Spray paint is the quickest, most convenient way to finish a paint job with little to no prep or clean up time. No messy dripping buckets and brush cleaning necessary!
When planning for any project, it’s good to have an idea of how much money you will need for the materials. Before going out to buy a can of spray paint for your next project, you might want to know more about how much you should expect to spend on paint.
Read on to find out what can influence the price of spray paint, how much you should expect to spend, and where to get spray paint for low prices.
The price of spray paint can vary based on the type of paint, quality, and where you buy it. Amazon and Walmart are good places to find a wide variety of spray paint at good prices, while Michaels, Ace Hardware, and Home Depot are good for specific types of paints. To save money, consider buying paint in bulk.
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How Much is a Can of Spray Paint?
The cost of spray paint is important to consider when planning a project. There are many types of spray paint. This and some other important factors, such as how much paint you need and where you buy it will impact how much you spend.
The price per can varies a lot based on the type and quality of the paint as well as where you buy it. In general, it is safe to expect a price per spray paint can somewhere in the range of $5 to $16 per can when making an estimate.
While it can be tempting to go for the cheapest can of paint, it is also important to look for good quality. For many cheap brands, the low price is reflected in low-quality paint as well as poorly built cans. The lower price often isn’t worth it if you have to deal with a defective nozzle or a streaky paint job!
If you are planning to use a lot of spray paint or to do so frequently, it might be worth it to invest in a spray paint handle adapter. These will make it easier to deal with fussy nozzles and can save you time and stress while painting.
If you know that you will need many cans of paint for a project, buying in bulk can save you a lot of money. Look for multi-packs of 3 or more cans and you can end up saving a good percentage per can.
How Much Do Different Types of Spray Paint Cost?
Just like any other paint, spray paint comes in a variety of formulas with different finishes, durability, and features. The average price also varies quite a bit from type to type.
General-purpose spray paint is a good choice for art projects and can be used on many different surfaces. It can be found in many different colors and finishes (such as metallic, glossy, and matte) which makes it a very versatile option. General-purpose paints tend to be less expensive, usually around $3-$8 per can.
One of the strongest types is epoxy spray paint. This type of paint is very popular due to its high durability. It has a high adhesive and polymer content that helps it stand up to water, chemicals, stains, and scratching. A good quality epoxy tends to be on the higher side of the price range, normally between $10-$15 per can.
Another popular form of spray paint is high heat spray paint. This type of paint has stronger polymer chains that keep the paint stable when faced with high temperatures when general-use paints would start to blister and peel. As with the other tougher paints, these also tend to be a bit more expensive and average around $10-$20 per can.
Chalkboard spray paint is a popular type of paint that is most often used in DIY home projects. When applied to any hard, smooth surface it can be transformed into a functional chalkboard. This type of paint is on the cheaper side, usually running between $5-$10 per can.
Cheapest Spray Paints
When you are looking for a good quality paint while also sticking to a budget, it can be tricky to find a paint that fits the bill. Here are some of my recommendations for different types of spray paint that are good quality while also not breaking the bank.
Krylon Colormaxx Spray Paint
Krylon Colermaxx spray paint is a general-purpose spray paint that can be used on most materials for a wide variety of projects. It has a glossy finish and built-in primer to eliminate an extra step in the painting process for you.
Colormaxx offers many different practical colors and some metallic options as well. This can be an excellent option for art projects, indoor crafts, or DIY projects.
While I think that this paint goes on quite well and the finished product looks great, the nozzle on the can could be a bit finicky. This led to some dripping and unevenness on the first coat. However, I do think that it was overall a good deal for the low price.
Rust-Oleum Enamel Spray Paint
Enamel spray paints are one of the strongest types. Rust-Oleum enamel spray paint is a pretty tough enamel paint that comes in a variety of colors as well. The price is also good for this relatively high quality of paint, especially when bought in a multi-pack.
I have found that this paint works extra well for outdoor projects such as lawn furniture. It holds for a long time even when exposed to the elements. However, it tends to lose the luster of its glossy finish after some time. So if you want an extra glossy finish you might want to follow up with a sealing topcoat.
Krylon High Heat Max Spray Paint
High heat paints are usually quite strong and durable against heat and weather, this is also reflected in higher than average prices. That being said, this Krylon heat-resistant spray paint is one of the lowest-priced high heat paints that I have tried and still holds up in terms of quality as well.
It works great for grills, car parts, radiators, or anything else that can reach pretty high temps. It has a smooth cover and glossy, satin finish. The main drawback is that the can can be a bit messy with some dripping while painting so it is a good idea to wear gloves and cover the floors while using it.
Rust-Oleum Chalkboard Spray Paint
This chalkboard spray paint is great for fun projects around the house, especially if you have kids! Any flat surface can be turned into a chalkboard. It works very well for kids’ bedroom walls or a DIY calendar and shopping list. The creative possibilities with a good chalkboard paint are endless.
Chalkboard paint in general tends to be a bit more expensive than normal spray paint. That being said, I found that this Rust-Oleum paint has a good price to quality balance. It can also be bought in a multipack to save some money per can.
For chalkboard projects, it is important to consider if spray paint or regular paint is a better choice for you. One issue I found with the chalkboard spray paint is that, when used indoors, it can be quite a bit messy and hard to clean up from surrounding areas.
If you can take your project outdoors for painting, then I would say that this spray paint is a convenient, time-saving option. If not, a regular brush on paint might be easier in the long run.
Krylon Metallic Finish Spray Paint
This metallic spray paint is a quick, easy way to get a sleek, shiny, and realistically metallic look on whatever you need to paint. The price is quite low considering how good the end results look. It goes on very smoothly and looks fantastic when finished.
The main drawback to this paint is that it is not the most durable spray paint. If you are painting something that will be touched often or placed outdoors you should also consider using a strong topcoat to seal the paint job and keep the smooth, shiny appearance over time.
Best and Cheapest Places to Get Spray Paint
Where you go to buy your spray paint can also affect how much you will end up spending. Stores vary a lot in the types of spray paint that they carry and the typical price range of their paints.
It is also good to consider buying paint online. If you only need one can, this can sometimes be the more pricey option, but if you need to buy in bulk there are many great deals on stores’ websites or on amazon. You can even end up saving a few dollars per can.
When buying anything online though there is the major disadvantage of not being able to see the product before you buy it.
For this reason, you might want to go in person to see the colors with your own eyes, get color samples, or inspect to see which nozzles seem more durable and easier to use.
Walmart
Walmart is one of the best places to go when you want to have many options to choose between. They normally have a large stock of spray paints so you can be sure to find something suitable for your projects.
Walmart’s prices also tend to be on the lower side, which is good if you are looking to save money. They also sell all of their products online, so you can order there or even just use the website to check reviews of the paints you are considering.
Ace Hardware
Ace Hardware usually has fewer options than bigger stores like Walmart, but they still have many types of spray paint. They are a great place to go if you are looking for a special type of paint such as heat resistant or rust preventative paints.
The prices at Ace are in the middle of the average range of spray paint prices. Their prices may not be the cheapest that you can find, but they are fair for the quality of their paint brands.
Home Depot
Similar to Walmart, Home Depot also has a wide variety of spray paint types and brands. They also usually carry more special types of spray paint such as metallic, chalkboard, and rust or heat resistant.
The prices for spray paint at home depot cover a wide range. They carry some inexpensive options as well as higher-priced brands.
Michaels
Finally, Michaels could be the place to go if you need spray paint for art or a DIY project. They have many color options in a variety of finishes like metallic, glossy, matte, or glittery. However, you won’t be able to find tougher paint types like heat resistant here.
Michaels’ prices for spray paint are also usually on the higher end of the spectrum. Here you can expect to pay between $8-$17 per can.
How Much Spray Paint Do I Need?
How much paint you need for a project plays a big role in how much you will spend. Depending on the type of paint and its quality, the coverage you can get from one can of spray paint can vary quite widely. On average, a 12-ounce can of spray paint should cover about 20 square feet.
How many layers of paint you will need is also important to take into consideration. If you are painting with a light color, especially to cover up a darker color underneath, you will likely need to apply more layers for full coverage, likely 3 to 4 layers. For darker colors, however, you might be ok with only 1 or 2 coats of paint.
For outdoor projects or frequently used objects, I always recommend also buying an extra can to be used later for touch-ups when the paint is chipped or fading.
Keep the extra can stored in your garage or basement so that it is ready to use whenever needed. This will save you a lot of trouble later trying to remember which paint you bought or trying to find a perfect color match.
Finally, if you know that you will need more than one can of spray paint to complete your project, it pays off to buy all of the cans at once in a multi-pack.
Sometimes it can be good to buy just one can first to test it out and make sure you like the color. However, if possible, buying in bulk is the best option for money-saving and could even save you a few dollars per can.
Final Thoughts
Spray paint prices can vary a lot depending on the type of the paint, the quality, and where you choose to buy it. For larger orders of spray paint, shopping online and ordering in bulk can save you lots of money.
In general, you should look for a brand of spray paint that balances a fair price with a good quality for your chosen project.
