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Upgrading Appliances to Stainless Steel....With Paint?

By
Home Stager with Stage It In A Day!

I came across a product called "Thomas Liquid Stainless Steel" designed to renovate kitchen appliances, faucets and drawer and cabinet hardware to stainless steel.  They are several kit offerings (i.e. fridge kit).

I'm wondering if anyone has used this product and wonder how the project turned out.  The cost is very reasonable and if it works successfully would be a great option to replacing appliances for staging or otherwise.

Here is the link:  http://www.liquidstainlesssteel.com/index2.html

Comments(15)

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Michelle Gibson
Hansen Real Estate Group Inc. - Wellington, FL
REALTOR

Patti - I have not seen this product before, but I am very curious if anyone out there has seen or used it.  The before and after pictures on their website don't look bad at all.

Apr 01, 2010 11:45 AM
Patti Glover
Stage It In A Day! - Moorpark, CA
CISS,RESA, Home Staging, Ventura County CA, Conejo Valley, LA

Michelle - The photos look good and the testimonials are good as well.

Apr 01, 2010 12:22 PM
Mike Wilbur
Guild Mortgage Company and Oregon Homes For Heroes - Salem, OR

I would to see some before and after pictures of this if you have some.

Apr 01, 2010 12:22 PM
Birgit Anich
Birgit Anich Staging & Interiors, 203.807.4040 - Norwalk, CT
CT Home Stager Fairfield & New Haven County

This sounds like an impressive product. I had never heard of it before. Would be interesting to try it out.

Apr 01, 2010 01:48 PM
Michelle Molinari
FEATURE THIS... Real Estate Staging & Interior Decor - Lafayette, LA
Feature This Real, Estate Staging & Curb Appeal Concepts

Hi There Patti,

Yes- I have used it.

Frankly, I think this paint's results look like doo doo, since stainless steel only looks like stainless steel because it is baby-butt smooth and seamless. Once you have even the tiniest hairline wiggle, it is obvious from ten paces that you are looking at silver paint.

It is very difficult to apply and around $95 for the kit after shipping and tax. As with any metallic paint, if you want a smooth appearance, you have to have a steady hand. That's easy enough on a small area, but if you are talking about a large area where you will be taking your brush down the area two or three times , or re-dipping in any way, any jitter results in a wiggly line at the overlap.

Knowing this, they provide a HUGE sponge brush, that looks like  a 12 inches wide squeegee, but my fridge is a little wider than that. So is my washer and dryer. So is my dishwasher.

So, unless you have a SMALL appliance under 12 inches wide, you will absolutely have an overlap line. Unless you are a droid, your pulse  alone, as it throbs in your hand and fingers, will cause this minor quake to be recorded into the paint like a Richter Scale graph and the tremors will be indelibly etched for your viewing pleasure into your supposedly stainless steel appliance.

Wish I had better news. I was very excited about this product when it came out.

I am so over it.

~Michelle

 

 

Apr 01, 2010 02:25 PM
Connie Tebyani
Platinum Home Staging, Inc. : RESA-Pro - Calabasas, CA
Platinum Home Staging, Los Angeles and Ventura County

I'm glad Michelle M. mentioned the "hairline wiggles" as I have tried this application before - not this product, but trying to paint something "shiny" with a smooth finish is extremely difficult.  I also noticed on many of their "after" photos that the light reflection was EXACTLY the same and that the pictures were taken from EXACTLY the same spot/angle/dimensions - which leads me to believe they may have photo shopped the afters.  But the idea is VERY intriguing. Just my $.02, spend it how you wish - just not all in one place ;)

Apr 02, 2010 12:08 PM
Liz Gallagher
LG Home Harmony - Home Stagers & Organizers - Montreal, QC
Montreal Quebec RESA member

really happy that other stagers weighted in on this one ... It would have been a fantastic fix for older appliances. too bad.  

Apr 02, 2010 02:19 PM
Patti Glover
Stage It In A Day! - Moorpark, CA
CISS,RESA, Home Staging, Ventura County CA, Conejo Valley, LA

Thanks all for commenting.  Well...the review from Michlelle M. brings up some eggsellent (sorry couldn't resist!) points.  I'm wondering if a professionaly painter would make any difference.  I could always give it a try on some drawer pulls or something small and see how they hold up.

Apr 03, 2010 11:15 AM
Michelle Molinari
FEATURE THIS... Real Estate Staging & Interior Decor - Lafayette, LA
Feature This Real, Estate Staging & Curb Appeal Concepts

Patti -

We often send appliances and metal furniture to our local auto paint shop. Everyone thinks we are nuts, but the results with non-metallic paint is stupendous and they charge us less than $100 for a drop-in stove.

 

I never thought about a metallic alternative.

Will it hold up in the long term under regular use & nightly scrubbing? Prolly not. But it's been 5 months and it still looks just like it did the day we dropped it back in   ------------------------------>

(It was almond and didn't match the microwave or fridge).

Next time we get an appliance I will take it to my guys and see how a stainless-colored  it turns out and send you the report!

 

~Michelle

 

 

 

Apr 03, 2010 07:22 PM
Cathy Lee
CL Design Services Home Staging - Danville, CA
ASP, IAHSP, RESA Danville, CA

Well is seems Michelle has the experience with this product-good to know!

Apr 04, 2010 07:27 AM
Yvonne Marquez
Consider It Staged - Escondido, CA
Maureen Carpenter Deborah Schwartz

Seems like a lot of work... for not such good results.Sounded like a good idea though!

Apr 05, 2010 12:08 AM
Lisa McIntee
The Staging Professionals - Saint Catharines, ON
The Staging Professionals

I have also sent appliances to an auto body shop locally, but never tried this paint alternative and quite frankly probably will not knowing what can be produced from the auto body shop and the comments I just read...however, would it be possible to spray it on yourself (I know it is very cheap to rent one)??  This might avoid streaks and possibly save the headache of lugging appliances and farther than the yard.  Wondering if it is a very thick paint?

Apr 08, 2010 04:59 PM
Ginger Foust
Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA
Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Thanks for asking Patti and thank Michelle for the great review. I have had this product bookmarked for a few years but never tried it. 

Is it a water based product?  We have a paint sprayer but I don't use it with solvent based paints....too difficult to clean. 

Apr 16, 2010 03:52 AM
Mary Lou Teague
HOME STYLE AND STAGING LLC - Knoxville, TN
Home Style and Staging Knoxville. TN

Thanks for writing this post, and so happy that others gave their testimonials about using it..I don't think that I will be trying this product

Apr 17, 2010 02:49 AM
Anna Dovger
Add Value Home Staging LLC, 281-704-6607 - The Woodlands, TX
Home Staging -The Woodlands, TX

I didn't use stainless but was happy with liquid granite. Please read my blog

Upgrade your countertop for less

May 27, 2010 09:42 AM