Kitchen counter space is in short supply in my apartment (I have about 10” total!) so I’ve been taking every opportunity to maximize wall space for storage. On the design*sponge team’s recent trip to Boston, I found an old wall mounted letter holder to store my kitchen utensils. While I loved the shape (and the little trim around the top) I was less enamored of the new yet dingy aqua paint job. While we all love to do to a good old-fashioned glossy paint job to hide a multitude of sins, sometimes it’s a refreshing change to instead reveal metal’s patina lurking underneath all that paint. -amy m.
CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!
To strip metal, you’ll need:
– nontoxic paint stripper
– gloves
– scraper and razor blade
– trash bag, tarp or newspapers for work surface
– paint brush
– metal polish
– clean rags
optional
– old toothbrush
– medium grade steel wool
– finishing grade sandpaper
1. Brush on paint stripped, following manufacturer’s instructions. Don’t forget to provide proper ventilation.
2. Using scraper, remove paint after allotted time. With razor blade, carefully remove any residual paint. For curved or decorative edges like mine, I used an old toothbrush to remove paint from cervices.
3. Remove all traces of stripper and if needed lightly scrub with steel wool to remove rust spots. Sand off any scratches.
4. With a clean rag and polish.
