HOW TO PAINT A SOFA
and other Furniture Fabrics
with Fabric Spray Paints.

Painting on fabric covered furniture is, by far, the topic that we most frequently get asked about followed by "How many cans will I need?"  People wanting to save some money by painting instead of reupholstering may be able to with Simply Spray fabric paint.  Simply Spray fabric paint works great to add designs to furniture and cover smaller pieces like cornices and chairs. Simply Spray is non-toxic, water-based, water soluble while wet, and cleans up easy with soap and water until the paint has air cured.  

Allways Test a Hidden Area Before Painting Entire Piece.

Important painting on furniture fabric information and disclaimer.  The new upholstery fabric paints were specifically designed for users to decorate furniture. The can size is 8 oz.  It covers about 20 to 30 square feet of flat white fabric.  Sofas and recliners have folds in the fabric and may use more paint to get all the nooks and crannies.  Sunshine  Simply Spray paints do not need heat setting and air cures nicely, making it wonderful for furniture in that way. Please understand that my experience does NOT extend into using the product on many of the different types of fabrics that are used in upholstery. I do know that vinyl and vinyl- type of fabrics are NOT paintable with fabric paint because vinyl was designed to resist any kind of staining.. Nylon and 100% polyester fabrics are also dye and paint resistant and the color has to be manufactured into the fibers themselves. Simply Spray will not work well on those fabrics.  

An easy test to see if the paint will not work is to sprinkle some water on the fabric.  If the water beads up it the paint will not work.  If is absorbs then you can proceed with a test.

  Results will vary, no matter what you use, so ALWAYS TEST the paint on a hidden area of the furniture, such as the bottom of a seat cushion or pillow.

If you wish to try Simply Spray paints on your furniture, I recommend that you first purchase one can and try it on a hidden area. When you see that it works you order more fabric paint. Measure the test area to determine coverage that you got from the 8 oz can.  Coverage varies by material, coverage and user.  Then you will have and idea how much paint to do your whole sofa, love seat or divan. Always test Simply Spray Fabric Paint on a hidden area first also.  After waiting 3 days rub the test area down with a white terry cloth to insure that it has dried completely and has taken to your fabric.  Sunshine Joy can not be held responsible for furniture you paint.  Always make sure the results are dry and permanent before sitting on in your white tuxedo or dress. 72 hours or more depending on humidity after it has been painted will allow furniture to be completely dry before allowing use of furniture again.  Wait one week to allow it to air cure before attempting any cleaning.  If necessary clean with mild soap & water or a mild type of furniture cleaner. Test all cleaners first.  Any patterns or colors on the furniture may come through.  Dark colors work best.  

After the paint has dried for 3 days take a white terry cloth towel and give your piece a good rubdown.  This will test to make sure it is completely dry and soften it up.  You may notice that furniture with a thick nap may need some touching up.

Yardage Chart to help determine # of cans for your project.
1 Yard = 1 Can or less used properly.

We suggest that you vacuum your furniture very well and insure that it is dry before painting.

Allow the sofa to dry completely indoors before exposing to the elements.  You may have seen the home improvement TV show where they left the sofa outside overnight only to be ruined by the rain.  You can use Simply Spray on outdoor patio furniture and awnings.  It will withstand the sun and rain as well as any paint can.

So after all that you may ask.  "Will Simply Spray work on my sofa?"  Answer  Maybe so, maybe not.  Most likely yes unless it is a shiny material.  However you need to test first.

Test Test Test Test Test

And you also may ask.  "How many cans will it take to do my sofa?"  Answer.  Each sofa is different size and fabric material.  You will have to do a test to see if it works on your project first.  During the test you need to measure a section to determine the coverage yield on your piece of furniture."

If you have any other questions or would like to know how much dirt is in a hole please call 1-877-769-8800 10 am to 5:30 pm Eastern Time.

We hope this answered your question on how to paint a couch.