Metallica

A line in a press release from a very nice man called Jamie caught my eye: "These days we all know its better to renew than buy new. Not only will it save you money but it’s also kinder to the environment." Clearly here's a man after my own heart. He looks after Hammerite, the paint range for metal surfaces, which includes this new doohickey of theirs called the Metalmaster. It's a cordless electrostatic paint gun that helps overhaul intricate metal surfaces like mesh, railings and random curlicues. It sounds like an excellent toy for upcyclers, so I'm just going to liberally lift from his press release, thus allowing you to be easily and efficiently enlightened about the project pictured above...

We collected some perforated kitchen sink drainers from the pound shop together with some lamps and lanterns. We also found an old Victorian ‘meat safe’ which, in the days before fridges, was kept in the larder to keep flies away from food.

We used a combination of Hammerite Smooth paint for the lanterns and then Metalmaster on the complicated ornate items. The speed with which the Metalmaster works is thanks to its simple ability to put the paint only where it is needed, limiting overspray and avoiding overpainting.

If you’ve got metal objects that are a little worse for wear, the hammered finish Direct to Rust paint may be just the thing. Any uneven surface looks restored with the hammered finish disguising any lumps and bumps.

Hammerite Metalmaster costs from £42.99; canisters come with smooth or hammered finishes in Black, White, Dark Green or Blue. Each canister costs £16.99 and covers up to 7m2. Hammerite Direct to Rust is a combined topcoat, undercoat and primer and is available in Black, Blue, Copper, Dark Green, Gold, Red, Silver and White. The Yellow is only available in a Smooth Finish. Prices start at £6.49 for 250m.