Contrary to popular belief, magnetic paint has actually been around for quite some time. It’s just that it’s only as of relatively recently that it has begun gaining popularity among mainstream audiences.
If you’ve never come across the concept of magnetic paint before, prepare to be both enlightened and inspired! As the name quite rightly suggests, magnetic paint is a very specific type of paint that can convert just about any surface into an effective magnetic surface.
How does it pull off this extraordinary magic trick? It’s actually quite simple – the paint itself has a quantity of iron dust particles mixed in with the liquid. Meaning that once the paint has been applied and the moisture subsequently evaporates, what you are effectively left with is an extremely thin magnetic coating on your walls.
Or for that matter, any surfaces you apply it to around the home.
Magnetic Paint vs. Magnetic Primer
One aspect of the subject that causes a fair amount of confusion is that of which is better – magnetic paint or magnetic primer?
The answer – they’re actually the exact same thing. Or to put it another way, there’s technically no such thing as magnetic paint in the truest sense of the term. Magnetic paint is supplied in the form of magnetic primer, which you can then finish off with a coating of whatever paint you choose. It’s the magnetic primer that has the desired effect, which can then be discreetly hidden away beneath a layer of just about any conventional paint.
How to Use Magnetic Paint Effectively
If you’ve made the decision to go ahead and get busy with magnetic walls and services around the home, you’re in for a treat! Nevertheless, you’ll need to ensure you get the job done properly, in order to avoid a disappointing or perhaps a dysfunctional result.
Here’s how to go about it:
1. Mix Well.
When you first buy a pot of magnetic primer, chances are the iron dust particles it contains will NOT be distributed evenly therein. Just as is the case with all paints therefore, it’s hugely important that you give the whole thing a comprehensive mix, before getting started. Having this done professionally at your local hardware store works better than simply giving it a quick stir.
2. Mask Well.
The only thing you probably won’t like about magnetic primer is the fact that it is incredibly sticky and thick. What’s more, it has a habit of dripping and spluttering all over the place to a far worse extent than normal primer. Meaning that when it comes to masking-off and protecting whatever else is in the vicinity, you need to do it on a rather extreme level. Magnetic primer can also be extremely difficult to remove if it ends up anywhere it shouldn’t be.
3. Choose Your Colors Carefully.
While we said you can technically apply any paint whatsoever over magnetic primer, this doesn’t mean it’s going to look good. The reason being that magnetic primer is only available in grey and black, meaning that lighter colors may not look quite so brilliant when painted over the surface. You could apply multiple coats of your chosen paint, but this will in turn reduce the effectiveness of the magnetism.
4. Multiple Coats Are Better.
To be honest, when it comes to magnetic primer there’s really no such thing as too many coats. With each additional coat you apply, the strength of the magnetic effect will increase. Under no circumstances should you attempt to get away with just one single coat as this isn’t going to cut it. If anything, you should be looking at three even coats as an absolute minimum.
5. Use a Disposable Brush.
And by that we mean a brush that you are ready and willing to throw away after applying the magnetic primer, not the kind of brush that’s complete garbage in terms of quality. It still needs to be a decent enough brush to apply the primer evenly and conveniently, but be warned – it’s borderline impossible to effectively clean a paintbrush after applying this stuff!
6. Quality Coatings
Last but not least, it’s worth remembering that when the project is finished, you are probably going to be attaching and detaching all manner of weird and wonderful things to your walls. Which inherently means scuffs, scrapes and more grubby fingerprints than you’ll know what to do with. For obvious reasons therefore, it doesn’t make sense to finish things off with a coat of paint that’s ridiculously difficult to keep clean. Go for something that can cope with the kind of action your new magnetic walls are guaranteed to experience!
7. Use Strong Magnets.
Magnetic paint primer works as advertised, but it doesn’t attract magnets as well as, say, a sheet of steel. For best results, use strong magnets that aren’t too heavy. And expect to use more than one magnet to hold anything heavier than a single sheet of paper. A fun peripheral DIY project is to paint or glue things onto the sort of plain magnets you can find easily at the craft store.
All in all, magnetic primer is a great DIY product. It can help you create a wonderful magnetic space to display and organize things on many surfaces. Just keep your expectations reasonable and heed the above advice.
For more information on anything to do with interior painting or to arrange an obligation-free quotation, get in touch with a member of the Homm CPS customer service team today.