How to Paint Decorative Boxes

Step 1

Lightly sand unpainted wood boxes with hinged lids. Wipe them clean with a tack cloth.

Step 2

Prime the boxes and let dry.

Step 3

Using a detail paintbrush and high-gloss white crafts paint, paint a stripe that’s a little wider than 1/4 inch along the edges of each box (it’s OK if the stripe is a little messy, as you’ll be taping it off in the next step and using a darker spray paint that will hide any slipups). Let dry.

Step 4

Carefully tape over the stripes with 1/4-inch-wide masking tape. Spray each box with three or four coats of spray lacquer, letting dry between coats. Let dry fully, then peel off the tape. For extra shine, coat the boxes with a clear acrylic sealer.