Typically, those decorating their gardens install statues or make yard arts, which looks pretty good. Although it’s possible to buy an out-of-the-box item, a lot of gardeners prefer purchasing a garden ornament and then coloring it in her own way. If you’re one of such wizards, this post is for you.
This post addresses the matters related to garden ornaments painting:
- how to color garden ornaments and what exact paint to choose
- how to stain concrete statues, including painting outdoor concrete statues and painting concrete garden gnomes
- what paint fits for painting plaster statues and resin ornaments
The Top 5 Paints for Garden Ornaments
| Patio Paint Outdoor | FolkArt Outdoor Exterieur Aire Libre | Americana Multi-Surface Satin | FolkArt Color Shift | Delta Creative | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Check price | Check price | Check price | Check price | Check price | |
| Pots in a set | 18 | 12 | 19 | 8 | 16 |
| Pot size | 2 fl oz | 2 fl oz | 2 fl oz | 2 fl oz | 1/6 fl oz |
| Air-curing time | 3 days | 2 days | 21 days | 2 days | 1-2 hours |
| Materials to cover | Concrete, terra cotta, masonry, and wood | Concrete statues, rocks | Wood, ceramic, terra cotta, most plastic, metal, resin, rocks, concrete | Wood, terra cotta, rigid plastic, metal, ceramics, glass | Wood, terra cotta, plaster, concrete |
| Waterproof | + | + | + | + | + |
| UV protected | - | + | - | - | - |
| Water-based and non-toxic | + | + | + | + | + |
1. Patio Paint Outdoor – Best Paint For Garden Ornaments Overall
Deco Art designed Patio Paint Outdoor as a durable material for open air. A set of these paints includes 18 pots of 2 fl oz each. If you’re not satisfied with the ready-made color, paints can be easily blended. This acrylic paint for garden ornaments can cover such materials as:
- Concrete (for instance, statues, gnomes, or planters)
- Terra cotta (pots and ceramic)
- Masonry (walls or fences)
- Wood (garden furniture, birdhouses)
Like any water-based paint, it can be easily watered down. In addition, it’s totally non-toxic. Although this paint is water-resistant, its producer advises not to use it for internal surfaces of birdbaths, fountains, and pools.
How to use. Shake before using. Paint when the air temperature varies from 45 and 85 degrees F. One-two layers may be required, depending on how vibrant colors you’d like to get. Wait for 72h before using a painted garden ornament outside, then clean it up with water and soap.
- Concrete (for instance, statues, gnomes, or planters)
- Terra cotta (pots and ceramic)
- Masonry (walls or fences)
- Wood (garden furniture, birdhouses)
- Someone can consider this paint a bit watery
- Can’t be used for surfaces that contact with water all the time
2. FolkArt Outdoor Exterieur Aire Libre – Best Paint For Concrete Statues
Why is FolArt’s paint is considered the best paint for outdoor concrete statues? This paint is the only product that is both waterproof and UV protected, which is extremely useful when it comes to the outdoor paint durability. Its set contains 12 vivid colors. Each bottle is 2 ounces full.
This water-based non-toxic acrylic paint is recommended for such porous surfaces as concrete and rocks. However, some consumers have successfully used it even for the metal and wood. Moreover, this paint takes only 2 days to dry out.
Colors are vibrant. Although the producer says nothing concerning a necessity of paint coating for outdoor use, consumers notice that coat can extend the paint durability.
- Durable
- Vibrant colors
- Water-consistent and UP protected
- Can be inappropriate for non-porous surfaces
3. Americana Multi-Surface Satin – Best Paint For Resin Statues
This paint has the rifest color palette of all analyzed materials, 19 bottles of 2 ounces each.
It doesn’t require sealers and fits for a big variety of surfaces. It can be used not only as a paint for resin garden ornaments but also for wood, ceramic, terra cotta, most plastic, metal, rocks, concrete. So, if you’d like to paint resin or plaster statues, this paint was crafted for such goals as well. Consumers consider Americana Multi-Surface Satin a good paint for stone garden ornaments, too. This acid-free water-based paint can be easily mixed with other paints produced by FolkArt.
The only negative side of this paint is that it takes 21 days to dry out completely. However, consumers notice that this paint seems totally dried out even on the next day.
- Fits both porous and non-porous surfaces
- Moisture/rust resistant
- No primer is required
- Rich colors
- The longest air-curing time
4. FolkArt Color Shift – Best Paint For Yard Art
It becomes quite popular to make yard arts, that’s where FolkArt Color Shift may come in handy. This paint is easy to brush on. FolkArt Color Shift provides glossy metallic shine for painted surfaces. When it comes to materials, which can be covered with FolkArt, there are a lot of potential options:
- wood
- terra cotta
- stretched canvas
- rigid plastic
- papier-mache
- metal
- bisque ware or unglazed ceramics, glass, and ceramics (paint for outdoor ceramic figures)
This paint is developed in such a way that it doesn’t require any basement. Its curing time is only 48h. Regardless of water basis, the paint can’t be watered because its properties can worsen. Also, this paint isn’t recommended to be blended with other paint products.
- Fits both porous and non-porous surfaces
- Durable
- Provides metallic shining
- Thinning of the paint with water is not recommended
- Only 8 colors in a set
5. Delta Creative – Best Paint for Gnomes
This paint is packed in small ⅙ ounce bottles, which is enough for small projects or repairs. However, this paint is the most affordable one, so you can buy a few sets for multiple projects or overhauls. Delta Creative is water-based and, hence, non-toxic. This is a perfect solution for painting concrete garden gnomes because it has a large variety of colors and set’s volume is enough for one gnome.
Easy-to-work Delta Creative provides handymen not only with paints but with a paintbrush as well. Colors are vibrant. The producer asserts that this paint is suitable for such surfaces as wood, terra cotta, plaster, and concrete. At the same time, consumers confirm that this paint can be used for metal as well.
- Super fast air drying
- The paintbrush is supplied in a set
- Vivid colors
- The most cost-efficient option
- Small bottle size
Buyer’s Guide
Garden Ornament: What Is This?
According to Wikipedia, a garden ornament is any item enhancing and decorating your garden. It could be a concrete or resin statue, fountain, gnome, pot, or any other decoration.
Typical Problems With Paint For Garden Ornaments
There are two issues that consumers typically handle. First, some producers deliver dried out paint. Second, manufacturers may supply consumers with leaking bottles.
How Many Layers Are There?
Usually, it depends on paint. Better paints require 1-2 layers of paint depending on the required opacity, whereas those of worse quality may remain translucent even after a few layers.
Do You Need A Primer And A Coat?
Typically, a primer and a coat are used to adhere the paint’s characteristics. However, some producers allege that their paints require neither. In their turn, consumers consider that with a primer and a coat the paint will be more weather-resistant and will last longer.
How Durable Is The Painting?
Generally, it depends on both paint and weather conditions. However, those paints described in the post are durable enough. According to interviews with those using them, these paints last as long as a few years without peeling and fading. Moreover, if you’d like to increase the paint durability, cover it with a coating that protects the paint from changing weather conditions.
What Square Footage Can Be Covered With A 2 Ounce Bottle?
Obviously, the coverage square footage depends on both what material and how many layers you paint. Typically, for 6¼ square feet of concrete one 2 ounce bottle is enough.
How to Paint Your Own Garden Ornaments?
Step 1. Clean your ornament with clean water.
Step 2. Clean away any flakes. It can be done with a scrub brush or an air sprayer.
Step 3. Paint your garden ornaments in the colors you like. If you’d like to change a color but you use the same paintbrush, you can clean your brush with tap water or using some dishwashing.
Step 4. Dry your ornament following the paint producer’s instructions.
Step 5. Clean up your ornament with clean water and enjoy it in your garden.
Let’s Wrap Up
So, I can guarantee that garden ornaments painted by yourself will look great. They will highlight your individuality with bright colors. However, paints can disappoint you if they were chosen wrong. They can peel or fade, so you will need to re-paint such ornaments shortly. However, paints described in this post can last for years. In addition, there are frequently asked questions to help you dig the topic deeply.
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