How to Paint Your Ceiling Fan Guide: Blades, Motor, and All!

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How to Paint Your Ceiling Fan Guide: Blades, Motor, and All!

Does your room need spicing up? We have the perfect fix for your home decor woes - painting your boring ceiling fan. Painting your old ceiling fan is a wonderful, cost-effective way to create a functional art piece to display in your home or office. With just a few coats of paint, you can turn a dull fan into a unique fixture that flawlessly matches your home decor without breaking the bank.

If you are using an older ceiling fan, see Del Mar Fans and Lighting's article on how to clean your ceiling fan to tidy up the fan blades and hardware prior to painting.

If you don't have an older ceiling fan, we have a large selection of affordable white ceiling fans that you can choose from and then makeover.

Shop White Ceiling Fans!

Materials

Ceiling Fan
Flat Protective Enamel Spray Paint (preferably with primer)
Primer (optional)
Newspaper
Gloves
120 Grit Sandpaper
Screwdriver
Water and Mild Soap
Baby Wipes
Stencils (optional)

Product Used

For this DIY video, we used a Kichler ceiling fan.

Hey there, I'm Bobbie, and we are at the Del Mar Fans & Lighting headquarters. Today I'm going to show you how to give your ceiling fan a makeover that will match any room in your how.

While we uninstall our fan, here's the supplies your going to need. We recommend choosing a base color that will match your room's hinges, doorknobs or appliances. Your bases will go well with the colors of your furniture, door, or cabinet colors. Neutrals work well if you change your furniture often.

For this project, you are going to want to use a flat or enamel based spray paint. Preferably one with primer already in it. Especially, if you are going to go from a light color to a dark color. Try to avoid gloss paints because they will leave a glare on your ceiling fan.

Now, we are going to start working on the blades. Now, we are going to sand the blades. Make sure when sanding the blades, use a downward motion and solid sweeps. Pay extra attention to the edges of your blades.

Next, you are going to want to clean your entire ceiling fan. You can use warm water with a mild soap or you can use baby wipes because they are really easy. Now we are ready to paint!

Make sure to give your spray paint a good shake before using and always test your nozzle so you know what kind of pressure you are working with. When you spray, you want to spray 6 to 8 inches away from the surface and work in a side to side motion across the blade so you get an even coat.

Now, we are going to paint all of the fan's hardware. Once you've completely finished painting your fan, take a moment and let it dry. Then come back and look to see if you need a second coat. If you need a second coat, no problem, just go ahead and run through all of it one more time before you start piecing it back together. Make sure to wait until your fan is completely dry before reinstalling it.

We chose the chrome for the hardware and the red for the blades because you guys voted for it on our Facebook page. Don't forget to check us out on all our channels for giveaways and discounts and at DelMarFans.com. We'll see you next time!

Preparation to Paint a Ceiling Fan

When choosing your paint colors, keep the following tips in mind:

For the fan hardware (blade brackets, canopy cover, etc.), choose a color that matches the door hinges, door knobs, and appliances in the room.
For the fan blades, choose a color that matches the furniture, doors, and cabinets in the room.
Neutral colors such as ivory, taupe, and gray work well with many home decors and furniture.

10 Easy Steps To Painting A Ceiling Fan

To begin painting your ceiling fan, turn the power off at the circuit breaker and follow the steps below:

Uninstall the ceiling fan starting with the switch housing, then the fan blades, and finally the motor assembly (steps may vary depending on your fan model).
Disassemble the fan blades and motor assembly into individual pieces. Arrange the pieces on a sturdy work area covered with newspapers or cardboard.
Strip the fan blades of any dirt, dust, or old flaky paint with 120 grit sandpaper. Sand the blades with the grain, paying extra attention to the blade edges.

Sand The Ceiling Fan Blades Well To Hold The Paint

Clean the fan blades with water and mild soap or baby wipes. Make sure there is no leftover debris on the blades. Allow the blades to air dry.

Clean The Ceiling Fan Blades Well Before Painting

Clean the switch housing cover, motor housing cover, downrod, and blade brackets. Remove any dust or debris from all hardware pieces.
Put on gloves to prevent direct contact with the spray paint. Shake the paint canister well and test the nozzle on the old newspaper.
Spray the fan blades and hardware pieces with a thin, even coat of primer. Apply multiple coats until you've achieved the coverage you want. Allow the blades and hardware to air dry thoroughly. For this video, we used an enamel spray paint with primer.
Once all the blades and hardware are dry, you're finally ready to spray your color. Make sure that you are at least 6 to 8 inches away from the surface and are moving the can in a side to side sweeping motion to ensure an even coat of paint. Start with the fan blades as they will dry faster and can start drying while you spray the hardware. We recommend at least two coats of color on the blades and hardware.

Paint Ceiling Fan Blade Hardware And Motor Housing

Once the blades and hardware are dry, inspect the pieces to confirm whether or not additional paint coats are needed. Apply additional coats if needed and allow to air dry.
Re-assemble and install your ceiling fan once all parts are completely dry. See Del Mar Fans and Lighting's article on how to install a ceiling fan for pointers if needed.

Before And After Painting Your Own Ceiling Fan

Once you have installed the ceiling fan, restore power the fan and verify it is working properly. A few coats of paint can work wonders on an old ceiling fan and breathe new life into a room. You can also use stencils and stamps to create a unique pattern or design on the blades.

If all the of the steps above seem like too much of a hassle, we welcome you to shop our selection of colorful ceiling fans and unique ceiling fans in different finishes.

Shop Colorful Ceiling Fans!

Shop Unique Ceiling Fans!