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Spray Paint Silverware for Your Next Celebration

Change it up this holiday season with some cool, spray paint silverware in your favorite colors. It’s so cheap and takes minutes to do!

Skills Required: None. You can spray paint utensils even if you’ve never crafted before – it’s very easy.

Spray paint silverware

With Thanksgiving upon us this week, I just had to bust out some spray paint once again. There was a bag of old utensils that just was waiting to be made over for some sweet tableware.

I like bright colors personally, but the best part about this table decor project is you can customize them to whatever suits your decor.

Learn how to recycle old silverware below!

Two spoons, two forks, and two knives along with three cans of spray paint

How to Spray Paint Utensils

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Spray paint
  • Utensils, cleaned and dried
  • Painter’s tape

Clean the Silverware

Before you get started, make sure to wash the silverware or use rubbing alcohol on the handles to remove fingerprints. You want the paint to stick!

Tape Off the Handles

You will use the painter’s tape for this step. Cover the top of the utensils with tape, only leaving about two inches of the bottom exposed.

Note: you don’t want the spray paint near the portion of the silverware that’s going to enter mouths. Spray paint isn’t food safe so keep it on the handles.

SIlverware taped off with painter's tape

Spray Paint the Silverware

Spray the utensils with the paint. I chose three colors, so I did the forks one color, spoons another, and knives the third. Then allow them to dry for at least 2 – 4 hours.

Bottom of a knife spray painted with orange spray paint

Tip: use multiple light coats of spray paint instead of any medium or thick layers. My process was spray, let dry, flip. It takes awhile but you can go do other things during the drying.

Knives, spoons, and forks spray painted with color

Let Dry Completely

You can spray paint silverware the day before a party and still have them ready for showtime! This would be great to do with Goodwill silverware.

Spray painted utensils next to a cookbook

And if you are wondering about putting these in the dishwasher, you could give it a try – but my recommendation is to hand wash if you want to make sure the spray paint lasts.

The Rustoleum spray paint I had on hand was what I used, but I’m wondering how high heat engine enamel spray paint would work. The kind you can get at the auto parts store. If you have some and try it, let me know in the comments!

Spray paint utensils - fork, knife, spoon

Cute right? Are you ready to spray paint silverware? They do spruce up a place setting nicely! Tie some twine around them and attach a name tag for personalization. Guests will love them.


If you enjoyed these spray painted utensils, maybe you’ll like one of these other ideas: