You might be wondering how to spray paint your old pc case like a pro and get a silky smooth painted case finish. You might also be put off and think it’s too hard, but, I’m here to show you – it’s easy as 1,2,3 (and maybe a little elbow grease).
What do I need to spray my pc case?
Good question; Over here in the UK, the supplies required to spray paint my old pc case cost me £30 ($50 USD). A lot less than a new PC case that’s for sure! If you are spraying a brand-new PC you can likely get away with not using a primer but, if you want that professional, clean finish, don’t skip it.
| Item | Description | Amazon Link |
|---|---|---|
| Isopryl Alcohol | Isopryl is a great multipurpose cleaner and antibacterial solution. It will sanitize all surfaces, remove any contaminants and leave any surfaces on your pc case, perfectly prepared for spray painting. | Link |
| Microfibre cloth | Microfibre cloths are great for picking up loose dust and cleaning the case. Do not be wiping your components with them though – they have a tendency to hold strong static charges. | Link |
| High-build Filling primer | Filling primer is great for filling in any scrapes and marks the case might have acquired over the years of use. It also provides a great surface for the spray paint to stick to. | Link |
| Colored Spray Paint | Any brand of spray paint will do | Link |
How to Spray Paint Your PC Case in Six Steps
Are you ready to get creative and start painting your case? Reviving your old PC case with spray paint is as easy as these six.
Step One: Remove Old Components
I’m pretty sure that you we don’t remove the components, you might have a few issues with things not working, don’t you? Let’s go ahead and get the components out of the case ready for preparation and spray painting your PC case.
Step Two: Prepare the case for Spraying
Before we can spray the gaming PC case, you need to remove any dust, particles and surface contaminants before moving on. Here is my checklist for cleaning up my client’s cases.
- Get an old sock, place it over the end of the Hoover pipe and clear out any big dust balls are particles
- Grab a lint-free, microfibre cloth and give the case a quick wipe around
- Give the same cloth a bang to remove any dust, and apply some ISOPRYL to the cloth
- Clean the entire case with the isopropyl alcohol helping to remove old dirt and contaminants.
Step Three: Lightly sand the surfaces
Even if you have a brand new case, it is always wise to give things a light paper sanding. You want a really fine grit, nothing that will leave big gauges in the metal. Anything too deep will be extremely hard to cover up – even with primer.
You can choose to skip this step, but in my personal experience, the result is worth the extra effort to sand your PC case.
Step Four: Lay down thin coats of filling primer
To get a really smooth finish, a couple of thin layers of filling primer will create a lovely smooth surface for the spray paint to adhere too. Don’t apply thick coats as this will create an uneven finish and potentially ruin the end result; three thin coats are better than one thicker coating.
Make sure to not let the spray paint fully dry between applications. Why? Applying the next coat while the previous is still ‘tacky’ will allow the layers of paint to bond properly and avoid any flaking as the painted case ages. If you wait until coats are fully dried before adding the next, you will run the risk of peeling and flaking – you have been warned.
Step Five: Spray the case
Just like the previous step, thinner spray paint coats will result in a smoother finish. It will also cure faster, which will let you get the job done faster.
Pro tip: If you want an ultra-glossy finish, get some wet and dry sandpaper and give it a light rub between each coat. To use wet and dry, you will need to apply a light mist of water to the surface. Once done, clean the surface again and apply a high gloss lacquer after.
Step Six: Put the case back together
Get the case put back together, but don’t forget to let the spray paint adequately cure; otherwise, you will end up with your paint peeling, sticking and other things you don’t want on your freshly spray-painted pc case.
Helped alot thx