8 Things in Your Home You Should Never Paint, According to Experts

While painting walls and cabinets is a great way to upgrade the look and feel of your space on a budget, there are some things in your home that should never be painted. Knowing which household items and fixtures to skip for DIY painting projects can save you a lot of time and money down the line. To help you avoid future mishaps, we asked home experts which items to avoid next time you want to paint.

Bathtubs

Replacing a bathtub is expensive, especially if it's purely for aesthetic purposes. While you may find yourself tempted to paint it instead, doing so would be a big mistake. “The paint will eventually start to peel because of the water, and you’ll find yourself swimming in paint particles," says interior designer Anaïs Chaumien.

Faucets

If you want to change up your bathroom or kitchen, painting your faucet is not the way to do it. “Due to the frequency faucets are used, and how often they meet water, it’s recommended to never paint them,” says Gary McCoy, a store manager at Lowe’s. Not only will the paint chip quickly, but with a kitchen faucet, paint particles can end up in your water and on your dishes, which poses a safety hazard as much as a cosmetic issue.

Tile and Tile Backsplash

While some paints work well on tile, many do not, which is why both Chaumien and McCoy caution against painting tile or tile backsplash. “Because it is not made of paint-adhesive materials, tile backsplash is a tricky material to paint over,” says McCoy. Exposure to heat and water will cause the paint to chip quickly if it's not designed for painting tiles.

Electrical Appliances

If you want fun and colorful kitchen appliances, leave it to the manufacturers. McCoy recommends against painting any of your home appliances, as they aren't typically made of paint-adhesive material, which means the paint won’t stick to the surface.

Hardwood Floors

One of the fastest ways to permanently damage your hardwood floors is by painting them. “If you’re lucky enough to have hardwood floors, make sure to highlight them,” says Chaumien. Opt for a stain that shows off their natural beauty, or cover them with something that won’t damage them, like a large area rug.

Dishware

While painting your dishware may seem like a fun way to elevate a dull set, doing so can be dangerous. Traditional paint contains chemicals that can be toxic or make you sick if you eat or drink them, says McCoy, so you should never try painting your dishes. Additionally, dishes and cookware are often exposed to high heat and water pressure, which will inevitably cause the paint to chip.

Hardware

If you want to change up the look of your knobs, pulls, and hinges, replace them instead of painting them. “The material for these items is not porous, meaning they would not absorb the paint well and easily chip,” says McCoy. There are plenty of affordable and beautiful hardware options you can swap for your existing ones.

Leather and Upholstered Furniture

While it's true that there are experts who are trained to properly paint leather and other materials used for upholstering furniture, inexperienced DIYers should not attempt it. Improperly painting these materials can ruin them, and it is often a permanent change to your furniture, says McCoy. If you really want to paint your furniture, he recommends consulting an experienced professional.