How to Repaint Wall Art Picture Frames

Have you ever found a piece of wall art that you loved but hated the frame? We have! My wife and I shop local flea markets, antique stores, and bargain outlet centers all of the time. We will often find wall art and prints that we love but hate the color of the frames. However, that doesn’t stop us from buying them.

You can easily repaint those wall art picture frames to a color that you love in just one afternoon! It doesn’t matter if it’s made out of wood, faux wood, plastic, resin, etc. The color can be changed and you only need a few basic paint supplies to do it.

What’s Needed:

1 Can Kilz Spray Primer in White
Paint in Color You Prefer
Paint Brush
1 Can Spray Sealer (Glossy or Matte Finish)

The first thing you want to do is remove the glass, mat, and print from the picture frame. Set them aside.

Take the frame outside and spray it with Kilz Primer in white. Spray the entire frame. If needed, give it a second coat after an hour. It should now be entirely white.

Now it’s time to paint your frame. My wife chose a vanilla color with a light beige under-tone to it so that it would coordinate with other framed pieces hanging up in our dining room. You can use a regular paint brush or a foam brush to apply the paint. Paint the front and sides of the frame. Let dry for 1 hour and then give it a second coat. Let thoroughly dry.

Time to take it back outside. Spray it with 2 coats of a clear acrylic spray sealer. You can find them with a glossy or matte finish. I used matte for this project. Allow 1 hour of drying time between the two coats. It’s thoroughly dry when it’s not tacky or sticky.

While it’s drying it’s a good time to clean both sides of the glass with glass cleaner. Make sure you get all of the smudges and that it’s thoroughly dry before putting everything back together.

Originally this framed piece of coastal beach wall art had an antique bronze picture frame going around it which made it look dark and dreary. We changed it to a nice vanilla color which coordinates with other items hanging in our dining room and it really pops against our medium brown walls. The print was on clearance for $3.00  so it was worth buying and spending a few dollars to change the color of the frame to something we liked.

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