This easy DIY tutorial on how to spray paint shower fixtures is the perfect way to upgrade your shower hardware without worrying about annoying plumbing issues.
Sometimes I take spontaneity in marriage a little too far. When Robert comes home from work every day, he never knows what he’s about to walk into.
One day I might greet him at the door grinning ear to ear, excited to show him our newly painted bathroom cabinets. And then every now and then he might find me falling to pieces on the floor, borderline sobbing as I try to rescue myself from some fiasco I’ve created. (Dear dining room chairs, I may never strip varnish again for as long as I live.)
Nowadays, no matter what spontaneous whim I surprise him with, he’s ready to jump up and down in celebration too or willing to drive to the nearest grocery store for a comforting pint of Chunky Monkey ice cream.
Thankfully, this time around, it was the jumping-up-and-down-grinning-ear-to-ear kind.
Our hallway bathroom makeover is officially finished and you’ll be seeing the full reveal this week!
But the finishing touch was spray painting the shower fixtures. They turned out beautifully! And I didn’t have to bust out the plumbing gear to do it. (Like I’d actually now how to do that. Baha!)
Supplies used: (Affiliate links are provided below. For more information, see my full disclosure here.)
- Coarse grit sandpaper
- Painter’s tape (I like this kind the best.)
- Plastic drop cloth
- Automobile spray primer (I’m a Rustoleum fan all the way.)
- Rustoleum Universal Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint (I use this stuff on everything.)
- High gloss lacquer spray
- Respirator mask
- Safety glasses
- Razor blade or utility knife
Total cost: Approximately $35 for nonreusable materials
I did plenty of research beforehand for how to go about spray painting our fixtures to make them durable and after reading up on this tutorial from eHow and this durability post from DIY ShowOff, I thought I’d give it a go.
Here’s what we were working with before:
There was nothing wrong with them at all, but since we installed our pretty bronze faucet, the chrome had to go. And I was not about to spend a couple hundred dollars for a simple color change.
We didn’t use this shower for at least 48 hours to be sure there would be no moisture to cause any problems.
I taped off all of the fixtures first (and it’s not easy taping in a circle). I realized I probably should have sanded the fixtures first, but I got a little eager here.
I gave all of the chrome a thorough sanding with the coarse grit paper and wiped away any residual dust.
Then, I turned our bathroom into a total crime scene / quarantine zone.
I learned my lesson from spray painting our shower door in our master bathroom and was extra careful this time around to make sure every piece of plastic drop cloth was completely taped down. (This is the part where Robert came home and walked in with that sly “what are you up to” look in his eye. Truly, he loves this stuff as much as I do.)
I gave the fixtures two light coats of the automobile primer after all of the sanding, taping, and dropclothing (totally a word).
I made sure to keep the spray can about a foot away from the fixtures and kept my hand moving in a sweeping motion to avoid any splotches or drips. I like to err on the side of caution with several light coats as opposed to one or two heavy coats to keep the finish even and smooth.
About an hour later once the primer was dry, I gave everything three light coats of the oil rubbed bronze spray paint. Followed by two coats of the high gloss lacquer. The whole project required a lot of waiting time as each coat dried, but it was worth it.
Before peeling up ANY tape, I scored all of the edges with a razor blade. (Another hard lesson from painting our shower doors. Live and learn.)
After the tape was scored away from the fixtures, I peeled it up very slowly so none of the paint would come with it. I’m so happy with how it all turned out!
After the paint has cured for a full 24 hours, I’ll give the whole tub a scrub down to get rid of any of that spray paint dust that I tracked in.
I changed out the shower curtain rod to match too. I’m sure I’ll follow up down the road to show how these fixtures are holding up one day.
And uh…ahem. Do you see a little glimpse of those rustic shelves there? Eep! I promise I’ll stop teasing y’all.
Robert and I are having a celebratory booty shaking, Ben & Jerry-eating dance party about it over here. And I pinky promise a break from the home improvement surprises for a while…meaning like a week.
Have you ever spray painted bathroom fixtures before? Or surprised your spouse with an amazing home improvement project? …Or one gone wrong? Whoops.
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Susan says
October 19, 2015 at 1:57 pmI wish I could spray paint my entire mustard yellow tub/tub enclosure and floor to ceiling tiles! Your fixtures came out awesome!
Lauren says
October 21, 2015 at 5:14 pmOhhh yeah that’s tricky. I’ve heard good things about Bath Fitter lately. But I know that’s definitely not as cheap as spray paint. :-/
Gaylain Fife says
February 20, 2017 at 3:09 pmWe lived with an ugly rose colored tub for 10 years. Then when we got ready to move our realtor recommended that we change the color. We were like “You can do that?”. It cost use $150. Some company she knew of did tub resurfacing. They change it to white and you would have never guessed that it used to be pink. It was a big garden tub too. If only we would have known we would have changed it out when we moved in because we always hated that tub. Instead we lived with it because we thought it would be too costly to replace.
Jackie says
July 7, 2017 at 5:19 amI live in Houston Texas who can I call for the tub resurfacing
April says
January 15, 2019 at 4:07 pmdid anyone ever respond to this? I am in Houston and looking for someone as well.
Lauren says
January 15, 2019 at 8:17 pmHi!! I must have skipped over this because we are in Charlotte NC. However, I googled “tub resurfacing in houston texas” and several popped up. All of the ones I glanced at have five star ratings. I am not able to recommend one over the other as I am not from the area. I hope you find one that works for you. 🙂
Corinda says
November 21, 2018 at 11:27 amYou can paint the tub/shower surround with sink/tub paint from your favorite home improvement store.
Jordan says
October 19, 2015 at 3:11 pmI haven’t tried spray painting bathtub fixtures before, but I did spray paint some of our door knobs when we first moved in. Ours are all mismatched brass and gold ones. They haven’t held up very well to the constant use, so I might take them off and redo them using this method! I just can’t make myself spend a small fortune replacing them all, but would love for them to at least look unified. Thanks so much for sharing this!
AngieM says
October 19, 2015 at 3:53 pmLove how it turned out!
Lauren says
October 21, 2015 at 5:47 pmThank you! Me too. 🙂
Jonelle says
October 19, 2015 at 5:36 pmYou’re just too cute. Nice job!
Lauren says
October 21, 2015 at 5:48 pmAw thanks! 😀
Nancy @ Slightly Coastal says
October 20, 2015 at 9:09 amThis turned out so great Lauren! I’m so glad you tackled this and gave such a great tutorial. I’m about to do this to my bath as part of the One Room Challenge. I have that EXACT same builder grade faucet set up. But I have two to do…tub and shower. Let the spray painting begin!
Lauren says
October 21, 2015 at 5:23 pmWoohoo! Glad it helped! Definitely invest in that respirator mask. It’s going to be fume city in there!
Nancy says
October 20, 2015 at 12:35 pmWhat is the name of the contraption you have on top of the spray can. I’m guessing that it helps give a nice even spray?
Lauren says
October 21, 2015 at 5:25 pmOh I should have added that! It’s called a Rustoleum Comfort Grip and it keeps your hand from cramping and makes the spray really even. Here’s a link to it: http://amzn.to/1LMueiH
Stephanie says
September 7, 2018 at 8:33 pmWhat kind of respirator mask would you suggest? I am totally new to this day stuff.
Lauren says
September 10, 2018 at 9:27 amThis is the respirator mask I’ve used: https://amzn.to/2QhdZkl
Kim says
October 21, 2015 at 11:46 amIt doesn’t look like you have a window in the bathroom. How long did it take to get the spray paint smell out of the room?
Lauren says
October 21, 2015 at 5:49 pmYeah that was rough. Thank goodness for respirator masks. I kept the door wide open the entire time, kept the bathroom fan on, and opened windows throughout our house. The smell was completely gone in a day though.
Gwen says
October 22, 2015 at 3:28 amYou are so inspiring!!! I did spray the CHEAPO aluminum tp holder and it looks great. I did our huge 34?36″ towel bar which my hubby changed out the rod for a durable metal piece so it had to be sprayed. Oh I just cringe. I should make it match. We put all new door handles in throughout the house. Maybe I’m a bit inspired???!!!! I love whatever you do!!:)
Lauren says
October 27, 2015 at 9:38 amAw thank you, Gwen! Spray paint is amazing stuff. The one teeny thing that bugs me in our house is our doorknobs are brushed nickel amidst all of the oil rubbed bronze lighting and fixtures. Just ignore it and maybe it’ll go away. Haha 😉
Caitlin - The Picket Fence Projects says
October 22, 2015 at 1:12 pmYes! I spray painted our tarnished gold shower door. It was one of the most tedious DIY projects and to this day, the smell of spray paint reminds me of it. I’m glad I did it because it looks way better but never want to do it again. The prep work is such a pain! Looking forward to seeing more of those shelves!
Shelley says
October 29, 2015 at 12:18 amHad a client do this to sell her home 3 years ago. It peels off. She even used car primer before spraying. The buyer called the seller a few Months after complaining. Do not spray paint your fixtures. I am a REALTOR and trust me you are not adding tangible value. If anything you are devaluing your properties by doing this to your fixtures, door knobs hinges, etc. Chrome is back in style!
Lauren says
October 29, 2015 at 12:37 amBummer! We actually painted our shower door over 8 months ago and it’s still holding up really well. I’ve known a couple other people who used the same process I did and theirs didn’t chip even after 3-4 years. Maybe it was a different paint she used or she didn’t sand/shellac or they were scrubbed heavily? We would have changed the fixtures in here anyway if the spray paint didn’t work, so if it ever becomes a problem, we’ll get the real deal. I’ll have to do a follow-up post maybe in a year to check in with how it’s doing.
Frances says
June 16, 2017 at 9:23 pmHow’d it do after a couple years?
Chelsey says
July 6, 2017 at 2:01 pm1. When someone does a project like this for a house they still live in, it’s not really your business as a REALTOR. Maybe she’s planning to change out the fixtures if she decides to sell the house later. You don’t know. But for now, it’s about loving the home you live in, not about pleasing hypothetical people who might buy your home one day maybe.
2. How did the buyer even get the seller’s information? I don’t have ANY information for my previous owner. It’d be nice to contact her because she stupidly didn’t change her address and I’m getting mail for her 2 years later (including traffic citations and jury summons!). My realtor was unable to help me.
Jenna says
October 18, 2017 at 2:01 amWe have all the information for our seller, and the one before that. The buyers from our two properties have our information. My parents are in contact with the people who bought their house… and my brother called the people he bought his house from right after they moved in. Your Realtor would be able to contact the seller’s Realtor, but you would have information of their address and likely their phone number in the bill of sale and maybe the contract from when you bought the property. My experiences cover Connecticut, New York, Wisconsin, and Illinois, so your state may have different rules.
Mariah says
January 22, 2016 at 2:37 amSo I spray painted my guest bath fixtures today, I did sand but I didn’t prime or put a lacquer on! EkK, do you think if I lightly sanded I could do your steps? Or could I just seal mine as is? And what exactly does the laquer do? Thanks in advance 🙂 I’m a newbie I just bought my home 🙂
Lauren says
January 23, 2016 at 11:34 pmIf they’re already painted, I don’t think there’s really much else you can do other than spraying a lacquer on top. The lacquer is just a protective top coat. Sort of like how when you paint your fingernails, you put a clear top coat on to prevent your nail color from chipping? Same thing with bath fixtures. 🙂 You might still be okay without the sanding/primer. Just don’t go too scrub-crazy when you’re cleaning.
Christy says
February 3, 2016 at 2:06 pmIt looks like maybe your fixtures are the kind where that little knob on top of the water spigot pulls up. I’m curious how you handled that! Did you have to pull it up and spray paint that part too? Or what about the temperature control level? If you move that around, do you see some of the old finish hidden underneath?
Lauren says
February 9, 2016 at 10:20 amOh so the little wand thing to pull up to change it from a bath to a shower, I had to ball up some painter’s tape and push it up into the water spout to push it up. Then, I was able to paint that little piece. For the underside of the temperature control lever, the spray paint can did a good job of getting under there. I had to spray it from the sides and angle it just right.
Jenn says
June 23, 2016 at 5:28 pmI had the same question and glad you answered. Just to add it it: Did you have any problems with the handle sticking or the pull tab from not working after painting. That is my only concern that I will paint them stuck! Haha. Just curious what you did to prevent that. Thanks!
Lauren says
June 24, 2016 at 1:47 pmThat is a totally valid concern, Jenn! Haha! No, I didn’t have any issues with ours sticking. Maybe that would vary, depending on what faucet you had. But ours was no problem.
Annabella says
February 13, 2016 at 4:29 pmI am totally impressed and inspired!
Lauren says
February 15, 2016 at 9:08 amSo glad to hear it, Annabella!
sean says
March 10, 2016 at 1:46 pmwas wondering why you didn’t remove the fixtures then paint them outside?
Lauren says
March 14, 2016 at 7:20 pmI wanted to avoid as much plumbing work as possible and didn’t trust my abilities in that avenue of home improvement. But I knew how to wield a mean can of spray paint and tape up plastic drop cloth, so that was my answer. 🙂
sean says
March 10, 2016 at 1:46 pmalso i love the self where sis you get that?
Lauren says
March 14, 2016 at 7:19 pmWe built the shelf using this tutorial from Shanty 2 Chic: http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/2014/01/easy-diy-floating-shelves.html
Tracy says
March 29, 2016 at 9:50 amHow is it holding up? any chips or peeling off?
Lauren says
March 31, 2016 at 12:53 amIt’s holding up beautifully! No problems at all so far. I might have to do a durability post when we hit the 1 year mark.
Sue says
May 18, 2017 at 6:58 pmHow’s it holding up? I’ve got gold fixtures in two baths and two faux marble shell sinks!
brownin329 says
April 13, 2016 at 7:39 amYou made it look very easy, and I tried doing it this way. My experience was it was whole lot of work and not as pretty, but it got the job done. Thanks for guiding the way (and the supplies list helped a lot).
Lauren says
April 19, 2016 at 10:09 amI’m so sorry it didn’t turn out so well for you! Two things that are key for me is the spray can grip to get an even coat and a razor blade to cut away the painter’s tape to prevent peeling. Sometimes that can be tricky.
tam says
April 25, 2016 at 7:24 pmThanks Lauren! I have an old under whirlpool tub with brass jets. I have replaced all of them with new polished chrome, but they no longer make the jets 🙁 I have looked everywhere and it kills we to look at the project with beautiful chrome faucet, etc and these standout brass jets. I am SO tempted to try to spray them a polished chrome paint. Your thoughts? I feel put off my the realtor warning of flaking as I am putting my house on the market. Your drain has been immersed in water without an issue? What particular paint would you recommend for polished chrome look?
Lauren says
April 27, 2016 at 9:30 pmAh that’s tricky! I’d think it’s worth a shot. I don’t know if the constantly moving water streams would cause corrosion or not, but if you use the sanding/primer/laquer steps, it should be much more durable than spray paint alone.
Thomas says
April 27, 2016 at 1:28 pmWow, great job! I just refreshed 3 Casablanca fans by painting Rustoleum Titanium Silver over the original polished brass parts. What a huge improvement for only a $7.00 can of spray paint and a few hours work!
My final refresh project is the polished brass in the master bath: jacuzzi tub fixtures & jets and the steam shower frame. Since I can’t remove the fixtures or jets in the jacuzzi tub without taking out tiles, painting over the polished brass might be the best option.
Are you available for hire?
Lauren says
April 27, 2016 at 9:13 pmThat’s great! Spray paint is magic. I’m convinced. 😉 I’ve never seen it done on jacuzzi jets, but it’s worth a shot I guess. I’m not sure if the constant moving water streams around them would cause corrosion or not. I’ll be available for hire when the rest of our house is done… which who knows when that will be. Haha
Lorene Johnson says
April 30, 2016 at 5:33 pmHi Lauren – I love the results and looking to do this as well to 2 baths. Wondering how it has held up?
Lauren says
May 5, 2016 at 12:22 amHi Lorene! It has held up very well! No chipping or peeling so far.
Katie says
May 4, 2016 at 11:24 amHow well does it clean? Do you think it will flake down the road?
Lauren says
May 4, 2016 at 11:40 pmIt cleans great but I don’t scrub abrasively or anything. I just spritz with a mixture of 1 part vinegar and 1 part dish soap, let sit, and rinse clean. It works really well.
Carol Prather says
June 23, 2016 at 9:56 pmI am going to try this on my tub stopper. My house is basically Williamsburg traditional and have changed out all my fixtures to nice brass. I know it is not in style, but it is what it is and I like it.
I did try to paint a gold color with a brush to match. It kinda worked for awhile, but of course ended up peeling off. Going to try your technique. I will hope to find a shiny brass color. Thanks for giving me hope. Carol
Lauren says
June 24, 2016 at 1:43 pmI think brass is beautiful in a traditional home! The heck with what’s “in style”, as long as you love it. That’s what I say anyway. 😉
Hope this method works better for you! The sanding, priming, and spray lacquer is definitely key to durability.
Christy says
July 26, 2016 at 8:16 pmI’m thinking of giving this a try! How long did you wait between spraying additional coats? Thank you!
Lauren says
August 3, 2016 at 12:55 pmI waited about 3-4 hours between coats just to be safe since I wanted to avoid any dripping. Hope it goes well for you!
Ella says
August 6, 2016 at 11:10 pmHow are these holding up? I’m super keen to try this in my bathroom but just wanted to see if you think it’s still worth it now you’ve used them?
Thank heaps 🙂
Lauren says
August 19, 2016 at 10:23 amSo far they’re holding up great! We don’t use this shower as often as the one in our master, but no issues so far. 🙂
Andreea says
November 20, 2016 at 10:49 pmOmg I love it. And I was laughing so hard because my husband is the same way. Or I’ll call him and say “oooh honey I have an idea” … his automatic response “omg U and UR ideas!” Lol most were success stories, but there’s been the ocasional “ummmmm honeeeeeyyy, can u come help me? NOW???” Lol I’m going to have to try this tutorial. I think it looks awesome. Good job!
Lauren says
December 7, 2016 at 2:23 pmHaha! Yep! Been there!
Sue says
December 6, 2016 at 7:36 pmThis is a great idea! I just finished putting together a new kitchen, including a beautiful copper sink. The oil-rubbed bronze finish faucets don’t really match the sink at all, but copper faucets are several hundred dollars more expensive than even the nicer oil-rubbed bronze finished faucets 🙁 I spent so much money on the kitchen I know I cant afford to buy a copper faucet… so I’m thinking of buying a nice stainless steel one and painting it with copper spray paint. I’m worried about wear, since I will be using the kitchen sink daily, and there will be moving parts ( I want to get a nice pull-down sprayer type faucet). Thoughts?
Lauren says
December 7, 2016 at 12:23 pmHi, Sue! I just looked on Pinterest to get an idea of how to pair the copper sink with a faucet, and I actually saw a lot of copper sinks with bronze finished faucets. I think it looks great! My question is though, what are the colors of your cabinet pulls and light fixtures? That could be a factor too. For our shower, it’s held up great, but I know how rough I am on our kitchen faucet, especially our sprayer, so I don’t know if I’d want to really risk the spray paint on this particular fixture.
Courtney says
December 14, 2016 at 3:24 amHi, just wondering how these have held up over time (eg. has any of the spray paint rubbed off as it’s exposed to water and movement of the taps)? I priced new black fixtures in my bathroom at >$1000 (no way!!!!) so I really want to give this a go 🙂
Lauren says
December 14, 2016 at 9:51 amHi Courtney! So far, it’s been awesome! We haven’t experienced any of the paint wearing off yet since painting them over a year ago. Those primer and lacquer steps are key. It’s definitely worth trying out before you drop $1,000 on black fixtures. The one thing I would caution you about is when you’re cleaning your shower, don’t scrub them with anything abrasive. I spray them with Method shower cleaner, wipe gently, and that does the job without messing up the paint.
Shannon Clanton says
December 14, 2016 at 3:38 pmWhat an awesome job! Looks fabulous!
Lauren says
December 14, 2016 at 4:14 pmThanks, Shannon!
Amanda says
January 4, 2017 at 9:01 pmAwesome! Does it stick moving parts together?
Lauren says
January 5, 2017 at 9:39 amNope! 🙂 All moving parts are still completely moveable.
Joel says
January 11, 2017 at 3:39 amIt’s as if you bought a new shower fixtures. I would love to try it.. Great job Lauren..
Lauren says
January 16, 2017 at 8:39 pmThanks, Joel!
Jessie Caine says
January 17, 2017 at 2:45 pmThanks for your how to. Did you use the vinegar and backing soda mentioned in the link you gave or did you just sand. I have a sink facet hard piped that this would eliminate the plumbing. But my main concern is the hot tub facet has no underneath access and gold shower door, and shower fixtures. We have all gold fixtures which we are told we have to replace by realtor. We also have those pesky hot tub jets but We might skip them. So My plan is to:
1. Sand & steel Wool
2. Tack cloth
3. tape off and put plastic over everything
4. open window and turn on bath room fan to remove air
5. prime with a specialty primer the paint store said to use
6. Paint brushed nickel in several costs
7. Top coat with the lacquer
8. Trim edges carefully
Is there anything else to consider?
Lauren says
January 17, 2017 at 2:56 pmSounds like you’re all set! That’s exactly the steps I did. Hope it works out for you!
Garineh says
January 24, 2017 at 5:19 pmAwesome tutorial! I want to spray my faucet an antique copper color to match copper pendant lights. Any specific tips aside from the one listed here? Has your paint lasted? Any peeling or wearing off with all the water use?
Lauren says
January 25, 2017 at 11:00 amGo for it! I haven’t tried copper yet, but Rustoleum is my favorite brand just because I like their coverage and it seems more durable to me. No issues on our shower fixtures with peeling or wearing off. We spray painted our shower doors a couple of years ago too, but didn’t sand, prime, or use the spray lacquer, and it has worn off a little bit at the bottom of the door, so I would DEFINITELY suggest not skipping those extra steps to keep it lasting.
Ashley says
February 2, 2017 at 6:59 pmLove this idea!! I am going to attempt this in our master bath soon. But I have a design question.. Im NEEDING to get a shower tower for all of our shampoo/conditioner bottles but if I spray paint all of the fixtures oil rubbed bronze (and already have an oil rubbed bronze shower curtain rod) should I opt for the oil rubbed bronze colored shower tower? My only concern is that it would stick out like a sore thumb where you can see the pole above the shower curtain (against white walls). What would YOU do?? Thanks, love your blog 🙂
Lauren says
February 6, 2017 at 11:46 amThanks, Ashley! I would choose oil rubbed bronze for everything. I like mixed metals and all, but those, for me, should match. Just my thought. 🙂
Jenn says
February 15, 2017 at 10:02 pmThank you for the helpful tips! Our bathroom is covered in 90’s gold fixtures, so I started the renovation tonight. I noticed the primer sprayed a little chunky though, hopefully it turns out!
Lauren says
February 17, 2017 at 10:05 amHmm… chunky doesn’t sound good. Is it really cold or humid in that space right now? That could play a factor.
Kim says
March 6, 2017 at 6:01 amI am going to try this on my bathroom but only question was what type of sandpaper did you use? I have heard different sandpaper can scratch and then once you apply the spray paint the scratches you can still see?
Nickhil says
March 9, 2017 at 6:34 pmHey. This is a really creative, smart, and frugal idea. I’m happy I stumbled across this before spending unnecessarily!
Judie says
March 10, 2017 at 5:01 pmHow is it doing today couple yrs later.
Lauren says
March 13, 2017 at 10:25 amWe just moved out of this house last week, but they were still looking great!
Danielle says
March 20, 2017 at 7:02 pmHow is this holding up?
Lauren says
March 22, 2017 at 2:17 pmWe just moved out of that house last month, but when we left, it was still holding up great! Just don’t scrub hard with anything too abrasive, and you should be good.
Becky says
April 7, 2017 at 4:26 pmIt’s April 2017: do you have a wear update? I’d LOVE to do this if I know it will last. PS – oil rubbed bronze is The Best!
Lauren says
April 11, 2017 at 10:01 amHi Becky! We moved out of this house last month, but it held up absolutely perfectly even up to the day we moved out, so I assume it’s still in excellent shape. 🙂
Megan says
April 19, 2017 at 9:43 pmCurious to know how it’s holding up? I am wanting to redo a bathroom matte gold, lots of hinges, handles, levers, and pulls that I’d like to change. Too costly to do them all at once. Thanks!!
Madeline says
May 4, 2017 at 6:16 amIt looks fantastic! I realise this is an older pin so i was wondering how the pain has held up?
Marci says
July 7, 2017 at 3:55 pmHow about painting over brass? Same procedure?
Lauren says
July 7, 2017 at 9:46 pmYep! Same thing.
Kaitlyn says
July 9, 2017 at 4:24 pmIt looks so good!! How has it held up? Also was it hard for the plug and shower piece to get moving after?
Jess says
July 13, 2017 at 9:07 pmHi! How did you handle the shower drain??
Lauren says
July 14, 2017 at 10:03 amSame thing. I just taped around it, cut a hole in the plastic drop cloth, and I made sure the plug was pulled up before I painted.
Deborah Scott says
July 28, 2017 at 4:07 pmThese fixtures turned out great! What a huge money-saving difference! GOOD JOB!!
Sarah says
August 1, 2017 at 5:02 pmHi Lauren! I’m thinking of doing the same thing to my shower faucets and I was wondering how yours were holding up after almost 2 years since this post? Great job on the entire bathroom–I love every piece of it!
Laura Cooke says
August 10, 2017 at 10:16 amHow long has it been since you did this? Is it holding up?
Paula says
August 22, 2017 at 11:37 amI followed your advice and spray painted all of my bathroom fixtures! All of the 90’s gold fixtures are now a beautiful deep amber bronze.
I did experience some overspray and tried all of the remedies that were suggested to remove it. I found that Mr. Clean Erasers remove the spray paint easily and effortlessly.
Rodelle Phillips-Simmons says
September 17, 2017 at 12:56 pmThis is perfect and I will follow every step. I bought my light and bathroom fixtures in chrome but the placement of the sinks in the vanity as the mirrors off centre and the electrical is too expensive to redo. So I already bought the new vintage oil bronze light fixture to centre on the wall and need to update the vanity and bathroom facets to match. This really helped. Thanks
Elizabeth says
September 19, 2017 at 11:20 amHow does the paint look now? Is it still holding up? Do you use just a typical bathroom cleaner to clean your shower, or something less harsh?
Lauren says
September 19, 2017 at 11:42 pmI’m not sure because we moved out of this house back in March, but it was still holding up great when we left. I never cleaned with anything abrasive. Just Method shower cleaner and a rag or sponge, never scrub.
Brooke says
September 30, 2017 at 7:33 amThis post was perfect. We are redoing our 1950’s PINK bathroom. We picked out bronze fixtures and a new white tub surround. After the fixtures were purchased and installed I came home to the hubs saying “I changed my mind and bought the shower door instead of using a curtain” (he thought I’d be ecstatic). He went about installing a CHROME door around my beautiful bronze fixtures. The horror!!!! I new I wasn’t the only one in the world that considered getting out the go to spray paint. He’s freaking out (the door cost $400). Please tell me this is gonna hold up for some time. He’ll kill me if it doesn’t ?
Erica says
October 5, 2017 at 6:53 pmI’m curious to see how they held up since you’ve posted this?? I’m thinking about doing this to ours!
Mike ODonnell says
November 14, 2017 at 1:38 pmHow has the paint held up over time?
Lauren says
November 14, 2017 at 4:16 pmThey held up great all the way up to the day we moved a year later. I couldn’t tell you what they look like today, but we had no issues for the full year after. Just don’t scrub with anything abrasive. I usually cleaned them with a 50/50 dish soap / vinegar solution and a wet non-scrubby sponge.
Carole says
November 28, 2017 at 3:33 pmI’m ready to go but have one question. Would steel wool work better than sand paper on the raw metal before using the primer? I don’t want the scratches of sandpaper to show through. This bathroom gets used a lot so I’m really trying to do the best job ever. One other question. What about spraying the hand held hose?
Thanks
Lauren says
December 18, 2017 at 12:15 pmI’d think you could use either one really. It’s up to your preference. I didn’t run into any issues of sandpaper scratches showing through the final finish though. For a hose, I would detach that and take it outside to spray. We installed our own shower head with a hose in our other bathroom, and I was able to detach/attach it on my own.
Ann says
December 30, 2017 at 1:51 pmLove your post and all the comments! I just had a brand new chrome finish ceiling fan installed which I hate… The housing is either metal or plastic, haven’t checked it yet. Would love to paint over the chrome with oil-bronze paint – online the color looks very brown, however in your pictures it looks practically black which is the look I would like. How is the color in real life – very dark? To avoid taking the fixture off I would like to paint with a brush instead of spray – its a rounded hugger design with no intricate design features at all – very modern. What do you think? Thx!
Lauren says
January 5, 2018 at 11:49 amHi Ann! The color is a very dark brown, nearly black. But you could also use black spray paint if you preferred, totally up to you. In your case, I would try to take down the fixture if you can, since you will need to worry about protecting your ceiling with lots of plastic drop cloth. If you’re up to the challenge, I say go for it! It’s quite a bit of work, but it’s definitely worth it. 🙂
Marina jackson says
January 27, 2018 at 10:10 pmQuestion. Did it ever peel off after a while I’m worried it’s going to peel off
Lauren says
February 5, 2018 at 2:52 pmHi Marina! We didn’t really have issues with ours peeling, but we made sure not to scrub with anything abrasive. The sanding, auto primer, and spray lacquer steps all help reduce the risk of peeling.
shelby stewart says
February 11, 2018 at 7:10 pmHow long did it last?
Lauren says
February 12, 2018 at 9:43 amIt held up perfectly all the way until we moved last year. ? Just don’t scrub with anything abrasive.
Nikki says
March 4, 2018 at 7:51 pmI’d love to try this, but maybe with a satin nickel paint. I see that Rustoleum makes one. I wonder if it would turn out as nice? I hate how chrome always has water spots and smudges. It’s so annoying to clean! And honestly I think it looks cheesy how shiny it is lol but I love the look of satin nickel hardware on white cabinets. And it would make sense for everything to match. Or do you think oil rubbed bronze fixtures would look okay with the satin nickel handles/knobs in the same room?
Lauren says
March 5, 2018 at 8:42 amTotally up to you! I think either one could work.
Dave says
March 7, 2018 at 4:32 pmHey,
Nice. How did it hold up with daily use?
Lauren says
March 12, 2018 at 2:40 amHeld up great! No issues. Just don’t scrub with anything abrasive, wipe clean.
Danah says
April 12, 2018 at 8:29 amHow did they go over the years?? I’m so keen to know how they look now! Please let me know xx
Lauren says
April 15, 2018 at 7:52 pmHeld up great! The sanding/primer/lacquer steps are super important for longevity though.
Dee Berube says
April 23, 2018 at 11:56 amHi .. thank you for the great tips. I’m very glad to see you are still around and respond to the comments. I read in one of the comments that you have since left this house. Would you do this again in another home or would you just replace?
Lauren says
April 23, 2018 at 5:34 pmHi Dee! Absolutely! I’m happy to help. 🙂 For a quick fix, yes. I’d definitely do this again. For instance, we just painted our sink/countertop and tub/shower as a Phase 1 bathroom makeover here in our new house before we do a full gut job in 2-3 years since it’s straight out of the 80s. It’s just enough to tie us over until we’re ready for that. (So far that project has held up really well too.) I started to paint our faucets in our current bathroom too, but I was totally sick of painting by the time I was done with the other parts. Haha!
Stacey Wheeler says
May 30, 2018 at 7:09 amMy husband is a little picky on what I repaint. We built our house 14 years ago and would love to update our chrome faucets with paint. However, we spent good money on Kohler faucets and would void our lifetime warranty if I paint them. Oh, the conundrum of DIY! Yours look great, am curious on the 1 year update.
Bethanne says
May 31, 2018 at 2:14 amI wonder if this would work on the yellowed walls of my shower? They are slightly textured and yellowed and I feel like they aren’t clean even though I know they have been scrubbed.Has anyone tried it on shower surround?
Lauren says
May 31, 2018 at 10:20 amI wouldn’t try spray paint on shower walls but you CAN use Rustoleum Tub and Tile Refinishing Kit. We used it in a bathroom 9 months ago and it is still holding up beautifully! Here’s the tutorial: https://www.blesserhouse.com/diy-painted-bathroom-sink-countertop/ And a post updating how it’s held up: https://www.blesserhouse.com/our-painted-sink-countertop-tub-shower-8-months-later/
Lori Nelson says
July 20, 2018 at 5:29 pmYou have given me hope for a solution to our problem! We have a roman tub (which are useless by the way – who needs a tub to hold four people?) from 1994 when the house was built. We wanted to change out all of our bathroom fixtures from the old gold/brass to chrome. But, just learned today from Moen that we cannot change out our tub faucet without changing out the valve. In order to change the valve, someone has to disassemble the front panel of the tub to get to the plumbing behind that panel. There are no plumbers who will touch that job because, if the panel chips or cracks, there is no way to find a replacement for a 1994 tub. So I had given up hope until just watching your video about painting the fixtures!! Not sure if I can find “chrome” paint but I am happy to switch plans and go with oil rubbed bronze for that entire bathroom if that is what it takes to get rid of the brass look. The tub faucet and the drain are the main pieces that I would have to paint. For the other fixtures – tub handles, sink faucet and handles, shower head, and light fixture bar, they sell compatible pieces that work with our old plumbing if needed. BUT, if I can master your technique and am successful with painting the tub faucet and drain, I will be thrilled to save the money and paint the other fixtures too! Can’t wait to get started on this and THANK YOU for giving me an option to our problem with the roman tub faucet and drain!! Will let you know how it turns out!!
Ashley says
September 11, 2018 at 10:58 pmHey lauren! This turned out great! I actually just painted my guest bath a very similar color! Sea salt by Sherwin Williams. Mine turned out a little more blue-ish (I should’ve primed even if there is primer in the paint I guess) but it’s still a gorgeous color?? how did you get the under side of the handle?? I’m sorry if you’ve already answered this question but there were so many comments I gave up reading them all after a few. ? lol
Lauren says
September 13, 2018 at 9:28 pmI love the color too. It will always be one of my favorites. 🙂 I just angled the spray paint can from underneath the handle to spray that side.
Rebecca says
September 13, 2018 at 1:30 pmI didn’t see did you update and say how it held up? I would live to know. It looks amazing and I would love to try it. I just would want to know how well it lasted.
Lauren says
September 13, 2018 at 9:26 pmYes, it held up beautifully! Just don’t scrub with anything abrasive. When we sold the house last year, it was still in perfect condition.
Shree says
October 27, 2018 at 11:54 amI would like to try this in our showerhead. We don’t have a bathtub (really old home). Any tips on how to avoid blocking the spray holes (I think that’s what they are called) when spray painting?
Thanks
Lauren says
October 27, 2018 at 3:07 pmHi, Shree. Placing tape over the functional part of the shower head will address your concern.
Suhana Morgan says
November 7, 2018 at 5:43 amHey LAUREN.
It looks great! So much fresher. I think if it was me, the one upgrade I would do would be to add a pedastal sink. It would keep the vintage charm while hiding the pipes and upgrading the faucet and knobs.
Rachel Doane says
May 17, 2019 at 10:17 pmDid you ever post a follow up on how this held up? Very curious before I take on this project myself.
Lauren says
May 18, 2019 at 9:39 pmI did not. We moved out of the house before I could do so. However, when I visited and was given a walk through, it still looked great!!
Alice Catlin says
May 25, 2019 at 4:51 pmI bought bathroom fixtures from different manufacturers and their bronze colors are different. Some gold undertones, some copper undertones, and some almost black. Do you have any suggestions? Maybe I should just leave them as they are?
Lauren says
May 25, 2019 at 8:48 pmHi, Alice! You could find a color you enjoy and paint them all using this technique. 🙂
Alice Catlin says
May 25, 2019 at 9:18 pmThanks!
Tracey says
May 29, 2019 at 11:52 amAfter rough sanding do you smooth sand?
Lauren says
May 29, 2019 at 9:02 pmNope! The automobile primer is what makes the surface smooth. 🙂