Painting a shield
We sell plenty of pre-painted shields, but we also offer unpainted shields for you to customize to your own liking. The materials of these unpainted shields vary and can need different types of paints.
Painting a wooden shield
Our unpainted wooden shields are all covered in a layer of linen, some have a white base paint on them, some don’t.
The best paints to use for these shields are acrylics.
If your design consists of only colour blocks, you can first draw on the placement of the blocks with pencil. Then you can fill in each section with its own colours. You can use one (thin) coat to let the base colour shine through for a more shabby effect. Or you can paint multiple thin layers for full coverage.
If you want a more detailed design, such as a coat of arms, it can be more practical to first paint the full front in the base colour. You can then draw on the design with pencil and fill in the design with the right colour paints using a smaller brush.
Most of these shields are also white on the inside, so you could also paint the inside if you prefer.
To make the paint job more weather resistant, you can finish it off with a layer of varnish or waterproofing spray for acrylic paint.
Painting a steel shield
Our unpainted steel shields come with a rust-resistant primer coat. You can paint your own design on top of this primer.
To paint on a steel shield it’s recommended to use a metal paint. Metal paints are available in water-based and oil-based varieties, which will both work, but each have their own pros and cons. Water-based metal paints are easier to work with, but oil-based metal paints will have a longer lasting result.
Painting the design on the shield will work the same as with wooden shields, just using different paints. Metal paints can be a bit thicker, but can also be diluted. Water-based metal paint can be diluted with water and oil-based metal paint with mineral spirits.
Metal paint takes about 36 to 48 hours to cure. Make sure the shield isn’t in a space that has extreme temperatures or is lying in direct sunlight.
Metal paints don't need to be varnished afterwards.
You can find our unpainted shields here