Painting outlets rather than replacing them is incredibly easy to do. If you’ve got wall outlets that don’t match, you’ll love this quick and inexpensive fix! When we bought our home we repainted all the rooms. However, the outlets ranged from the basic cream color to dark brown. I really didn’t want the hassle and cost of wiring in new ones so I found a quick way to paint them that takes seconds! You can even paint the wall plates if you want.
If you’d like more ideas on how to turn what you have into something awesome check out our Buff Your Stuff page. You’ll find things like how to Stencil and Paint Carpet or how to do a Quick Chair Makeover plus other great ideas.
Painting Outlets Supplies
SAFETY: Since this post was shared I’ve received several comments from electricians. Some are adamant that you should never do this. Others have said it’s not a problem. You may want to do outside research yourself and read the comments as I’ve left those comments up. Many , such as myself, have done this for years, but if you decide to do it you need to do so with full knowledge of both sides and making sure you do it as safely as possible. It’s also a good idea for added safety to turn off the breaker to the outlet you are painting. Though not shown here its an added good idea to place a little cardboard or a small piece of folded up paper towel into the slots to protect them even more before painting. You want to keep paint out of the slots. Plus it will keep them from working. Home inspectors test for a connection only. Paint can cause that to fail.
NEVER layer paint onto outlets. If they already have been painted over just get new ones to be safe.
- Cardboard or foam board approximately 14″x14″
- Utility knife
- Spray paint of choice
- Masking tape (optional to hold cardboard in place)
Should you choose to replace them rather than paint they are fairly inexpensive.
- Wall Plates (if you want to purchase new ones)
- Outlet Receptacle
Instructions
Remove the cover plate. 
Trace the cover plate onto the center of your 14″x14″ cardboard. 
Cut 1/2″ inside the outer lines. This keeps the paint from getting on any part of the wall. 
Place your board over the outlet. Depending on how close you cut it, it might stay in place. You can also use some masking tape to hold it if needed or have someone hold it while you paint. 
Give two or three very light coats of spray paint onto the outlet, allowing it to dry in between. Very light coats will not cause any problems as far as going into the plug slots. Though I suggest stuffing a little cardboard or folded up paper towel in each slot for added protection. 
Cover plates are very inexpensive, however, old ones are also easy to paint.
Much better.
