Hi Ashley – You can generally paint acrylic spray paint over (well-cured) enamels without any issues at all. What was the name of the Rustoleum spray paint you used? I would see if they have a clear sealer in that product line.

The key to success and adhesion for paint as well as a sealer is to make sure the paint on the surface on the cauldron is truly dry. Sometimes it may feel dry to the touch, but the underside that is against the plastic cauldron may not be cured yet. If you spray when not fully dry, you can get wrinkling. Wait at least a few days before spraying especially if it is hot and humid where you live.

You could use Rustoleum Painter’s Touch 2X Ultra Cover 2X Ultra Cover Clear Spray. It is an acrylic. It comes in all finishes from matte to gloss. You can see it here: If you want a matte for a rustic look and want to use an enamel, check out Rustoleum Clear Enamel.

When using any spray sealer, make sure it is not too hot outside. Wait for the coolest time of the day to spray. Make sure to shake the can well and follow the directions on the can’s label. Keep the can upright as you spray – so get down low if the cauldron is on the ground or place on a dropcloth covered table if you want to stand and spray. More light coats are better than one thick one. I hope this helps your cauldron look amazing.

I’m doing a DIY project where I’m taking a plastic Cauldron and making it look Real and Old and Rusty. I painted the Cauldron using a Spray Paint that is Modified Alkyd (One from RustOleum) .

Can you tell me what kind of Sealer Spray I can use on top for sealing?

I keep reading different things mentioning that you shouldn’t/can’t use certain Clear Coats with certain Spray Paints. Like you can’t use Acrylic Spray paint with Enamel Based Spray paint for example.
So now I’m completely lost on which Clear Sealer to use with the Modified Alkyd based Spray Paint I used .
Any help would be MUCH appreciated!! Thanks

Hi Donald – Sorry to hear that the spray painted finish came out with uneven sheen. This most likely happened for one or two reasons. 1. The can was tilted when you were spraying. Always try to keep it upright. This may mean you need to raise the item on a dropcloth covered table or bend down to spray. The other problem could be that if it is too hot, the beads of spray paint coming out of the nozzle may dry before hitting the surface. This can cause even shiny paint to look matte or have texture.

To remedy the finish, you should sand over the surface gently with 100 grit sandpaper, followed by 220 grit to knock down the shiny sections and even out the finish, then respray. Also don’t forget to shake the can – ALOT.

Hi Deborah – Yes you can paint over a lacquered finish, but you need to sand the surface first. You want to rough it up a bit with 100 grit sandpaper to create some “tooth” for the new paint to grab onto. The easiest way to do this is placing the sand paper on a hand sanding block that you can buy at the home improvement store. Then clean the grit off well. Read the can’s label to check on drying time between coats as this is important as is the weather. You don’t want to spray when it is too hot outside as the paint may dry before hitting the surface and cause a sandy feeling finish.

You should also apply one or two thin coats of primer before painting. I think Montana makes one. Once the first coat is dry, spray another thin coat. Once dry, then spray in light coats until you get the coverage you want. I spray painted over chairs that had a shiny painted finish and wrote a post about it. If you haven’t read it already, here is a link to it to see what I did. The finish on all of the them has lasted for years. You can find the post here: https://bit.ly/2WnqfTV

Hi Kathryn – The paint should be dry and not sticky after 4 weeks. Did you use light coats? What brand of paint – was it water based or oil based?

Hi Karin – Sorry that I didn’t see your comment earlier. If you haven’t done anything more with the lampstands, I would go over them with 220 grit sandpaper to knock down some of the sheen from the sealer. Clean the surface and then spray over the area again. It is always best to wait at least 48 hours to respray over a first coat of paint or poly so the paint doesn’t wrinkle.

When spraying, make sure to move the can back and forth evenly as you spray over the area so you don’t create one section that looks different. You may want to simply add a coat all over them to keep the painted finish looking even. Then spray the sealer over it again once the paint is completely dry.