We have three metal wind spinners on our property. I have one in a flower bed in our front yard and you’ll find the other two in a backyard gardening area. At one time they were colorful and looked beautiful in those areas. Over time the color became very faded due to the weather. I had a choice to make…update them or toss. I chose to update them which was a lot easier than I thought!
The first thing you want to do is clean them. I sprayed a non-toxic all-purpose cleaner on them and gently wiped off the dirt and grime. Hubby used the garden hose to spray them down. We then laid them out to thoroughly dry.
You’ll want to inspect them. If they have any rusty areas use sand paper to get rid of it. If any screws or bolts need to be tightened or replaced…do that too. All mechanical repairs should be completed before you repaint them. If they need to be lubricated you can hit them with a little bit of WD-40.
I choose to use Nicole’s Craft Studio Acrylic Craft Paint in the Metallic Gold and Metallic Bronze colors. You can use any brand but make sure they will give you a metallic finish. To get the coverage that I wanted I did have to use two coats of paint and allowed for one hour of drying time between each coat. You can use a bristle or foam-style paint brush depending on the design of your wind spinner. I’m not picky so I slapped it on with a regular paint brush.
You’ll want to protect the finish with one to two coats of a clear acrylic spray sealer. I recommend doing this on a good weather day because you want it to dry quickly. I went out and spinned my spinners every 3-5 minutes as I didn’t want the sealer to clog up the spinning function. Know what I mean? I still wanted them to spin around easily with the lightest of breezes.
It took me two days to have all three of my wind spinners updated and repainted for the new summer season. The process was easier than what I thought it would be. I’m glad I was able to save them and can continue to enjoy them!
* This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we may or may not receive a small commission which helps to support this site. Thank you!
I too am glad that you were able to restore them. The spinners really look new and the metallic colors are great.
I really like spinners. And the colors you chose are pretty. I’m a fan of metallic shades.
I always ry to repair before tossing almost everything. Wind spinners can be expensive and some have such nice memories tied to them. One other paint to use if you have it is automotive paint. It adheres to metal really well. I also like using rustoleum!
Your spinners look clean and bright and ready for the garden for years to come.
When I had a yard with lots of Yard Art pieces that I could never find just the right piece to replace what I already had. So I painted them some by hand others with spray paint. It is a good feeling to have that old friend back in your yard looking fresh
I am so glad you were able to restore them. That one looks so nice. A little effort but well worth the effort.