Paint a picture frame

Update an old picture frame with bright new paint colour and a creative floral treatment!

Resene upcycling for good with Sarah Herring - Project 43

Finished project

You will need: Test pot brushes, sandpaper, small roll of chicken fencing (from a hardware store), wire cutters, assorted faux flowers in bright colours (from a dollar store), Resene Quick Dry primer sealer undercoat, Resene testpots in your choice of colours. Sarah used Resene Aquamarine and Resene Paris White.

Top tip: If you are finding it hard to get faux flowers in the colours you want, you can paint them or add touches of colour with Resene testpots to help them work with your colour scheme.

Finished project

Before

Step one
If you can find a large old picture frame at your local Salvation Army store, like this one, you can give it a new lease of life with a fun floral treatment that really pops.

To begin this frame makeover, clean the frame and carefully remove the glass, the old art print and the backing board. You need to retain the frame and the backing board only, so be sure to dispose of the glass safely, or save it for another project.

Step two
Sand the frame back to remove any existing paint colour or varnish. This particular frame was already in a natural timber finish so Sarah just gave it a light sand by hand to prepare it for painting. Remove all the sanding dust and apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry primer sealer undercoat.

Step three
Once the primer has dried completely, apply two coats of your chosen colour to the backing board. I chose Resene Aquamarine for a strong and vibrant background colour. Use a testpot brush or a small roller to apply this colour.

Step four
While the backing board is drying, apply two coats of colour to the frame. Sarah selected Resene Paris White, which is actually more of a very pale green than the name suggests. It complements the Resene Aquamarine perfectly and gives a nice crisp finish.

Step five
Once all the paint has dried, unroll your chicken fencing/wire mesh and carefully use wire cutters to cut it to the size of your backing board.

Step six
Place the wire mesh in the frame in front of your backing board and close up the frame as it originally was. If you have trouble getting your wire mesh to stay in place in the frame, a staple gun should do the trick.

Step seven
Cut and arrange an assortment of faux flowers into the mesh. You can play around with finding a technique that works for you, however Sarah found it easiest to retain some of the stem and feed it in behind the wire mesh. Sarah arranged the flowers in a round cluster so that none of the stems were visible. You might like to arrange the flowers in a different shape, like a heart or a diamond. Clear fishing line or some natural jute string can be effective in helping to secure the flowers if you have trouble. Finally, hang somewhere that needs a bright injection of colour! We bet people will smile when they see your colourful creation on the wall.

Upcycling for Good

You can find a huge range of treasures, from ornaments and picture frames, to furniture and toys at your local Salvation Army store that you can easily upcycle with a little Resene paint and some imagination.

"Our Family Stores are full of treasures generously donated by members of the public. We value these donations and try our hardest to re-purpose and sell as much as possible. We’re all about re-using and recycling, so teaming up with Resene on Upcycling for Good was a perfect match. Resene’s products and tips are a natural fit with our pre-loved furniture and accessories, which are usually great quality but could sometimes do with a lick of paint to ensure they fly off the shelves.

Each year, nationally, our stores save 16,000 tonnes from landfill. This initiative increases the value of the donated product, improves the range of goods for our customers, and furthers The Salvation Army’s mission and Resene’s community activity.” Gareth Marshall, The Salvation Army's National Family Store Manager.

View more projects

Resene Paints Ltd – www.resene.com