Read the full review and buyer’s guide on the best paint for cardboard to help you make the right decision.
Cardboard is one of the affordable and versatile pieces to show your creativity. However, if you have ever tried painting cardboard lying around in your home, you must know how difficult it is to get the true colors on its surface and ensure no warping and wrinkling at all costs.
If you are struggling with the same issue, you have come to the right place!
Who Needs This Product
From experienced artists to DIYers, the paint used explicitly on cardboard makes it an excellent choice to make sure to bring the most out of your paintings. They aren’t just ordinary colors. These paints are packed with high pigmentation, durability, and variety to make your artwork second to none!
Top 7 Best Paint For Cardboard
1. Pintyplus Aqua Spray Paint – Best Overall
Pintyplus Aqua Spray paint is ideal for your arts and crafts projects. Its spray design allows for easy coverage of large areas without straining your hand, while advanced features reduce overspray and odor.
What sets Pintyplus apart is its versatility; it works on wood, cardboard, metal, and plastic, and offers a wide range of colors for durable artwork. However, being water-based means it can be easily removed with soap and water, so take care to keep it dry after painting. This paint lets you unleash your creativity on cardboard, dries in 30 minutes, and is safe for you and your children.
Features
- It is a watercolor which makes it an excellent option for beginners
- It can be used on a variety of surfaces
- Has a unit count of 33.6 ounces
- With 1200 milliliters, this paint is enough to cover your entire painting
- It has an overall matte finish
Pros
- Water-Based Formula
- Quick Drying Time
- Versatile Application
- Smooth Finish
- Easy Cleanup
Cons
- Price Point
2. Krylon K02732007 Fusion All-In-One Spray Paint – Best for Beginners
For supporting your experiments, Krylon K02732007 Fusion All-In-One Spray Paint is an excellent choice for tough environments. It adheres well to various layers, styles, and surfaces, ensuring durability.
This spray paint adapts to both indoor and outdoor settings, providing superior rust protection for metal surfaces. Its black color offers a beautiful satin finish, adding a sleek and elegant look to your projects.
A common issue with spray paint is the difficulty of spraying upside down, but this Krylon variant solves that problem. It covers up to 25 sq. feet effortlessly, regardless of the can’s orientation.
Features
- It dries to touch in just 20 minutes
- You can paint in any direction
- It shows the best results when used in temperatures that are higher than 55 to 75 degrees and below 60% humidity
- Easy to store and reuse
- Has a satin finishing result
Pros
- User-Friendly Application
- Variety of Finishes
- No Primer Needed
- Fast Drying Time
- Durability
Cons
- Strong Odor
- Requires Multiple Coats
3. Rust-Oleum 249127 Painter’s Touch 2X Ultra Cover – Best for Safety
Rust-Oleum offers one of the best finishes for enhancing dull cardboard, trusted by professional artists for its quality. It allows you to create stunning art and use leftover paint on furniture.
Its oil-based formula ensures long-lasting durability. Unlike many hazardous spray paints, Rust-Oleum is safe for use around kids and provides an ultra-matte finish that requires no maintenance after completing your artwork.
Features
- It doesn’t require many paint coats to get the final results
- The spray doesn’t clog
- Durable to use
- It has an ultra-matte finish
- Can be used with 10-16 inch of distance between the can and the surface
Pros
- Durability
- Quick Drying Time
- Excellent Coverage
- Versatile Application
- Low Odor
Cons
- Price Point
- Limited Color Range
4. Mont Marte Acrylic Paint Set 24 Colors – Best for Convenience
Covering large areas can be challenging, especially when transitioning to detail work. The Mont Marte Acrylic Paint Set addresses this issue.
With 24 colors, you can mix shades and unleash your creativity on cardboard. This acrylic paint is ideal for artists focused on detail and professionalism.
Additionally, it glides smoothly on various surfaces like leather, cardboard, plastics, paper, wood, and plaster. The matte finish enhances the aesthetic appeal of these excellent paint tubes.
Features
- It comes with 24, 26 ML paint tubes for added convenience
- It also has a glossy exterior finish
- Known as one of the most durable paints that you can find out there
- Has an item volume of 36 milliliters
- It can be stored and reused with ease
Pros
- Variety of Colors
- Convenient Packaging
- Quick-Drying Formula
- Versatile Medium
- Affordable Option
Cons
- Plastic Tubes Dilemma
5. Apple Barrel PROMOABI Matte Finish Acrylic Craft Paint – Best for Affordability
Apple Barrel PROMOABI offers a solution to all paint problems with its specially formulated colors suitable for various surfaces, ensuring color durability. These matte colors enhance your artwork, whether detailed or bold.
You can use a variety of paintbrushes to control your strokes without worrying about cleanup; the paints are easy to clean, non-toxic, and water-based for convenient use anywhere.
With 18 different colors and shades available, there’s no need for mixing, making it ideal for those who want to work efficiently without complicated tools.
Features
- The 18 shades eliminate the need to buy any other paint brands to complete the look
- It comes in barrel packaging for ease of use
- The liquid form makes it effortless to paint for newbies
- It is made to be used for indoor purposes only
- Has an item volume of 2 fluid ounces
- Dries to a matte finish
Pros
- Affordability
- Versatile Use
- Easy to Use
- Quick Drying Time
- Wide Color Range
Cons
- Durability Issues.
- Limited Finish Options.
6. ARTEZA Acrylic Paint Set of 12 Colors
With Arteza, you can let your creativity flow while the paint brings your ideas to life. The 60 vibrant colors are designed to unleash your inner artist with premium quality.
This extensive color selection is perfect for any canvas and ensures long-lasting results, thanks to its non-toxic formula, which guarantees safety during use.
Additionally, if you’re not satisfied, you can easily get a full refund, making it a risk-free choice. Arteza makes experimenting with colors enjoyable and enhances your creative experience!
Features
- It has a glossy exterior finish
- There are 12 tubes present in the set to give you a variety
- It comes with an item volume of 12 milliliters
- It is an oil-based paint
- Made for both beginners and artists
Pros
- Vibrant Colors
- Good Pigment Quality
- Affordable Price
- Easy to Blend
- Non-Toxic Formulation
Cons
- Limited Color Range
- Packaging Issues
7. ZenART Box of White Palette Professional Oil Paints – Best for Professionals
ZenART Box of Whites Palette Professional Oil Paints offers a wide color range for creating both vibrant and dreamy artwork. Suitable for all surfaces and packaged in recyclable materials, these high-quality, safe paints provide an exceptional painting experience.
ZenArt stands out with its easy-to-mix feature, allowing you to create desired shades efficiently. Recommended by professional artists, it provides great value as you need less paint to cover large areas. Its premium pigments ensure a buttery consistency and vivid results, enhancing your artwork and enjoyment of the process.
Features
- It has an oil paint type to help paint spread evenly
- It comes in a box of whites
- Great Zinc exterior finish
- It can be used on any surface you prefer
Pros
- High-Quality Pigments
- Smooth Consistency
- Comprehensive Range of Colors
- Non-Toxic Formulation
- Attractive Packaging
Cons
- Price Point.
- Color Selection Limitations
Buyer’s Guide: Things to Consider Before Buying the Best Paint For Cardboard
Now that you are full of the best paint to use on cardboard, you will never be satisfied with your purchase unless you know what you want the most. This means regardless of how effective the paint is, we all have certain priorities that distinguish a good paint from a bad one. Here are some of the factors to consider to get your hands on the best paint for cardboard.
Type of Paint
If you are working on cardboard, you need to consider a lot of hurdles to get the best results. You see, it’s hard to get the right shade and tone that can complement the original color of the cardboard. Therefore, you need to pay close attention to the type of paint that can help you get the job done.
Here are three types of paints formulated with extra care to ensure you don’t put too much effort into perfecting your craft.
- Acrylic Paint: Acrylic paint is always water-based and is one of the most beginner-friendly paints, to begin with. They require priming with gesso to have a clean, bland surface to work on. You certainly don’t have to break your sweat with acrylic paint by dipping the brush in water before applying. However, it may take longer than usual to dry and apply the second coat.
- Oil Paint: Oil paints are the most durable form of paint that you can go for. However, it also comes with a few drawbacks that can ruin your experience. It can quickly get Cakey if not used right in the second or third coat as they are tucker than usual. Besides that, the moisture present in the oil is also known to warp the cardboard in no time. Therefore, always prime the cardboard with gesso before starting with your paint.
- Spray Paint: Spray paints are diel to cover large surface areas without putting too much effort. If this is what works best for you, go for a non-toxic paint that ensures to keep you safe against inflammation. Other than that, always apply a primer before going headfirst with spray paint to improve its longevity.
Dry Time
This is one of the most underrated features that many DIYers fail to consider. Think about it: if you create a masterpiece on your cardboard, it inevitably calls for a few layers that need the previous layer to dry out first completely.
Here, spending a week on only a single art piece doesn’t seem a wise thing to do. Therefore, go for water-based paints that take considerably less time to dry to the touch. This also works as a convenient option if you need to go for extravagant artwork with props and other materials.
Does it Need a Primer?
Oil paints always require a primer, and linseed oil works the best to bring out your artwork’s true colors. Although gesso is still the best option, if you currently don’t have access to it, there is no doubt that you can find better alternatives like a gel medium and oil painting grounds. However, if you are working with acrylic, you can work directly on the cardboard with no primer. This speeds up the work process and gets you excellent results in no time.
Ways to Paint Cardboard Like a Pro
Here comes the part that you all have been waiting for. Sure, you are now armed with the right paints, but how will you ace your painting project? Well, this guide is all you need.
Working on cardboard is easier said than done. But, if you have tried it already, I’m sure you also struggled with a thin or flimsy surface that warps as soon as you are done with the painting process. That’s where these expert tips come into the picture. Here are the proven six tips to help you paint cardboard like a pro.
Prevent using watercolors or anything with water straight on the cardboard as it can make a nasty mess and make it extremely difficult to recover. Therefore, many professionals tend to work for thick consistencies to support the cardboard’s material and are relatively more pigmented and durable.
As promised earlier, too flimsy cardboard can absolutely ruin your painting. And for some reason, professionals always manage to create incredible art pieces, all while keeping the shape of the cardboard. How? Simply glue two sheets of cardboard together so the grain section of the first sheet is perpendicular to the gain section of the second piece. This helps create an internal crosshatched structure. Too hard to grab? Read that again.
Do use a background layer for matte paints as they are already quite thick to sport their unique consistency and finish. As for glossier paints, always prime the surface with a primer and use a slightly thin consistency to get its ever-needed gloss.
When working with the gesso primer, let it dry for 24 hours before going ahead with the second layer. This helps create smooth layers without giving a cakey and cheap effect.
Alayna, sand the surface of your cardboard with 500-grit sandpaper if your surface is too rough.
Instead of adding the paint to the cardboard and working from there, apply the paint directly to the brush or dip the brush into the paint bottle to avoid warping of cardboard as the paint doesn’t sink into the cardboard. This also helps to have evenly distributed strokes to cover the entire area with ease.
Conclusion
If you’re here, you’re ready to start cardboard painting. Choosing the right tools and paints is important for a good experience and result.
It’s a good idea to compare your options to find what works best for you. I recommend Pintyplus Aqua Spray Paint because it helps you create what you envision. It lasts a long time, and the packaging is great for reuse when inspiration strikes.
So, choose the best paint for cardboard and get started!