How can you paint hardware cloth without a bunch of waste?

   / How can you paint hardware cloth without a bunch of waste? #1  

Diggin It

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I'm considering a shelf project where I might want to use 1/4" hardware cloth on top of a couple of shelves for ventilation. I'd like to paint it, but spraying, brushing or dipping will probably waste more paint that will end up on the wires.

Ideas?

Maybe a narrow roller with a thin cover like what would be used for trim work? Or one of the trim pads? The colors I'm considering are ones I have in rattle cans, so maybe spray that on a trim pad, then use the pad on the wire?
 
   / How can you paint hardware cloth without a bunch of waste? #2  
   / How can you paint hardware cloth without a bunch of waste? #3  
I would back it with cardboad or a piece of plywood and roll it. The nature of hardware cloth means you are going to have some amount of waste. It can't be helped. Unless you could dip it.
 
   / How can you paint hardware cloth without a bunch of waste? #4  
I haven't heard of hardware cloth do you have any photos?

4 or 6 inch sponge/foam rollers work good for small areas

Does the descriptive term "hardware cloth" not exist in Canada?
Eh ???
 
   / How can you paint hardware cloth without a bunch of waste? #5  
Brush or roller should work. You'll need paint that will adhere to galvanized metal and brush or roll both sides.
 
   / How can you paint hardware cloth without a bunch of waste? #6  
Foam rollers work fine. You will likely find that rolling from vertically on one side of the panel and horizontally on the other fills the little holidays. Rustoleum works well on small mesh hardware cloth up through horse panel mesh for outdoor exposure. To prep, spray the mesh w/ vinegar. and give it a rinse after a half hour. Once dry it can be painted.
 
   / How can you paint hardware cloth without a bunch of waste?
  • Thread Starter
#7  
I haven't heard of hardware cloth do you have any photos?
I don't like the term either, but it is what it is. Metal mesh, usually 1/4" x 1/4" or 3/8" x 3/8" squares most often sold in rolls 4' wide.

Rattle cans I have are Rustoleum Copper or Bronze.
 
   / How can you paint hardware cloth without a bunch of waste? #8  
I've done it before. Lay the hardware cloth on cardboard. Spray with your rattle can. Let it dry. Turn over and spray the other side. Yes - there will be "waste" but it's minimal. You will waste more time than paint - trying to save a little paint.
 
   / How can you paint hardware cloth without a bunch of waste? #10  
I haven't tried painting it, but I could guess the issues about excess paint and such causing problems will depend on the size of the mesh, e.g. 1/4 inch mesh might have a lot of paint that spans the gap if you're not careful, like bubble solution spans the bubble-blowing ring. If I was going to paint much 1/2 mesh I'd probably just keep it rolled up and dip it in a shallow trough first, then let it unwind (as it naturally wants to do) to dry it. If you let it drip a bit before unrolling to dry it seems like you'd recover a lot of the paint back to the pan. Totally talking through my hat though since I've never done it, nor can I imaging wanting to. Good luck!

One note, when I think of painting hardware cloth, bear in my my last purchase was a 100' x 4' roll, so I'm thinking about larger volumes than what you describe. When my house most recently painted I don't think they thought twice about brushes or whatever they used to paint over the 1'x1'x1/4" hardware cloth plugging my exhaust vent.
 
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