The sofa doesn’t have to be one in your home. Maybe you saw a fantastic sofa down the local thrift store going for a song but hated the color or feel it needs sprucing up. Don’t hold back. ––The spray paint solution might be just the motivation needed to go ahead and buy that old couch. If you want to change a new sofa’s color, be sure everyone agrees with the move. People who love the new sofa are bound to be rather more touchy about changing its look while it’s still in great condition. One way to test the suitability of a couch for painting is to add a drop of water. Where the water sinks into the couch, it will usually be fine to spray paint. On the other hand, if the water beads up, it’ll probably resist the addition of paint. {“smallUrl”:“https://www. wikihow. com/images/thumb/f/ff/Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-1Bullet3. jpg/v4-460px-Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-1Bullet3. jpg”,“bigUrl”:"/images/thumb/f/ff/Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-1Bullet3. jpg/aid2154839-v4-728px-Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-1Bullet3. jpg",“smallWidth”:460,“smallHeight”:306,“bigWidth”:728,“bigHeight”:485,“licensing”:"<div class="mw-parser-output">

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Make sure the paint is formulated for the same fabric type used on your sofa. Check to see if the paint can lists sofas or couches as one of the compatible fabrics, as not all fabric paint works well on sofas. If it doesn’t specify a sofa, talk directly to the retailer or even the manufacturer of the paint. Sending an email to the manufacturer can be a good way of getting some certainty. You might also get away with adding a textile medium to an acrylic or latex paint; the addition of a textile medium can make the standard paint more flexible for use on fabric than it would otherwise be. [1] X Research source In this case, you’ll need to roll on the paint or use a paintbrush rather than spray painting the sofa.

As well as cleaning, take this opportunity to repair rips and gouges in the sofa. These won’t disappear post-painting and will continue to widen with the pressure of sitting. If you feel capable, mend the tears yourself with industrial strength thread, or have a professional seamstress or furniture repairer come by to fix them. Avoid the duct tape solution––it may seem bright at the time but it’ll ease its way off and create even larger tears as it does so. {“smallUrl”:“https://www. wikihow. com/images/thumb/d/de/Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-4Bullet1. jpg/v4-460px-Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-4Bullet1. jpg”,“bigUrl”:"/images/thumb/d/de/Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-4Bullet1. jpg/aid2154839-v4-728px-Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-4Bullet1. jpg",“smallWidth”:460,“smallHeight”:306,“bigWidth”:728,“bigHeight”:485,“licensing”:"<div class="mw-parser-output">

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<br />\n</p></div>"} If you need to replace springs, start considering whether the cost is worth the effort versus a new sofa. If you can get the springs fixed and keep the costs down, then repair may be a good option, otherwise it might be better to get the sofa recycled and start anew. {“smallUrl”:“https://www. wikihow. com/images/thumb/d/d4/Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-4Bullet2. jpg/v4-460px-Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-4Bullet2. jpg”,“bigUrl”:"/images/thumb/d/d4/Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-4Bullet2. jpg/aid2154839-v4-728px-Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-4Bullet2. jpg",“smallWidth”:460,“smallHeight”:332,“bigWidth”:728,“bigHeight”:526,“licensing”:"<div class="mw-parser-output">

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<br />\n</p></div>"} Remove the cushions from the couch to be sprayed separately or completely recovered in new fabric that matches the paint. Cover the part under the cushions with a sheet adhered with painter’s tape so that it won’t get sprayed too. {“smallUrl”:“https://www. wikihow. com/images/thumb/5/54/Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-4Bullet3. jpg/v4-460px-Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-4Bullet3. jpg”,“bigUrl”:"/images/thumb/5/54/Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-4Bullet3. jpg/aid2154839-v4-728px-Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-4Bullet3. jpg",“smallWidth”:460,“smallHeight”:330,“bigWidth”:728,“bigHeight”:523,“licensing”:"<div class="mw-parser-output">

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<br />\n</p></div>"} Cover every part of the couch you don’t want to spray paint with painter’s tape/masking tape, such as the wooden legs, wooden edging, wooden armrests, whatever. If you’re doing more than one color, you’ll need to cover all parts not getting sprayed that color with a drop cloth that is neatly taped to a perfect edge next to the area to be sprayed. Absolutely everything you do not want spray painted must be covered to protect it. {“smallUrl”:“https://www. wikihow. com/images/thumb/d/da/Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-4Bullet4. jpg/v4-460px-Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-4Bullet4. jpg”,“bigUrl”:"/images/thumb/d/da/Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-4Bullet4. jpg/aid2154839-v4-728px-Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-4Bullet4. jpg",“smallWidth”:460,“smallHeight”:306,“bigWidth”:728,“bigHeight”:485,“licensing”:"<div class="mw-parser-output">

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Use plenty of drop sheets or painter’s plastic to cover everything in the area; drifting paint will land on items and potentially stain them. Cover walls, the floor, and fittings as well as furnishings. Old sheets can be found in thrift stores if you don’t have your own. Drop cloths are sold at most hardware stores and are very affordable and are usually reusable again and again. {“smallUrl”:“https://www. wikihow. com/images/thumb/1/1d/Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-5Bullet1. jpg/v4-460px-Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-5Bullet1. jpg”,“bigUrl”:"/images/thumb/1/1d/Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-5Bullet1. jpg/aid2154839-v4-728px-Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-5Bullet1. jpg",“smallWidth”:460,“smallHeight”:322,“bigWidth”:728,“bigHeight”:510,“licensing”:"<div class="mw-parser-output">

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<br />\n</p></div>"} Set up a station for the paint, rags, brushes (for fine corner work), paint thinner and anything else needed. Keep this within reach of the sofa workspace. (The paint thinner helps if you make a mistake––you can simply wipe off the paint quickly with the thinner on a rag. ) {“smallUrl”:“https://www. wikihow. com/images/thumb/c/cb/Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-5Bullet2. jpg/v4-460px-Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-5Bullet2. jpg”,“bigUrl”:"/images/thumb/c/cb/Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-5Bullet2. jpg/aid2154839-v4-728px-Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-5Bullet2. jpg",“smallWidth”:460,“smallHeight”:319,“bigWidth”:728,“bigHeight”:505,“licensing”:"<div class="mw-parser-output">

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As well as color, check for compatibility of the paint with the sofa. Check that it dries evenly, doesn’t rub off after drying and looks okay. Drizzle a little water on the painted test spot after drying, then rub a white or light cloth over it to see if the paint stays in place. If any paint comes off, the paint brand is not appropriate with the sofa fabric and you’ll need to try another one––you don’t want clothes and skin stains caused by the newly painted sofa. {“smallUrl”:“https://www. wikihow. com/images/thumb/5/50/Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-7Bullet1. jpg/v4-460px-Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-7Bullet1. jpg”,“bigUrl”:"/images/thumb/5/50/Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-7Bullet1. jpg/aid2154839-v4-728px-Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-7Bullet1. jpg",“smallWidth”:460,“smallHeight”:306,“bigWidth”:728,“bigHeight”:485,“licensing”:"<div class="mw-parser-output">

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Use a fine paintbrush for easing the spray paint into corners, into fabric details or over ridges/into dents in the fabric that the spray paint might either miss or not cover evenly. If hairs come off a paintbrush used for detailed corner work, remove immediately as these will look unprofessional if they dry onto the sofa.

Don’t worry if couch patterns or colors are still visible after painting. Remember that dark spray paint colors may cover patterns or old colors quicker than lighter colors. You may need to do more passes with a lighter spray paint color. {“smallUrl”:“https://www. wikihow. com/images/thumb/a/a3/Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-9Bullet1. jpg/v4-460px-Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-9Bullet1. jpg”,“bigUrl”:"/images/thumb/a/a3/Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-9Bullet1. jpg/aid2154839-v4-728px-Spray-Paint-Your-Sofa-Step-9Bullet1. jpg",“smallWidth”:460,“smallHeight”:306,“bigWidth”:728,“bigHeight”:485,“licensing”:"<div class="mw-parser-output">

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It may be a better option to recover the cushions in a fabric that matches the paintwork on the sofa. This gives you the opportunity to throw in some contrasting patterns or textures and it’s a lot easier to cover cushion rectangles or squares than it is to cover the whole couch with fabric.

In each case, aim for consistency of the coats. Avoid spraying on too much paint each layer; aim for a smooth, consistent look. [5] X Research source

After you’re satisfied with the paint outcome, rub the couch down with a white towel to remove any napping fabrics or paint clumps.