like the little claw feet.

 

Glazing metal worked so well, that I decided to try it on plastic.  I sprayed a nondescript buffet lamp a shade of medium gray and applied the glaze to it using the same technique.  Again, it gave this boring lamp a new life.

I’m starting to get worried that I’m going to glaze everything in my house now.  I really love the look!  What about you?  Have you tried your hand at glazing yet?  What do you already own that could you enhance with this technique?

P.S.  My friend Sara is in the running to win a huge sewing room makeover from Bernina and Home Depot. She’s a great gal and military wife who sells on Etsy and donates her time making memorial/burial gowns for sweet babies who became angels too soon. I’d love if you could give her a vote to keep her in the top 10. 🙂  If you have a FB account, you can vote by clicking here.  And I promise (maybe) that this will be the last time I ask for your votes for a while!

 
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About Lindsay Ballard

Lindsay Ballard is a former college mascot turned political geek turned roller derby playing, DIY fanatic.

Lindsay chronicles her projects, design ideas, and lifestyle tips here at Makely, where she shares tutorials and inspiration. Her DIY designs are bold and graphic, while her spirit is fun and full of color.

Lindsay lives outside of Austin, Texas with her husband (Tom), children (Zack and Emma), and dogs (Duke and Jill). She plays roller derby for the Rockin' City Rollergirls out of Round Rock, Texas.

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Comments

  1. Seb @ Palm Tree Decor says

    May 23, 2011 at 9:27 pm

    A great project and great results. I can see how you might go wild glazing everything. Thanks for the idea.

    Reply
  2. Teresa Salisbury says

    May 23, 2011 at 10:16 pm

    Love, Love, Love it!! I have been glazing for years and you will find new ways and new things to do with it. Love the color on the cage. Black is a great glaze on almost any color. You did a great job, just beautiful!

    Reply
  3. Laura @ Ms Smartie Pants says

    May 23, 2011 at 10:19 pm

    I love this little cage! I have glazed alot of spray painted items and even that blue color. Go and check out my blog and what I have done at my nieces’ house.
    http://ms-smartie-pants.blogspot.com/2011/01/rest-of-den.html

    Reply
  4. Teresa Salisbury says

    May 23, 2011 at 10:19 pm

    P.S. I just voted for Sara and posted her story on FB. Your a great friend.

    Reply
  5. Susan says

    May 24, 2011 at 5:36 am

    Hi Lindsay,
    I just came over from A to Z . I love your blog and I’m now a follower too.
    Susan @ homeroad.net

    Reply
  6. northern cottage says

    May 24, 2011 at 8:35 am

    very nice! I love the depth it brings out and the tint color is perfect!

    Reply
  7. David says

    May 24, 2011 at 11:50 am

    Love it! I’m going to have to try that. I like the new look of your blog. Looks great!

    Reply
  8. Sara says

    May 24, 2011 at 1:45 pm

    Thanks Lindsay! I so appreciate it!

    Reply
  9. Tabitha says

    May 24, 2011 at 10:03 pm

    Very pretty! I love the color and the finish is so cool.

    Reply
  10. Lisa Hankins says

    May 25, 2011 at 3:37 am

    Great share! I just bought a wall sconce at Goodwill and was about to experiment with this very idea, now I know how fantastic it will look!

    I voted too, hope she wins!

    Reply
  11. keri says

    November 7, 2011 at 2:07 am

    Hi there!
    I am so excited I found your site,I wish we lived closer,you are a kindred spirit when it comes to crafting/makeovers! I wish I would have taken pictures over the years to show my transformations, but to be honest I never really knew there were people out there like me until pretty recently becoming a blog-aholic! I only regret finding this site so late in the evening…I am tempted to keep looking and forget the fact that the time change just occurred. I will feel like there is an extra hour anyway right….Your painting suggestions are amazing and I can’t wait until tomorrow to look at more! Keep up the great and inspiring work!!!
    Take care,Keri on California

    Reply
  12. Darlene says

    July 27, 2012 at 6:26 am

    Thank you for sharing your technique. I can’t wait to try it. I’m pinning your post.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      July 27, 2012 at 11:16 pm

      Thanks so much! Please let me know if you run into any questions!

      Reply
  13. karen@somewhatquirky says

    September 11, 2013 at 7:47 am

    I love glazing. I used to use it a lot – many years ago. Occasionally I pull out my 10 year old can of medium and use it for one thing or another. Since I started using wax I haven’t used the glazing as much. The glazing is perfect for things like this. Some of the new paint brands are coming out with new products that work like glazing. I’m anxious to try them. Love the bird cage! If you do end up glazing your whole house – well there are worse things that could happen!

    Reply
  14. Kelsey says

    December 3, 2013 at 11:58 am

    Love this! I had glazed a couple of outdoor pieces (they are covered by our porch) and was wondering, do you put any type of sealant over your glazed items you use in the house? I dabble in furniture refinishing and have used stains as a “glaze” over painted furniture and then used poly over. So was wondering about using glaze on furniture or any other inside items and if it would need a coat of poly or something similar to have it usable.

    Reply
  15. Puneet says

    August 20, 2016 at 9:23 pm

    Hi Lindsay

    Great job. Just wanted to know if you used any particular glaze or just the general ones available in the market.

    Reply
  16. Kristie says

    March 12, 2018 at 10:04 am

    Hello! Great project! I’m looking for advice… We are switching all our kitchen hardware over to a copper finish, so I am contemplating spray painting my (antique brass finish) range hood copper, then glazing it. Any tips?

    Reply
    • Rebecca says

      April 20, 2022 at 7:59 am

      hi Kristie
      4 years later, middle of a pandemic. I am contemplating the same thing myself now. Did you do this? How did it turn out?

      Rebecca

      Reply
  17. Debbie Moore says

    February 9, 2019 at 11:57 am

    What do I need to do if an outdoor iron bench is glazed like this? Is it waterproof?

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Tutorials & Tips Tuesday {14} and 13 in Review | Home Stories A to Z says:
    June 1, 2011 at 3:32 pm

    […] How to Glaze Metal and Plastic Surfaces by Living with Lindsay. […]

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About Makely

Lindsay Ballard is a former college mascot turned political geek turned roller derby playing, DIY fanatic.

Lindsay chronicles her projects, design ideas, and lifestyle tips here at Makely, where she shares tutorials and inspiration. Her DIY designs are bold and graphic, while her spirit is fun and full of color.

Lindsay lives outside of Austin, Texas with her husband (Tom), children (Zack and Emma), and dogs (Duke and Jill). She plays roller derby for the Rockin' City Rollergirls out of Round Rock, Texas.


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