The Best Gold Spray Paint Out There!
Frustrated with trying to find the best gold spray paint? We share tests on eight products to help you pick your favorite without having to buy them all!
Finding the best gold spray paint for your project can get really frustrating. I know… I have been there.
You make a decision based on what the spray paint can lid looks like at the store, but when you get home and try it, it is completely different, and you wish you could have tried it out before buying it.
Even though I have rarely had any luck picking a can of gold spray judging by the color of its cap, through personal experience I have managed to narrow it down to a couple of favorites over the years.
I already had four cans in my spray paint arsenal from all the trials I have done in the past, but I bought and tested four more popular options to experiment with the options and find the best gold paint to share with you!
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Candidates for the Best Gold Spray Paint
The Testing Process
I bought a bunch of mini terracotta pots to use as the test vehicle and sprayed each pot in a Homeright spray shelter.
I put the pots on a piece of scrap wood, which made it easier to pick them up and move them out of the way to dry while I painted the next pot.
By the way, this is my favorite spray paint trigger
To control the experiment variables, here are the basic rules I followed:
- All pots were spray painted outside on the same day and within the same hour to control for any temperature/humidity variations.
- All pots got two light coats of spray paint without drying time between the applications.
- All photographs were taken at the same time with the same camera settings.
- None of the pictures have been digitally retouched aside from cropping.
Comparison of Gold Spray Paints
Here is a lineup of all the pots with their corresponding paint can. Right off the bat, you can see that there are quite a few variations in color, hue, and brightness. So, I decided to make smaller groups based on their shade and finish for a more in-depth comparison.
Best Metallic Gold Spray Paint
1- Design Masters | 4 – Rustoleum Metallic | 2 – Krylon Premium metallic
Each of these turns out as shiny gold spray paint with a lot of reflectivity, and as such, they would be the best type of gold spray paint for metal-looking objects.
This is the first time I have used Design Master’s spray paint, and I have to say I was very impressed—especially with the uniform coat and quick drying time. In terms of color, it is nearly identical to Rustoleum Metallic. They would both make great classic-looking, antique gold spray paint for objects that you would want to appear the most authentically gold.
I would place the Krylon Premium Metallic last out of the three here, as it has a very yellow, almost artificial shine.
Best Matte Gold Spray Paint
5 – Rustoleum Universal Metallic | 6 – Krylon Dual
These two are definitely matte gold and pretty true to their cap colors. They would be great for applications where you want brushed gold spray paint to achieve a sophisticated matte, brushed metal look.
One thing I like about Krylon Dual, which is unfortunately hard to make out in these photos, is that tiny specks of gold are embedded in the spray to give it dimension. It also has a more true gold color than the Rustoleum Universal, which is a bit on the green-yellow side.
Best Rose Gold Spray Paint
6- Krylon ColorMaster | 3- Valspar Metallic | 7- Krylon Metallic
The caps for these three are definitely misleading, as they all have a distinct rose tint. They really should be called rose gold spray paints.
The Krylon paints look identical, with no difference in color tone and shine. The Valspar Metallic looks a lot more matte, which I personally prefer. If I needed to use rose gold spray paint, I would definitely go with the Valspar Metallic. The only issue is that the can didn’t spray very cleanly, so I am hoping I just got a bad can.
Which Gold Spray Paint Is the Best?
For applications where I need authentic gold, I would definitely go for the Design Master or Rustoleum Metallic. The Rustoleum Metallic is actually what I have been using in most of my projects up until now, so I am excited to have found another great option!
For matte gold, my personal pick would be the Krylon Dual for its color and finish, and if I needed a rose gold spray paint, I would opt for the Valspar Metallic.
That being said, each gold paint spray I tested out was good in its own right, and they all had excellent coverage in just 2 light coats, meaning they should all hold up well regardless of whether you’re looking for the best gold spray paint for metal, a gold spray paint for plastic, or a good gold spray paint for wood.
Ultimately, you should use the above observations based on what is best for your individual preferences and your project’s needs.
Which one is your favorite? Are there any other gold spray paints I missed that you recommend? Let me know in the comments below, and hopefully, this article will help you with your next project!
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Anika's goal is to inspire and empower beginners with woodworking, DIY, home improvement, and home decor ideas.
She wants everyone to unlock their creative potential and experience the feeling that comes with making something. Nothing feels better better than seeing something and saying "I can make that!"
Interesting experiment, it’s amazing the different golds you can get. Personally, I love to use the Montanna Gold range of spray paints. I have however used Krylon before and was happy with it. The Montanna’s come in a huge variety of colours including a chrome gold. They are more likely to be found in art shops than DIY stores. I think it’s the spray paint of choice for graffiti artists.
I actually had Montana Gold on my list but was unable to find it in the stores around here. One of these days as soon as I find it, I will update the post!
I’ve never been very intentional when purchasing gold spray paint. Now I’ll be better prepared for my next gold project. Thanks so much for the tips. Pinning for future reference!
I love gold spray paint too. We have a huge shelf of spray paint in the garage as it’s the go to for almost everything! My fave is the metallic. Now what are you going to do with all these flower pots?!
What a great idea this is! I had purchased a lime green pot at a thrif you store and wanted to put some gold stripes on it. Sadly the gold I ended up with was more antique and it was ugly ugly ugly. Your tips would have saved that pot.
I recently made over a sad, little maple wood and marble lamp I found in my mom’s attic. I painted the original brass cap gold. I also painted an apple green table I got for $4 at Goodwill and a plastic pear I got at Dollar Tree. They were all going next to my new (to me) reading chair I bought for $35 at Salvation Army. Since I was creating a reading nook in my bedroom, I decided to go with a white and gold theme. I chose the paint at random and it was perfect! I used Rustoleum American Accents 2X Ultra Cover in Metallic Bright Gold. It had great coverage and a very smooth finish. The color is a true gold – not yellow or brassy or pink. I can’t wait to use it on my next project.
Hi Kim, Your nook looks very nice!! Thanks for sharing! I am glad you found a gold spray paint that works for you! I have had pretty good success with almost all of Rustoleum’s products!