Is it OK to Spray Paint Natural Gourds?

[Lislou]

My husband bought our supplies today for transforming natural gourds to martin houses. He came home with white spray paint, thinking that would be easier than paint applied with a brush.

Any reason why I shouldn't use spray paint?

T/Y!

[TreeGreenwood]

Any reason why I shouldn't use spray paint?

Yes. Aeorsol spray paint is almost always hard enamel, better suited for metal furniture or indoor use. Natural gourds will expand and contract slightly with changes in temperature and humidity, including humidity from Martins nesting inside. The slight changes will crack enamel and it'll flake off. It might last through this summer.

Nothing wrong with spraying. Thin a good quality exterior latex primer and then paint if required for your sprayer. Apply a coat of primer and several coats of the exterior latex. Latex and acrylic paints stay pliable enough to conform to the normal expansion and contraction of natural materials. Personally, I just use a brush. I don't work on enough gourds at any one time to take the time to prepare the sprayer, thin the paint, apply several coats and then clean the equipment. A throwaway brush works great. Purple Martins don't care about a few streaks or drips as long as I don't plug the drainage holes.

Take care,

Tree

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

I agree, before you put on the final coat of paint, you should prepare the gourd by using a primer...the primer is very sticky, and it seals the gourd fron the outside rain, etc....regular spray paint out of a can will not stick to the gourd, it will flake & peel off unless you first use a primer..