5 Best Chrome Spray Paints – Reviews & Buying Guide
If you want to restore the shine on a worn-out part of your car, for instance, the chrome bumper, then a chrome spray paint will do the trick.
This paint is actually very versatile because it can be used to revamp wooden furniture or other things in your house to have an attractive metallic finish that looks very professional.
Back to cars and these sprays can be used to renew its finish while being very lenient to your pocket. However, you need to get a top-quality spray for the job and here are the best chrome spray paints that you can choose from.
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5 Best Chrome Spray Paints – Reviews
IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Rust-Oleum 7718830 (Cheapest Chrome Spray Paint) | ||
 | 2. Martha Stewart Crafts MS329M-32995 (Glitter Chrome Spray Paint) | ||
 | 3. Krylon KSCS032 (Best Chrome Spray Paint for Small Projects) | ||
 | 4. Krylon K01010A07 (Best Quality Chrome Spray Paint) | ||
 | 5. VHT SP525 (Environmentally Friendly Chrome Spray Paint) |
PRODUCT |
|---|
1. Rust-Oleum 7718830 – Cheapest Chrome Spray Paint
- Color: Metallic Chrome
- Size: 11 ounces
Rust Oleum’s 7718830 takes the top spot when it comes to affordability, but is also the top-rated chrome spray paint in this review, which shows there is something about it that stands out.
The product is packaged in an 11-ounce aerosol can, which gives you quite a lot of spray at your disposal for use in a large project or multiple small projects.
Once applied, the paint dries to the touch in about an hour, leaving a tough and attractive finish that does not dull or fade. However, for it to remain this way, the chrome spray is only suitable for indoor/interior use; exposure to the elements will make it fade.
On the bright side, when used on an interior surface, the paint does exhibit a lot of chip resistance and color retention, keeping your work looking neat and clean for a long time.
Other features include coming in a metallic-chrome color, but there are other multiple color options to choose from, which include aluminum, cobalt blue, metallic copper, metallic dark bronze, metallic gold, silver and rose gold.
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2. Martha Stewart Crafts MS329M-32995 – Glitter Chrome Spray Paint
- Color: Rose Chrome
- Size: 2 ounces
This 2-ounce chrome spray paint is quite expensive, but it stands out due to its glittering composition, which results in a very attractive finish that sparkles under the light.
Other than this, the paint can be used on multiple surfaces such as metal, glass, wood, and fabric, creating the same quality finish in all types.
Though very small in size, the spray is non-toxic due to its water-based acrylic composition, which makes it very safe to use. Additionally, you get several color options to choose from apart from rose chrome, enabling you to create glittering surfaces in different colors.
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3. Krylon KSCS032 – Best Chrome Spray Paint for Small Projects
- Color: Chrome
- Size: 3 ounces
With its 3-ounce size, this chrome spray paint is perfectly sized for small projects, in which it can be used on different car surfaces such as glass, metal, ceramic and wood.
In all these surfaces, the paint dries up to form an elegant and smooth finish and being enamel-based, it creates a high-quality, hard, durable and glossy coat that dries very quickly.
Another benefit you get is multiple color options, though, for chrome, you only have this one. The rest are in different shades.
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4. Krylon K01010A07 – Best Quality Chrome Spray Paint
- Color: Original Chrome
- Size: 8 ounces
Though quite expensive, Krylon’s K01010A07 is designed to create a deep and lustrous finish that resembles the actual chrome plating and not paint.
Once sprayed, the coat formed dries to touch in 10 minutes, which is quite fast, but takes 2 hours to dry for further handling.
The paint can also be used on multiple surfaces such as plastic, metal, wood, ceramic, paper, wicker and paper mache. With this kind of application, the product is very versatile because it can be practically used on any car surface. However, it is only designed for indoor use.
On the bright side, you get a relatively large quantity of paint that is acid-free, and there are other color options to choose from.
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5. VHT SP525 – Environmentally Friendly Chrome Spray Paint
- Color: Silver Chrome
- Size: 11 ounces
It is important to consider environmentally-friendly spray paints for safe use, and this SP525 meets this criterion because it is lead-free and ozone safe.
The paint is also suitable for interior or exterior use, in which it can be applied to metal, wood, plaster and masonry surfaces, making its use very versatile.
Being enamel-based, another benefit you get on buying this SP525 is that it dries up quickly to touch (about 30 minutes), but may require a longer time to handle, usually overnight.
On the bright side, after drying completely, the coat formed is tough, durable, weather-resistant, very glossy, and prevents rust or corrosion on the underlying metal surface. However, for proper adhesion, careful surface preparation is required before application.
Other features include a large paint quantity of 11 ounces and the availability of multiple color options to choose from.
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How to Buy the Best Chrome Spray Paint
1. Color
Before buying any chrome spray paint, the first thing to check is its color. You should not assume that all the paints are chrome colored just because of their name. There are some slight differences in the chrome shades.
What should guide you is either the cap or container color of the spray can, which is usually built having the same shade that the coat will appear once you do your application.
2. Size
Though spray cans are not usually large in size, some are larger than others, and these give you more chrome paint for completing bigger projects.
This means that your guide should be the project size that you are working on. You may argue that larger sizes are better because it doesn’t hurt to have some chrome spray left over but the best thing to do is to buy just enough quantity for the current job.
For instance, if you want to chrome paint the whole bumper, then you need a large quantity, say 11 ounces, or minimum 8 ounces. If you want to do just a small touch up, then a 2-ounce container will be enough.
3. Surface That Needs to be Applied
Another important thing to consider is compatibility. Not all chrome spray paints can stick to each and every car surface. The compatible ones are always listed in the product’s packaging and you should take this carefully into consideration as you do the selection.
Note: It is important to check whether the paint is suitable for interior use only or both interior and exterior use. This applies if you want to use the product for external use because all of them can be used indoors.
4. Ease of Application
All spray paints are easy to apply. The difference comes about in the preparation process. Some require extensive preparation before application and these are a bit difficult to apply. On the other hand, those that require little surface preparation are easier to use.
5. Amount of Preparation
Following up on the ease of application above, the spray paints that require a lot of surface preparation are trickier to use but on the bright side, this extensive preparation creates a good foundation for strong adhesion of the top chrome coat.
Those that require little surface preparation are definitely easier to use but they might not adhere as strongly and may chip easily with time.
That said, if you don’t mind respraying every now and then, go for the paint that requires little preparation. Otherwise, scrub and clean the surface thoroughly for durable adhesion.
6. Drying Time
Each product has a different drying time and this depends on its chemical composition. Water-based paints usually dry faster but their coats might not be very tough. Enamel-based paints, on the other hand, have longer drying times, but they create very tough and weather resistant coats.
Ultimately, it is better to have a tough coat and even though it may take a longer time to dry, durability is key.
However, water-based paints have one major advantage on their side and that is being environmentally-friendly. With that in mind, pick the one you want based on personal preference.
How to Apply Chrome Spray Paint
There are several things that you must do so as to apply this paint perfectly. These are:
1. Find a Good Spot
First things first, you must a good place to do the spraying. If it is in your garage, make sure it is well ventilated, with the humidity levels being less than 50% and the temperature between 70 and 100°F.
2. Get the Right Protective Gear
You should also wear some protective gear because most of these sprays can cause skin and eye irritation, and might be harmful to your respiratory system. Always wear a respiratory mask and some gloves or covers over your hands.
3. Prepare the Surface
With the location and gear in check, its time to get down to work. Begin by scraping off rust and dirt from your car’s surface while avoiding causing any damaging scratches over the areas that will not be painted.
A good suggestion would be to wet sand the surface until you get to the underlying metal, plastic or other material. Spraying to the base material will create a more adhesive coat.
4. Prime
With the surface ready and in good shape, apply the primer so as to create a good base for your paint. However, make it light; it is recommended to apply the primer using a spray gun so as to make the layer thin.
Also, a black glossy primer is best because it will help create a bright finish. When dry, sand the primer lightly, then wipe it before moving onto to the next step.
5. Spray
Following the instructions on the spray can, apply the chrome paint from top to bottom and avoid forming paint droplets.
The recommended technique is to spray while holding the can about 10 inches away from the surface, then move the spray in straight lines for even application.
Note: You may be required to apply multiple chrome coats and the more you do so, the more the background color fades to leave your chrome layer looking very deep and lustrous.
Read More: 10 Best Chrome Polishes
Conclusion
One thing is common from all the chrome spray paints listed above and that is they will leave a high-quality finish on your car’s surface. However, though all are chrome colored, you must pick the right color because there are slight variations in the chrome shades.
All in all, after going through the chrome spray paint review above, you should be able to pick the best chrome spray paint that meets your needs and works best for your car.