Can You Use Acrylic Paint On Hats?
Do you have a bunch of hats to wear, but you do not like their appearance? Want to draw some exciting patterns on them but do not know whether you can use acrylic on them or not?
Well, relax. I have some interesting facts that I came across. And I want to share them with you.
Can you use acrylic paint on your hats? Yes, you can definitely use liquid acrylic paint on hats. But the paint only lasts for a short period. For that, you can use a sealer or a clear finisher. You can even prime the surface before applying acrylic on it. All these can save your paint from any crack or peel off issues.
This was just a glance. But if you read the entire article, you will get to know more about acrylic painting over hats.
Can You Paint On All Types Of Hats With Acrylic?
In general, you can use acrylic paint on any hat. But you will get different results based on the types of hat.
If you are working with the headgear made of fabric, then you will need to use a fabric or textile medium with the paint.
This will stabilize the paint on the surface and you will not see the paint cracking or peeling off. Such hats are:
- Ascot cap
- Balmoral bonnet
- Baseball cap
- Beanie
- Beret
- Chullo
- Cloche hat
- Zucchetto
You can also dye some hats with acrylic paint, and that can be much easier. You must arrange a big tub and repeat the process multiple times for brighter color.
These types of techniques you can use on headwear like:
- Bearskin
- Coonskin cap
- Kippah
- Knit cap
- Kufi
- Montera
- Rastacap
- Santa Hat
- Turban
- Ushanka
Spray painting can be a suitable option for your plastic or hard hat. But you can try it on different hats like:
- Bicorne
- Bowler / Derby
- Buntal
- Cricket cap
- Conical Asian hat
- Custodian helmet
- Graduation cap
- Hard hat
- Sombrero
- Top Hat
Do You Need To Use A Fabric Medium With Acrylic Before Applying On A Hat?
If your hat is made of soft fabric like wool, nylon, cotton, or felt, then it is better to use fabric medium with acrylic. Because it will dilute the paint and, of course, help the paint to dry softly.
Moreover, the paint will not crack or peel off after a few uses. The same technique applies to leather, twill, denim, and polyester fibers.
But if you have a hat made of wood, plastic, or straw, then you can avoid using a fabric medium. Instead, you can use a primer to help the surface hold your paint strongly.
Will Your Acrylic Paint Rub Off Of The Inner Portion Of The Hat?
I recommend you not to paint the inner portion of your hat with acrylic. This is because when you wear a hat, your head will always sweat. And this will definitely wipe out the paint from the inner surface.
In addition, this paint can irritate your skull skin or your scalp. So, it is better not to use acrylic paint in the inner part.
Can You Spray Paint Acrylic On Your Hat?
Yes, you can use spray paint acrylic on your hat but avoid the one that does not have any fabric medium. Because spray paint can give a stiff finishing to your hat.
Again, it would be best if you practiced a lot before you spray paint, because wrong spray painting can cause bubbles and uneven finishing.
Even some of the spray paints have a severe smell. So try to work with it in an open space.
How To Paint Hats With Acrylic Paint?
Grab The Tools
Before you start painting acrylic on your hat, you must have all the necessary tools. I am mentioning those you can use for this work.
- Damp Cloth
- Fabric medium
- Acrylic paint
- Paint brush
- Mixing palette
- Outliner
- Hair dryer
Prepare The Surface
First, take a damp cloth and wipe out your hat’s surface properly. This will remove all kinds of dust and smooth the surface.
Draw The Outline
Now take your outliner and draw the outline of your design on the cap. This will guide you when working with acrylic paint.
Prepare The Paint
Mix fabric medium with acrylic paint and give it a good stir with a paintbrush. Thus your acrylic will not crack after drying.
To maintain the vibrant tone of the paint, add a little extra paint on the palette and mix it with the previous mixture.
Repeat The Paint
Let the first layer dry for a few hours. Then apply the second layer of paint if you see the background color is popping through your design.
Dry The Total Paint
Now you can leave your hat to dry naturally for 24 hours. Or you can take a hair dryer with lower heat and use it over your hat. Keep the machine at a safe distance.
Do You Need To Seal The Acrylic Paint On The Hat?
As you know, acrylic paint can dry well on any surface, including hats but you should seal it with a sealer.
Because after using it a few times, you may notice your paint is cracking or coming off from different places. This will ruin the design and it will be a total waste.
Sealer or varnish will permanently stick the paint, and you will not need to worry before washing the hat.
If you have a straw hat, try to use a UV-resistant sealer. This will both save the paint and give a clear finishing.
What Other Sort Of Paints Can You Use On Your Hat?
Besides acrylic, you can work with some other types of paint on your hat. These will definitely give various results, and you will love experimenting with them. Some of their names I have mentioned below.
Alcohol-Based Dye
You can dye your hat with this painting time and it will last long even if you do not seal it.
Leather Dye
Even this type of dye is easy to use, and it sits softly over the surface. You will not feel the excess paint layer after touching it.
Water-Based Marker Pen
You can use this pen randomly or you can use the white base paint below. Either way, your marker strokes will pop out, and you will love working with it on your hat.
Vinyl Paint
Yes, vinyl sits well on a hat made of different fabric. It has a thin layer that helps the paint to stay crack free.
Polyurethane Paint
You can also use polyurethane paint on different hats as this is quite flexible paint, and it can stick well on most surfaces.
Suggested Materials You May Need
#1 Magicfly Permanent Soft Fabric Paint : (Recommended Fabric Paint For Hat)
Magicfly Permanent Soft Fabric Paint is a non-toxic fabric paint. It will have a significant impact on your hat when it dries. It has no bad smell, so you can apply it in a closed space without worrying.
This paint provides you with a crack-free finish so you can properly preserve your paint. Some of the users consider the paint is thin and you will need 2-3 layers to apply on the hat.
You do not need to heat set the paint on the hat as the paint is scratch-proof. Grab this amazing product at a very reasonable price and enjoy painting.
Over To You
Finally, I believe you now know that acrylic paint is the most suitable paint to apply on your hat.
This was exciting research for me, and I hope I could cover every important piece of information. But if you think I need to include something more, then add your facts below.
The comment section is always yours!
Further Readings
How To Change The Color Of A Felt Hat
How To Dye Felt With Acrylic Paint?
How To Decorate Your Graduation Cap?
Can I Use Enamel Spray Paint On Fabric Hat?
How Do You Spray Paint Hats?
Why Does Spray Paint Bubble On Second Coat?
How To Paint A Hat With Acrylic Paint
How To Make Acrylic Paint Permanent On Hat?
How To Save Acrylic Paint On Straw Hat From Scratches?
