Why This Budget-Friendly DIY To Transform Your Faucets Is Considered Risky

When your kitchen or bathroom sink is looking a bit dull and outdated or doesn't match the hardware throughout the rest of the room, it may be time for a refresh. However, as you start looking into replacing a faucet, the prices might surprise you. New faucets range from $40 to over $2,000, which may be far outside your price range. Add in potential installation costs, especially if the faucet is a different configuration, and getting a new faucet simply may not be feasible for you. If you find yourself in this position, you may be tempted to turn to DIY solutions that can transform your faucet without the high costs. For example, there is a trend of people spray painting their faucets to change the color. Spray paints are often marketed as durable and effective for use nearly anywhere, so it is no wonder that people are turning to them. 

While this may sound like a simple and affordable way to get the look of a new faucet, there are some risks to know about before you try it for yourself. Whether you are looking at altering a kitchen or bathroom faucet, consider how you regularly use it. From drinking water to brushing your teeth to cooking, you definitely want the water to come out clean and safe to ingest, and you want your faucet's finish to be durable. Unfortunately, spray painting it is likely to cause issues in these areas, so it makes it on the list of things you should never paint in the bathroom.

What are the risks of painting your faucet?

If you decide to spray paint your faucet, there are some potential issues that may occur over time. The first issue relates to durability. Although spray paint can be durable, it is not quite the level needed for a bathroom or kitchen faucet that gets used repeatedly throughout the day, every single day. With heavy use, it is likely that the paint will wear off of the handle of your faucet, ruining the fresh look. Also, depending on how you prepare the fixture to apply the spray paint, there may even be a possibility for rust or corrosion due to exposure where the paint rubs off. 

Along with damage to the aesthetic of the sink, as small particles of paint flake off, you risk accidentally ingesting those particles or transferring them in dangerous ways. If you fill a glass of water from a sink and some paint chips fall in, you could be exposing yourself to dangerous chemicals. You may also unintentionally cook with them or get them in vulnerable places like your eyes by changing contacts or even just rubbing your eyes after washing your hands. The effects of encounters like these are not very well-known for spray paint that is supposed to be nontoxic, but there are risks associated with consuming bits of other types of paints, and it is safer to avoid any potential danger.

How to safely paint your faucet

If you are certain you want to take on the risks of spray painting your faucet, there are some things you can do to mitigate the risks. After deciding on a color — whether you want classic black, silver, or gold faucets in your kitchen or bathroom – remove and lightly sand the faucet, cleaning off any dust or debris before applying a metal primer so that the spray paint sticks as well as it possibly can. An automotive primer works well here. Then, apply the spray paint in light but even coats to the external parts of the faucet. Choose a spray paint designed to combat rust and for use on metal to further improve the adhesion. Allow the spray paint to fully set, which might take up to a few days. Finally, apply a clear sealer to help protect your faucet from wear and tear, which can also protect you.

Ultimately, while there are some risks to your faucet and possibly even to your health, very few sources advise strongly against painting faucets. In fact, some faucet manufacturers even offer instructions on how to do so on their websites. If you are feeling a bit more cautious, though, another way to save some money and further reduce risks is to learn how to DIY a bathroom sink faucet for a gorgeous new look. If you find an affordable faucet, either new or secondhand, and avoid the installation costs, you can upgrade your fixture with fewer risks and stay on budget.

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