Asked on Apr 23, 2018
Spray paint on bird baths.
+4
I am going to paint two bird baths. One with Krylon Sea Glass spray paint and the other with Rust-oleum Multicolor Textured Spray paint. My son says that it will poison the birds if I paint the bath part. I told I didn't think it would, but I would check.
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It shouldn't hurt them. My mom painted her cement birdbath every year and she had loads of birds all the time.
Usually an epoxy type paint is used on birdbaths. It is also supposed to be able to withstand the constant water.
https://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-paint-a-concrete-birdbath-properly
If you choose to paint a bird bath, leave the interior of the basin unpainted or use waterproof, wildlife-friendly sealant over the paint coat.
If you would like to paint a birdbath, you must use a paint that can hold up in any type of weather. Since the paint of a birdbath also faces constant exposure to water, a waterproof paint is even more essential to a lasting paint job.
Painting the Bath
After you apply at least two coats of primer to a birdbath, you can paint the bath as you would paint any other surface. Apply an oil-based outdoor paint to the bath with a paintbrush as evenly as you can, and allow the paint to dry for 24 hours. Once the paint dries, cover the birdbath in an additional coat. If the color is as dark as you want it, you can then finish the bath before adding water.
Finishing the Bath
Most exterior paints are made so that they dry with a weather-resistant surface that is more difficult to chip or water damage than indoor paints, but these paints, and any concrete stains, should be further waterproofed to prevent the paint or stain from entering the water of the birdbath. Apply a waterproof sealant, such as polyurethane, which is safe for birds according to Tufts University, over the finished paint job once it dries on the bird bath in an even coat. These sealants dry clear, or nearly clear, so won't alter the paint color on the birdbath.
I used Rustoleum spray paint on a metal bird bath. I tried it twice — once with a clear top coat, but the paint bubbled. I just contacted Rustoleum Customer Support and was told that Rustoleum is not meant to be submerged in water. That is why it is bubbling. Does anyone know what paint will work on bird baths?
Hey Trish Spagnuolo. Any brand of water based polyurethane will work. Not oil based. Your choice.