Newsletters
Facebook
RSS Feed
EH Store
Q. What is the best way to paint the grille of an in-wall speaker to match the wall color? I don’t want the holes to get all clogged with paint. - Keith, South Carolina
A. Here are some tips and tricks, courtesy the pros at CE Pro.com.
AudioPerfection Inc:
A foam brush with very little paint and about 4 coats has always seemed to work well.
You can have wall paint put into a spray can. However, the mix consistency needs to be slightly thin to keep from spitting. Remove the white backing and paint 3 or 4 light coats. Don’t paint the screen sides anymore than necessary.
Audio Video Guys Inc:
The trick we have found is to use a foam roller. Just a small one like the little 4-inch ones that come with the plastic handles. We have tried the good ones with replaceable rollers and even the ones that look like memory foam, and nothing works as well as the cheap 1/4-inch thick foam rollers, with very little paint.
The only other thing that came close was the HVLP (high-velocity, low pressure) sprayers that are used to spray stain on wicker and such. Campbell Hausfeld model HV1001 is what we have in the shop. But even with those, the paint has to be thinned just right.
Morgan Harman of The Tech Source:
We have had many different painting contractors paint speaker grilles. It’s interesting how some can do it perfectly while others are completely clueless. The ones who have done it well seem to have different methods. I believe some have painted them using a very dry brush/roller while applying the paint so they don’t fill the holes. Others have sprayed them. I believe one even painted them and then used an air compressor to blow the paint through the holes. Whatever method you choose, you obviously need to make sure it’s right before they dry. It’s a bummer when they hand you the grilles with half the holes filled in and the paint is all dry and they claim that’s just how it goes. Then you have to find some kid to use a paperclip to punch through the holes.
This is very easy to do. I’m a home owner and I painted them myself. What I use is a small spray gun (you can pick one up a Lowe’s for less than 20.00) you will also need a small air compressor. Use a 3M scuff pad on the grill and on the frames just enough to dull it down. Clean of dust with a damp paper towel. Mix your wall paint in the can 50% paint 50% water (if using a water base paint) Use low air presser put 2 to 3 light coats of paint on let each coat tack up or dry before adding the next coat. They will look like they came right from the factory. Without the paint brush marks and no filled holes.
Hope this helps
- News
- Cool Homes
- Blogs
- Photo Galleries
Family Theater Beams with Durable LED Projection
A SIM2 Mico 50 LED projector and 110-inch screen shine in this room.
Family Theater Beams with Durable LED Projection
A SIM2 Mico 50 LED projector and 110-inch screen shine in this room.
Brighter LCD TVs on the Horizon?
3M technology poised to boost the vibrancy and richness of colors on LCD screens.
22 Outdoor Speakers for a Sizzling Summer
We take a peek at some of the current options for outdoor audio.
I agree with Don up until he said to use a pad. To eliminate a lot of work just thin the paint using either water or paint thinner depending on whether the paint is water or oil based and using only a few drops of either. Mix well! Then using the gun with thinned paint start by holding the grill in your hand and with the gun about 8 inches away from the surface, coat the rear of the grill from every direction with a back and forth motion releasing the trigger after each pass. This will get the holes from all sides. Then gently lay the grill on a prepared surface repeat the process back and forth from all directions on the front surface including the sides. Doing this on the grills and the bezzels makes the coats even and when they are installed they will look loke the factory painted them… GOOD LUCK!!!