Prepare Your Plant Shelves for Paint

“All hobbits share a love of things that grow.” So says Bilbo Baggins in the film version of The Fellow of the Ring. Whether you’ve never gotten into The Lord of the Rings, have been known to marathon the Extended Editions of the movies while checking it against the books, or anything in between, it’s fair to say that we all, like our hobbit analogues, share a love of nature, gardening, and “things that grow.”

If you have a green thumb, you know how satisfying it can be to grow all manner of different flowers and plants from seedlings to fully flourishing maturity. What may be a bit less apparent is how you’re going to store and display your potted plants. Naturally, you want any space in which you store your plants to fit with the natural, organic ethos they exemplify. Lush green plants and harsh steel fixtures simply don’t mix.

So what are you going to do if you’re stuck trying to arrange your potted plants on metal shelves?

One answer is to paint the shelves themselves so as to make them appear more naturally suited to hosting foliage.

To that end, here are a few things that you’ll want to keep in mind when preparing to paint your shelves so as to make them the perfect home for your potted plants.

Getting Started

First, you’ll want to make sure that you have the right tools on hand. Before you start preparing your shelves for a plant-friendly paint job, you’ll want to have on hand:

• Some paint that is both metal-friendly and rust-resistant
• Brushes
• Sandpaper
• Detergent
• Latex rust primer

Cleaning the Shelves

The first thing you’ll want to do is make sure that you have cleaned the shelves ahead of painting them. You never want to paint over dust and grime, only to trap it in place, leaving you needing to scrape off the paint to rid yourself of the dirt and restart the process all over again. Before you start painting, therefore, you’ll want to make sure that the shelves are as clean as possible.

Apply Primer

Next, you’ll want to apply some primer to the shelves to further prepare them. You will want to apply at least two coats of primer, and take the time to pause between coats so as to allow one coat to dry completely before applying the next. Be sure to read the instructions on your bottle of primer and follow them as closely as possible.

Painting the Shelves

Now it is finally time to get started painting your shelves. You’ll want to be sure to pick paint colors that naturally complement the organic look and feel of your plants. As with the primer, you will want to apply multiple coats of paint, and make sure to allow each coat time to dry. In addition, make sure that you apply each coat neatly and clearly, removing excess paint as necessary.

With these easy to follow tips, you can paint your shelves and make them plant-friendly in no time.