How to Get Started

You’re ready to give Hooked on Paint a try. Fantastic! Here are some practical tips for identifying the best wall for HOP, what you need to know, and what materials to get before you start your project. Let's HOP to it!

1. Identify

...the wall(s) you want to transform into a magnetic canvas. Is it the large wall in the living room where you plan to hang all your family photos or put a gallery of art on display? Is it an accent wall in the hallway where you put your kids’ artwork and family calendar? Is it a wall in your child’s room for them to put their letters, numbers, and shapes on for practical learning and play? Or maybe a wall in your home office that allows you to make the most of your workspace? Click here for inspiration if you need help visualizing your options.

2. Measure

...your wall(s) so you can accurately calculate how much paint and powder you will need.

1 Quart of paint covers ~40 sq. ft with 2 coats, ~25 sq. ft with 3-4 coats
1 Gallon of paint covers ~160 sq. ft with 2 coats, ~85 sq. ft with 3-4 coats

We recommend aiming for the quantity that will cover your wall with 3-4 coats. It’s always better to have more and apply extra than to not have enough. Remember, buy enough paint for the undercoats with ferrous additive and a topcoat paint to go over the top.

3. Purchase your Powder

Use our calculator to figure out how much powder to purchase and mix with your paint.

1 Quart of paint needs 2lbs of powder
1 Gallon of paint needs 8lbs of powder

4. Pick your Paint

It’s important to choose a quality paint + primer paint that provides good coverage and has self-leveling properties. Finish is not important since you are using this paint as an undercoat. We have tested and approve of the following brands:

Home Depot

Glidden Diamond
Behr Marquee

Sherwin Williams
Emerald
Duration

We recommend using the above paints for your topcoat as well. Two topcoats provide excellent coverage over the ferrous painted layers. Choose a paint finish that best suits your environment. To chat with a paint professional, click here.

5. Gather your Supplies

1/4” foam roller (9” for large wall applications, 6” for small accent wall applications). You can find these on Amazon or your local paint store. Using a foam roller is important as it applies the paint + powder mix the smoothest. Using a traditional nap roller will create too much texture on the wall and may decrease magnet holding strength.
Paint roller pan
Roller extension handle (super helpful for larger walls)
Drill with paint mixer attachment
Large container/bucket for mixing paint and powder. Preferably with a cover.
Other items nice to have: plastic or fabric drop cloth, painters tape, brush for cutting in topcoat, plastic wrap or plastic bags for covering pans between coats.

6. Prep your Wall

Fill in any holes with a filler – you won’t see those again! – sand, and vacuum/wipe away any dust. Tape off whole perimeter of wall (trim, walls, and ceiling), around windows, light switches, and power outlets. This way you can paint up next to the extremities of the wall to achieve even textural coverage since the iron oxide additive adds a bit of grit texture to the wall when dry.

You're ready to go!

Click here to watch a video tutorial on how to achieve smooth and even coverage of ferrous paint to your wall.