Fourth of July DIY: Metallic Faux Firework Sparklers

Modern Masters
by Modern Masters
10 Materials
$30
2 Hours
Easy
It’s time to fire up your Fourth of July with Stars & Stripes! Decorative Artist Mary Childs shares a Modern Masters DIY Metallic Faux Sparklers with lots of Independence Day flair.
Here's what you'll need for this project:
  • Modern Masters Metallic Paint in Oyster, Venetian Blue, Sashay Red, and Silver
  • 2″ PVC Plumbing tubes. Your local hardware store can cut the tubes into assorted sizes: 4″, 6″, 8″, and 10″.
  • 220 Grit Sandpaper
  • Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3® Primer Spray
  • 1″ and 2″ Brushes and a 1/2″ Stencil Brush
  • 1″ Blue Painters Tape
  • Star Stencil
  • Styrofoam
  • 1/2″ thick white rope
  • Hot Glue Gun
  • Bang, Boom, and Pop sticky letters.
  • Clean Rags and Newspaper
Cover your working area with the newspaper. Lightly sand all tubes, including the ends. Wipe all tubes with a clean, damp rag to remove any sanding dust and let dry. Spray all the tubes with the primer and let dry overnight.
Use the 2″ brush to paint each tube with 2 – 3 coats of Oyster Metallic Paint. Let dry 30 minutes between layers and allow to fully dry after the last opaque layer.
As you’re doing several of these, please feel free to vary up the patterns to taste! Tape off all areas to be painted Venetian Blue Metallic Paint or the Sashay Red Metallic Paint and be sure to burnish all taped edges so that no paint leaks through. Apply 2 – 3 coats of your first Metallic Paint color with the 1″ brush. Let dry 30 minutes between coats and allow the final opaque layer to dry at least 2 hours. Repeat this same process with the second Metallic Paint color of choice.
Position the star stencil over the Venetian Blue Metallic Paint and tape in place. Stencil the design with the stencil brush and the Silver Metallic Paint. Repeat until desired pattern is achieved. Let dry 30 minutes.
Fill one end of each tube with a piece of Styrofoam and hot glue into place. Apply a piece of the rope to the center of the Styrofoam and glue into place. (This will be your ‘fuse’!) Paint the fuse base the either with the Venetian Blue Metallic Paint or Sashay Red Metallic Paint. Take your Bang, Pop, and Boom letters and arrange them on your desired pieces. Artfully arrange your decor pieces for your Fourth of July event and enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
  1 question
Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 23 comments
  • Lisa West Lisa West on Jul 04, 2019

    How adorable. They look like fire crackers or roman candles. Very cute. My fiance thinks they are coop to. Please keep sharing these cute little projects. I want to make pumpkins and jack o lanterns out of PVC pipe. Think they would look so cute on the side walk or window. What do you think.

  • Betty Sutton Smith Betty Sutton Smith on Jul 04, 2019

    Yes I would live this and carry farther for snowmen or santas it would last a lot longer than with paper towel rolls ugh . THANKS !! GOOD BRAINSTORMING IDEAS

Next