Wood or faux wood blinds provide an elegant look to any room. but they can fade over time or not match the color of the room anymore. Instead of replacing faded wood or faux wood blinds, consider painting them. Painting wood blind involves removing the slats to avoid painting the strings. Follow these tips to give your wooden blinds a makeover:

Get Ready to Paint

To paint the blinds, you need:

• work gloves
• drop cloths
• microfiber cloths
• feather duster (optional)
• liquid dish detergent or lemon oil
• pencil
• scissors
• clothes pin
• flat-blade screwdriver
• eye hooks {optional)
• paint brushes
• paint remover (optional)
• shellac spray primer
• acrylic paint

Shut the blinds, and go over the individual blind slat surface from left to right with a microfiber cloth or feather duster to remove debris. Open the blinds, and clean the other side.

Position the slats until they nearly close, and wipe them with a small amount of lemon oil or water mixed with liquid dish detergent, and avoid getting the wood too wet. Dry each slat with a clean cloth.

Remove the Slats

Number the slats in order on the blinds, or the blinds may not operate correctly. Raise the lower rail, detach the caps or pegs with a screwdriver, and set them aside. Remove the strings from the peg holes, cut the knot on the bottom, and detach the lower rail. Gather the strings together, and secure them with a clip or clothespin, so they won't knot, then slide the slats off

Prime and Paint Slats

Spread a drop cloth over the work area, and raise a window to ventilate. If you have a low ceiling, hang the slats with an eye hook to make painting easier. If the blinds have been painted, strip the paint with a paint remover.

Coat the slats with the shellac primer, and let them dry, then prime the other side. Shellac primer bonds well with wood or wood finishes, since it is a mixture of oil and water.

Add a coat of paint with the paintbrush on one side of the slats, and let them dry. Repeat on the other side, and paint the edges. If you feel adventurous, sponge paint the blinds, but try the technique on cardboard first.

After the slats dry, attach the slats to the strings in the order you removed them. Reinsert the strings in the peg holes, secure the slats with a knot at the end of the string, and reconnect the bottom rail and pegs.

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