Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint
I’m back, but only for a minute  because I’m working hard on transforming our pinky-beige bonus room into an art and craft studio fit for an art show! This is compounded by the fact that the room has many angles and dormers. Who knew that such a small room would take FOREVER to paint! Gah.

Do you have a brass ceiling fan cluttering the view on your ceiling? It is hard to imagine getting rid of a perfectly good ceiling fan. Especially if you live in a hot climate like we do. Ceiling fans are our salvation in the heat of the summer. But, they aren’t always the most attractive things.

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint

I encourage you not to rid your home of a perfectly good fan if it still works. Instead, why not paint it? AND, even if your blades are white, I’m going to show you a trick that will help make that fan almost disappear on the ceiling. 😉

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

 

Instructions:

Start by unscrewing the fan blades from the fan motor. Use a cordless drill for speed or just a phillips head screwdriver.

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint

Remove the brass cover from the bottom of the fan. (My fan has a bolt on top of the motor and the screw head underneath.) Obviously if the entire fan is brass, you’ll need to shut off the power and take the entire fan down.

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint

Set all the screws aside in a bowl (and out of the way of wrestling boys! Ahem.)

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint

Unscrew the three screws holding the arm to each fan blade. Store the screws in the bowl with the others.

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint

Remove the dust screen from the bottom plate (if your fan has one.) Wipe it clean and set it aside.

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint

Clean the fan blades, arms, and the brass bottom cover well with a damp rag and some multi-purpose spray cleaner if necessary.

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint

Take the metal arms and the bottom plate outside to spray paint. Lay them on a tarp or drop cloth. Spray one to two coats of KILZ primer onto the fan parts.

Let the primer dry. Then follow up with Rustoleum white spray paint. (Side note: I spritz a little Rustoleum Heirloom white onto the bottom cover to help it match the rest of the fan which was a slight off-white color.)

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint

Take your ceiling paint and roll it onto one side of the fan blades. Let the paint dry. Gently sand the blade to remove any burrs or bumps. Add a second coat of paint.

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint

After all the fan parts have dried. Reassemble your fan. Start by putting the dust screen back into the fan cover.

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint

Then re-attach the bottom cover of the fan motor. (This proved to be the most difficult part of the entire project. Lining up the bolts with the hole on top took some patience.)

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint

Reassemble your ceiling fan blades and then attach the arms to the fan with the freshly painted fan blades facing the floor.

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint

That looks much better, don’t you think?

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint

Having your ceiling and fan blades painted the same flat white color helps the blades blend into the ceiling and almost disappear.

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint

It also helps that I painted the ceiling the same white as the fan blades. I am not going to miss that flesh colored ceiling (and walls.)

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint
The best part is that I didn’t have to buy a new fan, spend time installing it and worry about the old fan ending up in the landfill!

And now, it’s back to work for me. See ya’ later gator.

Update Your Ceiling Fan with Paint

 

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  1. lauran
    lauran says:

    great great site i have a chrome long pole fan in a living room with high ceilings
    i hate the chrome but i do not want to purchase another one
    i would like to paint it bronze or a copper color
    i found this site and hope i can do this project where it will look perfect.
    thanks keep your fingers crossed and ill let you know how it comes out.

    Reply

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