The Best White Spray Paint and Wax Combinations

We’re sharing the best white spray paint and wax combinations to help make painting home décor accessories quick and easy today!

A few weeks ago, I had a sweet reader (Thank you Cheryl) ask about the color of the large tile in our kitchen. It’s a metal piece I picked up from Kirkland’s years ago.

It’s so neutral we’ve used it all over the house.

The large tile is currently on top of the coffee bar in our breakfast nook. I love the creamy white meets oatmeal color against the shiplap in our kitchen painted in Valspar’s Bistro White.

Cheryl had a similar piece she wanted to paint and update. After sharing a few of my favorite colors with her, I thought it would be fun to share the best white spray paint and wax combinations in one post with you too.

While spray paint is one of the easiest and most budget-friendly ways to *update* furniture and home décor accessories.

Adding a layer of dark wax is one of the quickest ways to *age* furniture and home décor accessories. Especially, those pieces you find at charity shops and thrift stores!

Several months ago, I picked up a few inexpensive urns while out treasure hunting. These gold urns were .75 each…

and these dark bronze urns were $3.00 each.

They both had really pretty lines and I knew immediately they were the perfect height for a set of urns I found at Hobby Lobby years ago.

Inspired by Cheryl’s question, I bought a few extra cans of white spray paint to give them an inexpensive transformation.

It took just a few hours (including drying time) to give these thrift store urns a makeover!

Here’s a look at the best white spray paint and wax combinations for home décor accessories….

Basic Spray-Painting Guidelines:

• Before you get started, make sure you’re using the right spray paint for your specific project material.
• Read the label carefully to see how long your project will take to dry and how you can best take safety precautions and care.
• Spray paint in a well-ventilated area.
• Be sure your pots, urns or containers are clean and free from dirt, and debris.

You can find more detailed instructions and information in this post, Spray Painting 101: Simple Tips and Tricks.

Rust-Oleum Spray Paint White (Flat Finish)

Rust-Oleum White in a Flat finish is easy to use no matter if you’re a beginner or a veteran spray painter. It’s one of my favorite colors because you can layer it with clear wax, colored wax, dark wax, or chalk paint.

Given pieces with true patina have been naturally aged by weather and other elements, I try to paint one piece lighter than the other whenever I have a set.

That way, they don’t look exactly the same once you layer additional wax or paint to DIY our own patina.

These small urns have been spray painted with one coat of Flat White. Then slightly distressed using 220-grit sandpaper. And aged with a touch of dark paste wax.

Rust-Oleum Universal Spray Paint in White (Satin Finish)

The bronze urns were really dark. So, I used Rust-Oleum White in Satin as a base coat.

Then I added a coat of Americana Chalky Finish Paint by DecoArt in Primitive. Once the gray paint was dry, I added a coat of dark paste wax.

Just a heads up, it took several tries before the wax took to the satin finish.

Consider lightly sanding your pieces with a fine-grit sandpaper, like 220-grit, or use a sanding block, to give the paint a little tooth before adding additonal layers of paint or wax.

Rust-Oleum Spray Paint in Almond (Gloss Finish)

These planters were painted in different colors because I used them in two different vignettes. I really wanted to reunite them though.

I started with a base coat of Rust-Oleum in Almond. As you can see, it definitely has a yellow undertone. It’s almost the color of buttercream icing.

This is how it looks once you add the dark paste wax.

And this is what it looks like when you use a fine detail art brush to dry brush Americana Chalky Finish Paint by DecoArt in Primitive into all the nooks and crannies.

The gloss finish was super slippery, so you’ll have to lightly sand this one as well.

Unless you like a really distressed or aged look, I wouldn’t recommend using gloss finish spray paints with wax. It’s a lot of extra and unnecessary work, in my honest opinion.

Other White Spray Paint Colors and Wax Combinations To Try…

Rust-Oleum Spray Paint in Heirloom White (Satin Finish) + Dark Wax

This post, How to Easily Paint and Age a Silver Serving Tray features another one of our favorite white spray paint colors and wax combinations!

In fact, Heirloom White was so popular among the vendors of the antique store we used to have a booth in, we would buy multiple cans at a time because we never wanted to run out.

If I could only choose two cans of paint on this list to pair with dark paste wax it would be Flat White or Heirloom White!

Rust-Oleum Universal Spray Paint and Primer in French Cream (Matte Finish) + Valspar’s Faint Maple + Annie Sloan Chalk Paint French Linen + Dark Wax

We were just about to wrap up the kitchen makeover as part of the One Room Challenge when I needed a little something to go on our kitchen island.

Believe it or not, this vase was mustard yellow before we used French Cream on the body of the vase and Faint Maple, French Linen, and Dark Wax on the details.

French Cream is also a really pretty color that goes with everything! You can read all about that transformation in this post, A Quick and Easy Vase Makeover.

Rust-Oleum Textured Spray Paint in Caribbean Sands

This was one of the first times I had ever used a textured spray paint. It was definitely easier than I thought it would be. The color is a creamy, textured white with just a hint of yellow.

You can read all about the process of transforming ordinary paint cans in this post, How to Create Crock Inspired Paint Cans. You can also learn how to add your own graphics too!

Valspar Color Radiance Spray Paint in Rivera Dune + Dark Wax (to highlight the details)

I found this vase at a thrift store while we were at the cabin, and I knew immediately my Mom would love it. The only problem was that it was a really, really bad brown.

Thankfully we were able to turn things around with a classic white spray paint and wax combination. The body of this piece is spray painted in Riviera Dune. Then we highlighted the garland swag with dark wax.

You can read more about, How to Easily Update a Thrift Store Vase here.

Krylon Chalky Finish Spray Paint in White

Our post, How to Make a Faux Milk Glas Cake Stand is one of our most popular. We spray painted the individual pieces with Krylon Chalky Finish Spray Paint in White and it looks like milk glass!

These cake stands are not only easy to decorate with they also help to add height to vignettes, tablescapes, and party tables too. We use them in every season!

Krylon Spray Paint in Dover White + Americana Chalky Finish Paint by DecoArt in Primitive + Dark or Clear Wax

We made these Dollar Tree Glass Glitter Pumpkins last year using Krylon Spray Paint in Dover White. Dover White is also a creamy white that compliments dark wax, clear wax, color wax and paint.

While these glass glitter pumpkins look involved they couldn’t have been easier to create!

A Great Time to Start…

Now is a great time to give the home decor accessories you’ve been wanting to paint an update. Especially, if you’ve always wanted to try clear, colored or dark wax!

You don’t have to start with anything big like a chair or piece of furniture. If you’re new to painting or just want to freshen things up, try a vase, a picture frame, an urn or a garden pot.

It doesn’t have to be perfect at all, you just have to get started!

We hope these white spray paint and wax combinations have helped to make painting home décor accessories easier. Let us know your favorite white spray paint color and what projects you’re working on this season! Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

Many blessings,

CoCo