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There aren’t many finishes that make an impression quite like gold. From picture frames to furniture legs, the best gold spray paints can create a high-end finish that would make even King Midas jealous.
While there are many options when it comes to choosing the best gold spray paint, you won’t get the ideal look with just any paint. When you’re trying to create a gold finish, it’s ideal to achieve a look that’s as rich and real as possible. Keep reading to find out how to choose the best gold spray paint to fake a high-end finish for your next project.
- BEST OVERALL: Rust-Oleum 342918 All Surface Spray Paint
- BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Rust-Oleum 1910830-6PK Specialty Metallic Spray
- BEST FOR COATING ENGINES: Dupli-Color Engine Paint with Ceramic Universal Gold
- BEST FOR DECORATIVE USE: Krylon K01000A07 Premium Metallic Spray Paint
- BEST RUST-RESISTANT: Krylon K05588007 COLORmaxx Spray Paint and Primer
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Gold Spray Paint
Before you grab a can of spray paint and go gold-crazy, there are some characteristics to consider when choosing the best gold spray paint for your project. Whether you plan to paint metal, wicker, or wood, this easy-to-read guide can help you make a well-informed choice.
Coverage
While the size of the cans vary, most spray paints come in 12-ounce cans. But, even if the amount of paint is the same, they don’t all cover the same square footage. The expected coverage depends on the formula and the paint’s intended use.
Paints consist of pigments, solvents, and glue-like resins, but not all manufacturers use the same ratios or recipes. Paints meant to cover larger areas (up to 25 square feet in some cases) might have more solvents, making the paint a little thinner. Paints specifically designed to cover in one coat are often higher in resins and pigments, but they’re also thicker and sometimes come at the cost of square footage. Some only cover 10 square feet.
However, paints that contain primer can provide the best of both worlds: they apply with fewer coats and cover lots of square footage.
Color
Finding the best gold spray paint often involves paying close attention to the actual color: Yellow with a silver flake does not a gold spray paint make.
Many gold spray paints create a finish that’s closer to bronze than gold. They feature a bit of red or orange, whereas gold is its own specific color. If bronze isn’t the look you’re going for, those paints simply will not do.
If they’re available, be sure to check out sample photos to ensure the paint will provide the finish you’re after. Also, keep in mind that additional coats can help bring a color to life.
Ease of Use
When you’re chasing the high-end faux finish, it’s about perceived perfection. That’s a more attainable goal when the product you choose is easy to use. The best gold spray paints make applying a gold standard-level finish a simple, straightforward process.
If you want a paint that will allow you to cover your project in as few coats as possible, it’s a wise idea to look for a paint-and-primer all-in-one. These products have primer mixed in with their paint, allowing you to cover an item with a consistent color without needing to apply a separate primer base coat.
Another aspect relating to ease of use is the nozzle style. Some of the best gold spray paints have comfortable triggers or nozzles that won’t wear out your finger like a less expensive spray can’s tiny, sharp-edged nozzle.
Also, be sure to consider the drying time. The shorter the drying time, the sooner you’ll be able to recoat or move your project. Some paints dry in less than 30 minutes.
Our Top Picks
Now that you know a little more about what goes into choosing the best gold spray paint, you’re ready to start shopping. Below is a list of some of the best gold spray paints for you to compare. Some of these paints are better for a specific purpose, so it’s important to think about your intended use before deciding on one over the rest.
Best Overall
Rust-Oleum 342918 All Surface Spray Paint
Giving your projects the golden touch is a one-step process with Rust-Oleum’s 342918 Universal All Surface Spray Paint. This high-quality paint-and-primer spray uses an oil-based formula that promotes adhesion to a variety of materials, including metal, plastic, vinyl, fiberglass, wood, wicker, and concrete.
Not only does the Rust-Oleum Pure Gold adhere to lots of materials, but it also helps prevent rust on metal surfaces. It’s corrosion-, fade-, and chip-resistant, so it will create a long-lasting finish on both indoor and outdoor projects. One 11-ounce can provides up to 15 square feet of coverage, and it dries to the touch in under 30 minutes. It also has a comfortable trigger nozzle for easy application.
Product Specs
- Color: Aged metallic vintage gold
- Coverage: 15 square feet
- Volume: 11 ounces
Pros
- Ergonomic trigger nozzle
- Impressive coverage
- Resists chipping, fading, and rust
Cons
- Nozzle can clog between uses
Get the Rust-Oleum spray paint at Amazon, Max Warehouse, and Value Home Centers.
Best Bang For The Buck
Rust-Oleum 1910830-6PK Specialty Metallic Spray
Obtaining a high-end finish on a low-end budget gets a little easier with Rust-Oleum’s Specialty Metallic Spray. This six pack of 11-ounce spray cans features a classic metallic gold paint that can cover up to 12 square feet. It dries to the touch in 15 minutes, allowing fast follow-up coats.
This paint formula is suitable for indoor applications. It adheres to wood, metal, plaster, and more. The can’s tip is contoured to your finger to create a pleasant surface for your fingertip. You also can hold the can at any angle, allowing you to spray awkward objects like furniture without splatter.
Product Specs
- Color: Gold
- Coverage: 12 square feet
- Volume: 11 ounces
Pros
- Affordable pack of six
- Quick drying time
- Popular and reliable brand
Cons
- Prone to flaking when touched often
Get the Rust-Oleum metallic spray at Amazon, Paint Supply, and Grainger.
Best for Coating Engines
Dupli-Color Engine Paint with Ceramic Universal Gold
If you’re rebuilding your engine, now’s the time to add a high-quality spray to that block and intake. Dupli-Color’s Ceramic Universal Gold Engine Paint creates a high temperature-resistant finish that looks great and won’t blister or crack. The ceramic formula is durable and tough, handling temperatures as high as 500 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s also oil-, coolant-, and gasoline-resistant, so a small leak won’t damage the finish.
The Ceramic Universal Gold Engine Paint features Dupli-Color’s EZ touch tip, allowing you to apply several coats without finger discomfort. Each coat dries to the touch in 30 minutes, and you can handle your parts after an hour.
Product Specs
- Color: Universal gold
- Coverage: Unspecified
- Volume: 12 ounces
Pros
- High temperature resistance
- Fast drying formula
- Resists cracking and blistering
Cons
- Lots of preparation required for good results
Get the Dupli-Color engine paint at Amazon, R.S. Hughes, and Eastwood.
Best for Decorative Use
Krylon K01000A07 Premium Metallic Spray Paint
If it’s all about the premium-looking finish, it’s hard to beat Krylon’s K01000A07 Premium Metallic Spray Paint. This 8-ounce can provides up to 20 square feet of coverage, allowing you to lay several coats over large objects. It works on a range of indoor materials like wood, metal, plastic, paper-mache, glass, plaster, ceramic, paper, and wicker. In the ideal conditions of 50 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity under 85 percent, coats will dry in as little as 10 minutes.
Krylon designed the Premium Metallic Spray Paint to create a finish that resembles gold plating rather than gold paint. The high-gloss finish creates a smooth, deep luster to give your project that 18-karat gold look.
Product Specs
- Color: 18 KT gold
- Coverage: Up to 20 square feet
- Volume: 8 ounces
Pros
- Impressive coverage for a small can
- Dries in as little as 15 minutes
- Provides a smooth and deep gold look
Cons
- Not suitable for outdoor items
Get the Krylon spray paint at Amazon, Michaels, and Create for Less.
Best Rust-Resistant
Krylon K05588007 COLORmaxx Spray Paint and Primer
If you’re looking for a high-quality gold paint to protect some of your metal surfaces from rust, check out Krylon’s K05588007 COLORmaxx Spray Paint. It works for indoor and outdoor projects involving metal parts, but also on materials like wood, wicker, most plastics, glass, plaster, ceramic, fabric, and paper.
This paint-and-primer formula comes in 11-ounce cans, and each can provide up to 25 square feet of coverage. Each coat is dry to the touch in 20 minutes or less. It features a large, comfortable button-style nozzle that allows you to spray at any angle, which is ideal for large, heavy, or fixed items.
Product Specs
- Color: Metallic gold
- Coverage: 25 square feet
- Volume: 11 ounces
Pros
- Suitable both indoors and outdoors
- Spray works from any angle
- Ideal for most surfaces
Cons
- Strong odor when used
- Some users report color matching issues
Get the Krylon spray paint and primer at Amazon, Michaels, and MAX Warehouse.
Our Verdict
For a reliable gold spray paint that is suitable for multiple surfaces, consider our top pick from Rust-Oleum, which can be used to decorate items both indoors and outdoors. Shoppers looking to protect and enhance the look of their vehicle may be interested in the Dupli-Color Engine Paint, which provides a high temperature resistance to both protect the engine and make it look great.
How We Chose the Best Gold Spray Paints
When gathering our top picks for gold spray paints, we made sure to include a range of gold color types and finishes, from flat matte tones to shiny metallics that suit a variety of user needs. Our recommendations include 14 KT gold, vintage gold, and the classic universal gold, so there’s an option to cover most gold-colored needs.
We also did our research to find the most trusted manufacturers in the market, providing reliable and easy-to-use spray paints that dry quickly, provide ample coverage, and resist cracking, splitting, peeling, and wrinkling. Most of our recommended products dry in under 30 minutes and a single 11-ounce can cover anywhere from 12 to 25 square feet, depending on the surface.
FAQs
If you’re still a bit uncertain about how to use the best gold spray paints, this section is for you. It’s a collection of some of the most commonly asked questions about gold spray paint.
Q: How hard is it to use gold spray paint?
By tweaking their formulas, manufacturers can create spray paints in a wide variety of colors and finishes. Gold spray paint is just as easy to paint with as any other color, and it’s readily available.
Q: What can I spray paint gold?
You can spray paint nearly anything gold, but there are a few items that lend themselves quite well to the gilded look. Picture and mirror frames, small desk and shelf decor items, floor and desk lamp bases, and small furniture items all look interesting in a gold finish.
Q: Does spray paint stick to metal?
In most cases, spray paint does stick to metal. Make sure to look for a spray paint that lists metal on the label as a surface it will cover. It does help to prepare the surface with a bit of sandpaper and denatured alcohol first, however. Simply sand the surface to loosen any rust or oxidation, and then wipe it with the alcohol. This prep work will help your paint stick better.
