How can you paint hardware cloth without a bunch of waste?

[Diggin It]

I'm considering a shelf project where I might want to use 1/4" hardware cloth on top of a couple of shelves for ventilation. I'd like to paint it, but spraying, brushing or dipping will probably waste more paint that will end up on the wires.

Ideas?

Maybe a narrow roller with a thin cover like what would be used for trim work? Or one of the trim pads? The colors I'm considering are ones I have in rattle cans, so maybe spray that on a trim pad, then use the pad on the wire?

 

[mikester]

I haven't heard of hardware cloth do you have any photos?

4 or 6 inch sponge/foam rollers work good for small areas

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Make your home look beautiful with the help of this unique High-Density Foam Cover with Frame. Perfectly made easy to use.

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[workinonit]

I would back it with cardboad or a piece of plywood and roll it. The nature of hardware cloth means you are going to have some amount of waste. It can't be helped. Unless you could dip it.

 

[fried1765]

I haven't heard of hardware cloth do you have any photos?

4 or 6 inch sponge/foam rollers work good for small areas

PRIVATE BRAND UNBRANDED 6 in. High-Density Foam Mini Paint Roller with Frame HD MT 200-11 6 - The Home Depot

Make your home look beautiful with the help of this unique High-Density Foam Cover with Frame. Perfectly made easy to use.

www.homedepot.com

Does the descriptive term "hardware cloth" not exist in Canada?
Eh ???

 

[TractorGuy]

Brush or roller should work. You'll need paint that will adhere to galvanized metal and brush or roll both sides.

 

[tomplum]

Foam rollers work fine. You will likely find that rolling from vertically on one side of the panel and horizontally on the other fills the little holidays. Rustoleum works well on small mesh hardware cloth up through horse panel mesh for outdoor exposure. To prep, spray the mesh w/ vinegar. and give it a rinse after a half hour. Once dry it can be painted.

 

[Diggin It]

I haven't heard of hardware cloth do you have any photos?

I don't like the term either, but it is what it is. Metal mesh, usually 1/4" x 1/4" or 3/8" x 3/8" squares most often sold in rolls 4' wide.

Rattle cans I have are Rustoleum Copper or Bronze.

 

[oosik]

I've done it before. Lay the hardware cloth on cardboard. Spray with your rattle can. Let it dry. Turn over and spray the other side. Yes - there will be "waste" but it's minimal. You will waste more time than paint - trying to save a little paint.

 

[/pine]

Pay attention to the subject of painting galvanized steel...

https://www.google.com/search?q=painted+hardware+cloth

 

[Bullwinkle123]

I haven't tried painting it, but I could guess the issues about excess paint and such causing problems will depend on the size of the mesh, e.g. 1/4 inch mesh might have a lot of paint that spans the gap if you're not careful, like bubble solution spans the bubble-blowing ring. If I was going to paint much 1/2 mesh I'd probably just keep it rolled up and dip it in a shallow trough first, then let it unwind (as it naturally wants to do) to dry it. If you let it drip a bit before unrolling to dry it seems like you'd recover a lot of the paint back to the pan. Totally talking through my hat though since I've never done it, nor can I imaging wanting to. Good luck!

One note, when I think of painting hardware cloth, bear in my my last purchase was a 100' x 4' roll, so I'm thinking about larger volumes than what you describe. When my house most recently painted I don't think they thought twice about brushes or whatever they used to paint over the 1'x1'x1/4" hardware cloth plugging my exhaust vent.

 

[PILOON]

For any larger pieces a roller is the best bet.

Small then the good old rattle can.

 

[MossRoad]

How many square feet of hardware cloth are you thinking of painting?

 

[the old grind]

Brush or roller should work. You'll need paint that will adhere to galvanized metal and brush or roll both sides.

Any first coat should be primed with latex paint or primer. See why below. Problem with oils or alkyds is saponification, causing zinc to corrode profusely and oil paint to peel. (no use oil or std primers)

Pay attention to the subject of painting galvanized steel...

https://www.google.com/search?q=painted+hardware+cloth

 

[bcp]

No waste at all, if you are careful.

Bruce

 

[BackRoad]

You can spray paint wire mesh from an angle...

Aim the spray can from a 30 to 45 degree angle to the face of the mesh, rather than from straight on, and work around the perimeter of each piece, keep the can moving with light spray paint applied.

As you work around each piece, it covers the edges of the individual wires, provides good paint coverage, and less wasted paint.

And is a 2 minute task.

 

[mikester]

Does the descriptive term "hardware cloth" not exist in Canada?
Eh ???

If you ask for a rye and soda here you get "soda water and Canadian Club whiskey". It will cost you 4x more than south of the border and there is no happy hour, Eh!

 

[fried1765]

If you ask for a rye and soda here you get "soda water and Canadian Club whiskey". It will cost you 4x more than south of the border and there is no happy hour, Eh!

Depressing!

 

[workinonit]

If you ask for a rye and soda here you get "soda water and Canadian Club whiskey". It will cost you 4x more than south of the border and there is no happy hour, Eh!

But your beer is better.

 

[MossRoad]

How many square feet of hardware cloth are you thinking of painting?

I'll ask again...

How many square feet of hardware cloth are you thinking of painting?

 

[the old grind]

I just painted 12 square ft of galvanized steel and 6sq ft of PVC using a specific primer for alum and galvanized. (Rust-Oleum). It took one 12 oz can of their 2x spray to just top-coat the surfaces thinly. Can't guess what the coverage would be on mesh or HW cloth.