How To Paint A Mantel

As you might remember from my spring living room tour, we have a new mantel and I’ve been toying with the idea of painting it. Welp, I did it. The best part? It doesn’t take long at all to paint a mantel. I did mine in one afternoon, and I’m so glad I did. The living room feels much brighter and more cohesive now.

Here’s how it looked before:

And here’s how it looks now:

I’ll show you the easiest way to paint a mantel quickly and smoothly. Let’s get started, shall we?

Mantel Painting Supplies

I painted the mantel the same color as the doors and trim in our house – SW Shiitake. I used Valspar Cabinet and Furniture Enamel from Lowes. This is also the same paint I used for our kitchen refresh – and it cures rock solid with the smoothest finish.

With any painting project, surface preparation is KEY to a smooth and lasting finish. Don’t cut corners on this step! I always use Heirloom Traditions Surface Prep – before I paint anything. It creates the perfect surface for your paint to adhere to. I just learned that it comes in wipes too! You can get them and all the tools I used directly off Amazon if you’re looking for faster delivery.

Here’s A Quick Supply List:

• Paint of your choice
• Surface Prep Wipes or Liquid
• Applicator Sponge (key for a fast, smooth finish!)
• Lint-free rags or damp paper towels(for cleanup)
• A paint tray or container(I used an old food storage container)
• A paper plate to offload your sponge
• A brush to apply the surface prep liquid(not necessary if you bought the prep wipes)
• Painter’s Tape

Step 1: Prep And Clean The Mantel

This step is crucial for a smooth and long-lasting finish. Begin by taping around your mantel to avoid getting paint or deglosser on your chimney/wall. The surface prep can etch porous surfaces like brick so you definitely only want to apply it directly on the mantel.

If you are using the liquid surface prep, apply with an old paintbrush. It will foam up slightly on your brush after a while. Just brush it on in sections over your mantel, let it ‘work’ for 30-60 seconds, then wipe off with a lint-free rag.

Step 2: Begin Painting

OKAY! Here’s the fun part. You can now begin to paint your mantel. Lightly dip your applicator sponge in the paint, then offload any excess onto a paper plate.

Wipe the paint along the top of the mantel in long, even strokes. The Valspar paint I used is self-leveling, so you won’t have any lines in your paint by the time we’re done with all the coats.

Continue wiping on paint in thin, even strokes until the whole mantel has a coat. It’s gonna look a little scary at this point, but don’t panic! It’ll get alot better, I promise!

Here it is after one coat – don’t be alarmed! This is normal.

Let the paint get dry to the touch(it’ll still be a bit tacky) before applying the second coat.

The second coat is looking alot better.

TIP: If paint comes up with your sponge or brush, it means that spot wasn’t dry enough for another coat. Move on to another place and come back to it later.

It took three coats of Valspar paint to evenly cover my mantel. The finish is satiny smooth and glossy – exactly the look I wanted! The sponge leaves no brush lines so the finish is flawless.

Finished Painted Mantel

After only a couple of hours of work, here’s the final result! Definitely a quick and rewarding project. I let the mantel cure for a few days before putting anything on it, but it’ll still be soft for a few weeks. Patience pays off here – don’t immediately rush out and put things on your freshly painted mantel – it’ll scratch.

Painting A Mantel – An Easy Update

Painting a mantel is such an easy and high impact home improvement project. Just remember – it’s only paint. If you don’t like it, change it! Have you ever painted your mantel? If so, I’d love to see pics! Happy Nesting, y’all!