Q&A for How to Spray Paint Metal

If you prepare the surface well, yes it will stick. Make sure you sand the metal well with 120 grit sandpaper and wipe the surface clean with paint thinner or denatured alcohol before painting.

Keep your hand in motion as you paint or you might concentrate too much paint in one spot.

Yes. However, I recommend using mineral spirits and a rag to remove dirt and other grime before painting.

If you accidentally get spray paint on your hands you can use baby oil to get it off.

Do not to apply the paint too heavily. It is better to do many very thin layers of paint.

If your table legs can't be removed, you can take some old bed sheets or tablecloths and tape them to the table top and sides, leaving only the legs exposed. If possible, remove the legs and spray paint them. Let the paint dry, then reinstall the legs.

Since it's already painted, the first thing you should do is sand it down. You don't need to strip the table of the paint -- just give it an even buffing. The sanding helps give the paint something to adhere to. After that, a coat of primer is nice, unless you have a primer/paint mix. A top coat can help protect from scratches and nicks in the paint when all is dry.

You can, but it's not totally necessary unless the item will be outdoors, in which case it's strongly recommended that you finish the surface.

The area must be prepared before spraying (for example, sand the surface using steel wool). Make sure the surface you're spraying is dry before you start. Hold the spray can at a 45-degree angle, and at least 12 inches from the metal. Use light, short bursts.

Yes. Otherwise there would be spray paint fires everywhere. As long as you don't expose the painted object to an open flame, it will be fine.

Depending on the object, you may be able to bring it inside, you could wait for it to stop raining, or use waterproof paint.

Make sure the chair has been cleaned well, and add a few coats of clear finish that adheres well.

5-10 minutes, this applies to almost anything. 5 minutes if you're very confident that the paint you're using will not react to the primer, 10 if you aren't. I usually determine this by checking if the brand of both cans are the same, differing brands tend to be more reactive to each other.