Upcycle Fan

If you are like me, you shop online or go through magazines often. When you do, you sigh heavily over things you love but can't afford.  So when I find an opportunity to upcycle something I already have, or can buy cheaply, and make it look expensive I'm all for it. 

My apartment does not have central AC, we have window units and box fans.  My window units aren't the most effective; they blow out cool air but can't properly ventilate the room.  Enter bedside fan.

In the somewhat oppressive New Orleans heat, I find it essential to have moving air while I sleep.




(so I forgot to take a before picture, please use this picture as an example of what my fan looked like before I painted it)



This fan is fine and all, but doesn't have a lot of pizazz.  I like pizazz. 

Enter Pinterest and a tutorial by Starr Family Blog.

Now my fan looks like this!


After!


Look how much pizazz it has now!

This is super basic to accomplish.

Steps

1. Find a spray paint color that you love that will enhance the color palette already in your room.
2. Take apart your fan.  All the components should unscrew without any extra tools.  I had 6 pieces in total (front grate, cap for fan blade, fan blade, cap for back grate, back grate, base).
3. Wrap your cord in painters tape to protect it.
4. Lay out your newspaper/drop cloth and place your fan pieces on it.
5. Get to spray painting! At least two coats on each side.

Tips

Try to spray paint when there is little to no moisture in the air.  The more humid the atmosphere the longer it will take to dry, the gummier the paint will be, and the paint will be much more likely to clump.
If you live somewhere like I do, you just have to hedge your bets, keep an eye on the weather, and try to wait until a dry spell happens.

Keep an eye out for the crevices.  There are sneaky little areas you might forget about: the edges of the blades, the pivot spaces on the base, and the edges of the grates.

My paint did clump a little on the front grate, but I kind of like it.  It gives it a bit of texture.  If you really hate it you can cut a cover out of scrapbook paper, fabric, or sand it down and start over again!


I haven't had any problems with the gears gunking up, the fan not rotating properly, or a weird smell.
Good luck with spray painting and upcycling your own fans!