How to Paint A KitchenAid Mixer

I have had my KitchenAid mixer for years and while I love it and it is still going strong I wish I had made a different decision on the color I chose. If you feel the same way about your mixer (or other small appliance) or just want to update your mixer to match a new color scheme this is the post for you. Today I will be giving you Step By Step instructions on how to dismantle, clean, and paint your KitchenAid Mixer and still have a factory look finish.

Tools

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• Screwdiver
• Degreasing Cleaner
• Painter’s tape (Green Frog Tape is my favorite)
• 120 Grit sandpaper/sanding block
• Spray paint (I like Kyrlon Colomaxx paint+primer to eleimate the need for primer.)
• Spray gloss protective enamel in clear ( I used Spray Lacquer for an extra glossy finish.)
• Wet Dry Sandpaper 800 grit
• X-acto knife

Prep

Step 1 – Remove all removable Stainless/Chrome parts: You already know the attachment cap and screw can be removed by hand but there are a few other parts that can be removed using your screwdriver. This will make painting and taping much easier. The components are shown below. They are the bowl clamping plate, the trim/name band, and the back end cover. Each of these can be removed easily by taking out a few screws.

Step 2 – Clean Thoroughly: Whether you wipe down your mixer after every use or not you will still want to use a degreasing cleaner to clean all parts to be painted or taped. If your mixer is dirty or greasy the tape won’t stick and neither will the paint. You would be amazed what kind of residue is under the name band and bowl plate once they are removed. Yucky stuff, you will be glad you took it apart to finally get it clean!

Sanding

Step 3 – Sanding: This part is not rocket science. Just get your basic medium grit sanding sponge about 120 grit and give the mixer a scrub. This scuffs up the glossy finish for better paint adhesion. Scrub all the nooks and crannies until the mixer loses its glossy finish. Don’t forget to lift the head and get underneath. Once sanding is complete, give the mixer another quick clean to remove any dust or residue from the sanding.

Tape

Step 4 – Tape: There will be some parts that cannot be removed that we don’t want to get paint on and for these, I used painter’s tape to cover. I taped the air intake holes on the inside of the back end cover then reinstalled to keep paint from getting into the inside of the machine. I also stuck a ball into the front attachment hole for the same reason. On the mixer itself, I taped the entire cord, the mixer component, and the two control levers. If there are any other parts you may see fit to tape over feel free. Covering these non-painted parts will improve the factory look of the new paint job. Smaller parts like the chrome pin in the neck can be taped over and then cut around with an X-Acto knife.

Paint

Step 5 – Paint: Now that our prep is complete we are ready for paint. I chose Krylon Bright Ideas in gloss for my new mixer color since it matched my kitchen update but here is where the sky is the limit. Pick any color or brand spray paint you like as long as it has a built-in primer for better adhesion. For better all-around painting I set my mixer on a few blocks of wood and the head up.

I used many light coats to build up the color. I tilted it back down for additional coats once I had full coverage under the head and the paint was dry.

As you paint be sure to follow the two most important rules in spray painting.

1) Keep the can moving

2) Keep the coats light

A light coat will dry in 10-15 minutes so be patient and keep layering until you have a solid color. Let dry for at least 24hrs before moving on to the next step.

A Glossy Finsh

Step 6 – Wet Sanding: All right so here is the part where you get that gorgeous glossy factory finish. If you used glossy spray paint you are already going to have a pretty glossy finish but if you run your hand over it you will still feel it has a texture and some spots are probably glossier than others. Here’s where we fix that.

The secret ingredient is wet/dry sandpaper this is a super fine 800 grit Sandpaper (or higher) that is so smooth it is going to polish rather than sand and it can be used either wet or dry. We are going to use it wet.

With your paint completely dry take your sandpaper and dip it into a bowl of water with a drop of dish soap. Then rub the wet paper on your painted mixed in a soft circular motion. You don’t need to apply excessive pressure just a light rub. The water helps reduce the friction while this sandpaper smooths the finish without taking off the paint. You will be able to feel the difference with your hand. Continue to polish lightly until the surface is smooth. If you took off any paint feel free to touch it up before moving to the lacquer. Once you have a smooth finish wipe clean and we are ready for the final finish.

Step 7 – Lacquer: For my final finish I chose Lacquer because it is very hard and extra glossy but any clear gloss protective enamel will work. My second choice would be Polycrylic since it does not yellow like polyurethane.

We are going to use the same method for lacquer as we did for the paint only this time we are going to add a quick wet polish with the 800 grit sandpaper between each coat.

Spray a thin coat of lacquer, let dry, polish, wipe down, repeat. Continue this for 3 to 4 coats until you have a smooth, even, glossy factory look finish. Once everything is dry you can remove all the painter’s tape.

Complete

Step 8 – Rebuild: The paint and lacquer are dry, the tape is off, now it’s time to put the mixer back together. Reinstall the bowl clamping plate, the trim/name band, and take the painter’s tape out of the inside of the back end cover and reinstall.

Now you have what looks like a brand new mixer that works perfectly with your style and decor.