Can You Spray Paint a Felt Hat?

Ivan McCloud | Sep 13, 2022

Did you ever find yourself falling in love with a hat from the display, but the price tag made you leave it behind? What came to mind first after seeing the price tag: why in the world do hats have to be so pricey, or can you spray paint a felt hat!

If you want to experiment with the color of your old felt hat and give it a look similar to the hat you saw on display, you may try spray painting. But we recommend traditional brush-on painting instead of spraying, as spray paints may not suit all types of fabric.

However, painting a felt hat in the old-fashioned way might be a lot easier and more fun than you think! Keep reading to find out more interesting facts about painting felt hats.

Can You Change the Color of a Felt Hat?

Yes, you can change the color of a felt hat. Changing the color of a felt hat is quite fun. There are different methods to change the color of a hat, but you can go with acrylic paints to paint your felt hat easily. And while applying the color, we recommend the traditional brush-on painting style.

Since you need to use paint and brushes, it will be quite easy and fun to paint the hat. Plus, you don’t need to worry about toxic fumes that are common in some spray paints. To change the color of your felt hat, all you need is some paint, primer, brushes, and two crafty hands!

Also Read: Can You Paint Your Gamecube Controller?

Can You Paint over Felt Fabric?

You can paint over a felt fabric. Felt can be commonly seen in fashion, crafts, home décor, DIY projects, etc. Felt is quite absorbent, so applying any ordinary paints might not be effective. Using fabric paints is a good option for this material.

Some may suggest using acrylic paints. This is a good option as well. But using fabric paints in the felt fabric is a better option compared to acrylic paints because fabric paints are thinner and runnier. Acrylics can make the fabric stiff. In contrast to acrylic paints, fabric paints will not stiffen felt fabric very much.

Next Read: Painting Flat over Semi Gloss

Can You Spray Paint a Felt Hat?

Spray painting is a very popular method to paint different stuff because it’s easy, doesn’t require too much practice, and spray paints are widely available.

There are spray paints dedicated to use on fabric; these are known as fabric spray paints. However, spray paints may not be suitable for all types of fabrics, especially when we are talking about hats made of a specific type of fabric.

If you want to change the color of your woven cowboy hat, straw cap, or other hats with an airy mesh style, spray painting is an ideal choice. However, if you want to paint your felt hat, we recommend painting using paint brushes.

Nevertheless, brush-on painting isn’t the only way to paint, and we don’t want you to take it for granted. You are always encouraged to experiment with spray paints. So, if you have any spare hats, you can try painting with spray paints instead of a brush-on style.

Does Spray Paint Work on Felt?

You can try spray paint on felt. If spray paint is applied to felt, it can produce beautiful results. However, there is always a risk of stiffening the felt. This is one of the reasons why we don’t recommend using spray paints on your felt hat.

But if you are working with a felt craft piece, you shouldn’t worry about it too much because it is more likely to limber up after a few uses. If you want to accelerate the process, you can shake the felt, but be careful not to damage the materials.

Can You Spray Paint a Fabric Hat?

Spray paints can be a great option to color some fabric hats, especially the hats with an airy mesh style. So, considering this you can spray paint your straw caps, trucker caps, etc. Not only can you paint a hat using spray paint, but also make cool designs or patterns on the hat in the same method.

What Is the Best Type of Paint for Felt Hat?

It depends on your preferences. There are two best paints available to paint felt; fabric paint and acrylic paint. Both have some advantages, and you may notice some disadvantages as well.

Fabric paints are usually thinner and runnier than acrylic paints, so it will be fun to apply this paint on felt. You can try this one out first. However, don’t underestimate acrylic paints! These paints are a great choice to paint a felt hat.

Plus, if you don’t want to pay for some fabric paints, you can make your own fabric paint by mixing acrylic craft paint with textile medium. With this mixture, you will be able to paint a piece of felt better and save some bucks.

So, our recommendation would be to try out both paint types and see which one works best for your felt hat. You can note down the advantages, disadvantages, drying time, etc. so that you can apply the right paint for the right project.

Can You Paint Felt with Acrylic Paint?

Dyed felt looks great when painted with acrylic paint. It’s a cost-friendly way to paint a piece of felt as well. Since acrylic paints are water-based, they don’t contain toxic materials. So, you can enjoy coloring felt projects with your kids as well.

And with acrylic paints, you are not just limited to painting a piece of felt in a single color only. Mixing multiple acrylic colors will give you custom shades that you can apply to the felt piece according to your design ideas.

Does Acrylic Paint Dry on Felt?

Are you thinking of painting your felt hat with acrylic paint and wondering if it will dry? Don’t worry; acrylic paint will dry if you follow the right procedure for painting. You can follow the procedure below to paint your felt hat with acrylic paint so that it dries properly and lasts long:  

• First, you need to use a sealant as a base, Mod Podge, for example. This will help achieve an overall good finish.
• Then you can add multiple coats of acrylic paints, giving each coat enough time to dry in between.
• Finally, you need to use another coat of Mod Podge to seal your work.

You might love to know how to make felt hat:

Can You Dye a Felt Hat?

Yes, you can dye a felt hat. However, dyeing a felt hat and achieving a good result can be a tiresome job! If the hat is not dyed properly, the felt can get shrunk. To dye your hat properly so that the color won’t fade away quickly, you need a large bowl and a lot of dye.

And if you want to try it the old-fashioned way, it will be a lot of hard work and very time-consuming as well. So, dyeing a felt hat is only recommended when you know what you are doing.

Final Thoughts

Hats have been a part of our clothing items since ancient times. Hats not only give shade but take fashion to a new level. In this guide, we talked about painting felt hats using different techniques. So, follow our guide to give your old felt hat a touch of your artsy taste, instead of purchasing a new one.