Of all the paints you will find to use, acrylic is the best for decorative purposes. Acrylic paint offers the best, high-quality colors and a great look to your art.
Acrylic is a chemical-based paint that has some vibrant colors. It is best for any surface other than a canvas. Artists love using acrylic paint on canvas and other surfaces. One thing beginners wonder is Can you use Acrylic Paint on wood?
If you are one of them, you’ve come to the right place. Here is a complete guide to help you clear everything out.
Can You Use Acrylic Paint On Wood?
Yes, you can use acrylic paint on wood easily. It is easier than using acrylic on wood than any other surface. It helps you transform some old wood pieces into the best colorful pieces.
In addition, if you are thinking of painting wood, then acrylic paint is the best option out of all the paints available. However, there is a way that you need to follow to use acrylic on wood.
So that is something that you need to understand deeply.
How To Use Acrylic Paint On Wood?

Yes, it is an easy process, but everything needs some preparation, and so does painting wood. You need to ensure the best color in your art, so there are many things that you need to do before using acrylic paint on wood.
1. Prep The Wood
Be it a canvas, paper, or wood, and everything needs to be prepared in art. Make sure to clean the wood thoroughly before using acrylic paint.
If you have a raw piece of wood with uneven surfaces, it would be best to sand it first. Sanding the wood will ensure an even, flat, and smooth surface for you to paint on.
2. Don’t Forget To Apply A Layer Of Primer
Wood is a complicated surface to use acrylic paint on. There could be some minor cracks that may not be visible to the naked eye. However, that could easily affect the quality of your work and the desired result.
Therefore, the best thing to do before using acrylic paint is to apply a thin layer of primer on the wood surface. The primer ensures a sealed wood and offers a safe, smooth, perfect surface to paint on using acrylic paint.
3. Creating a Base For Your Art
You first want to create a background for your art that will work as the base for your painting. Make sure to use the best color for your background and paint it evenly.
4. You Are The Artist Now!
After this, everything is in your hands. You are the artist from here and use your creativity to create the best art from this. Paint what you want in any way you want.
Use any technique you think is best. Lastly, from here, it is all on you. However, some tips will help you create the best acrylic painting on wood.
Tips To Use Acrylic Paint On Wood
Here are some tips to help you use acrylic paint on wood. Make sure to keep every point in mind whenever you are about to start using acrylic paint.
- Only pour out the acrylic paint in a small amount. Acrylic paint dries very quickly once it is out of the tube. So you would want to pour out the paint on the palette in a small amount.
- Use a smooth, small soft brush. However, for some details, you can use a larger brush but ensure it is soft.
- Dip the paintbrush often in water to keep the brush soft, as the paint on the brush also dries quickly so that it can harden the bristles of your brush.
- Check the consistency of the acrylic paint you choose. For example, if you paint a big piece of wood, you wouldn’t want the paint to be thin. That could easily spread and ruin your work.
- Use non-toxic acrylic paint to make it safe for you to hang it indoors.
- Use the best quality primer before starting your work.
- Make sure that the acrylic paint you choose is compatible with being used on wood.
- Don’t forget to use sealant to prevent the wood from chipping and cracking.
These tips will help you a lot when using acrylic paint on wood. We want you to have the best result and colors from your art. Therefore, learning a lot about using acrylic paint on wood is important if you haven’t done it before.
If you’re looking for the answer to How Long Does It Take For Paint To Dry, then read out the guide on this link.
Woods To Use and Avoid For Acrylic Paint
Not every wood is the same. There are woods with different natures that can sometimes be difficult to understand if it is best to use acrylic paint or not.
Let’s talk about the woods that should be avoided so you can have them in your mind first. First, using acrylic paint on hardwoods is a big no. It gets difficult for acrylic paint to adhere well to them.
Hardwoods include oak, meranti, ash, and many others. It doesn’t matter how much primer you use; in the end, the paint will fill the wood pores, affecting the result that you were expecting.
The best wood to use acrylic paint on is poplar or soft maple. They will offer some of the smooth finishes that you desire. In addition, the paint will last long on these woods.
Many artists think twice when painting stained wood. But there is nothing to worry about stained woods. You can use acrylic paint on them, and the quality won’t be affected. The dark color of the stains will vanish as soon as the primer is applied. Check out the best printer for art prints if you’re wondering how to print your art.
So there is nothing to worry about that. Many artists have created some of their best acrylic paintworks on stained wood.
Final Words
Here is everything you need to know about using acrylic paint on wood. Make sure to deeply understand every section as it will help you a lot in getting the result you expected from your work.