10 Best Paints for Wood Crafts (For Every Skill Level)

Painting your wood crafts is a fun way to make them really pop.

There are many different paints to choose from, but picking paints that are specifically made for use on wood surfaces is your best bet for creating dazzling results. 

Key Takeaways 

Due to its brilliant color selections and high quality finish, the top pick for painting wood crafts is Apple Barrel Acrylic Craft Paint.

The best value for the price is the Benicci Complete Acrylic Paint Set, as it comes with paints, brushes, a palette knife, and a sponge.

If you want the most bang for your buck, try the Mont Marte Studio Acrylics.

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Apple Barrel Acrylic Craft Paint	Best overall
Caliart Acrylic Craft Paint	Versatile and easy to blend
Benicci Complete Acrylic Paint Set	Has everything you need to get started painting
Crafts 4 All Acrylic Set	Best for beginners
Mont Marte Studio Acrylics	Best bang for your buck
Arteza Outdoor Acrylic Set	Best for outdoor projects
Montana Black	Best spray paint
FolkArt Home Decor	Best chalk paint
Arteza Metallic Acrylic Paint	Best metallic paint
Delta Ceramcoat	Best pastel paint

Main Recommendations

• The Best Paint for Wood Crafts for Beginners:  Crafts 4 All Acrylic Set
• The Best Paint for Painting Wood Crafts on a Budget: Mont Marte Studio Acrylics
• The Best  Paint for Painting Outdoor Projects: Arteza Outdoor Acrylic Set

How To Prepare Wood for Paint

In order to improve the adhesion of the paint to the wood, it’s important to prepare the surface before painting.

If the wood is very rough, you may need to first sand it down. Next, you will want to apply 1-2 coats of primer, allowing each coat to dry thoroughly before applying the next.

Once the primer is completely dry, it’s time to paint!

Top Pick: Apple Barrel Acrylic Craft Paint

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At a Glance:

• Number of Colors: 18
• Ease of Use: Good for beginners
• Durability: Good for indoor projects or projects that won’t see a lot of wear and tear
• Drying Time: Fast
• Finish: Matte

Apple Barrel is a household name in the craft paint world, and for good reason. This set comes with 18 vivid and easy-to-apply colors that will make your wood project stand out from the rest. 

Pros:

• Affordable
• Bright colors
• Can be applied to wood, Styrofoam, plaster, paper mache, tin, and terra cotta
• Nontoxic
• Water based, so easy to clean up

Cons:

• Comes in 2-ounce bottles, so not a great choice for larger projects
• Will need a sealant if used on outdoor projects

Runner-Up: Caliart Acrylic Craft Paint

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At a Glance:

• Number of Colors: 24
• Ease of Use: Good for painters of all levels
• Durability: Good for indoor projects
• Drying Time: Medium
• Finish: Matte

The Caliart Acrylic Craft Paint Set has everything you need to get started painting your wood craft of choice.

The set contains 24 colors and 12 brushes, and it’s perfect for use on wood, ceramics, pumpkins, rocks, and more!

Pros:

• Kit comes with 12 paint brushes
• Each bottle comes with a label describing the color’s level of opacity
• 100% money-back guarantee
• Certified nontoxic
• Water based for easy cleanup
• Easy to blend

Cons:

• Thick paints that may need thinning to create desired consistency

Best Value: Benicci Complete Acrylic Paint Set

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At a Glance:

• Number of Colors: 24
• Ease of Use: Paint is thick and may need to be thinned prior to use
• Durability: Good for indoor projects
• Drying Time: Fast
• Finish: Matte

The Benicci Complete Acrylic Paint Set comes with 24 colors, 12 paint brushes, and an art knife and sponge.

The knife can be used to create an impasto effect while the sponge is a great choice for painting with stencils, something that kids tend to love!

Pros:

• Nontoxic
• Affordable
• Complete kit with everything you need to get started painting

Cons:

• The tubes of paint are 0.4 ounces, so not a good choice for bigger projects
• Thicker paint that may need to be thinned

Best Wood Craft Paint for Beginners: Crafts 4 All Acrylic Set

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At a Glance:

• Number of Colors: 24
• Ease of Use: Perfect for beginners
• Durability: Good for indoor projects
• Drying Time: Fast
• Finish: Matte

The Crafts 4 All Acrylic Paint Set is designed for use on multiple surfaces, including wood, ceramic, glass, paper, canvas, and more.

The set comes with three different sized brushes, and the paint is water based, making it easy to clean up.

Pros:

• Nontoxic
• Long lasting
• Easy cleanup

Cons:

• Heavy-body paints which may need to be thinned to reach desired consistency
• The tubes are small, so not a good choice for larger projects

Best Budget-Friendly Wood Craft Paint: Mont Marte Studio Acrylics

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At a Glance:

• Number of Colors: 18
• Ease of Use: Creamy consistency making it easy to blend
• Durability: Good for indoor projects
• Drying Time: Fast
• Finish: Gloss

The Mont Marte Studio Acrylic Paint Set comes with 18 different colors that are advertised for use on many different surfaces, including fabrics! This set is good for painters of all levels.

Pros:

• Can be used on canvas, leather, and fabric as well as wood
• Smooth consistency for ease of mixing colors
• Even gloss finish
• Water resistant

Cons:

• Toxicity is not listed on the label
• May need to use more than one coat to obtain desired opacity

Best Paint for Outdoor Wood Crafts: Arteza Outdoor Acrylic Set

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At a Glance:

• Number of Colors: 20
• Ease of Use: Great for outdoor projects
• Durability: Long lasting
• Drying Time: Fast
• Finish: Gloss

The Arteza Outdoor Acrylic Set features paints that are scuff resistant and self-sealing, making them the perfect choice for painting outdoor wood crafts.

They can effectively be applied to wood, rocks, leather, fabric, paper, canvas, and other surfaces. 

Pros:

• Designed for use on outdoor projects
• Self-sealing formula that protects the paint from the elements
• High viscosity
• Permanent when dry
• Nontoxic

Cons:

• May need to apply more than one coat to achieve desired opacity
• Drying time can be affected by number of coats applied

Best Spray Paint for Wood Crafts: Montana Black

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At a Glance:

• Number of Colors: 12
• Ease of Use: Requires some skill for even application
• Durability: Long lasting
• Drying Time: Fast
• Finish: Matte

The Montana Black set of 12 spray paint colors is a great choice if you’re looking to bring out your inner graffiti artist.

The colors are vibrant and high pressure, making them perfect for painting murals or larger wood craft projects. 

Pros:

• Winter proof
• Can be used on outdoor projects
• Vibrant color selection

Cons:

• You should wear a mask or respirator and paint in a well-ventilated area when using this product
• Make sure to shake the cans before use

Best Chalk Paint for Wood Crafts: FolkArt Home Decor

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At a Glance:

• Number of Colors: 12
• Ease of Use: Doesn’t require priming or thinning and is ready to go right out of the jar 
• Durability: Best for indoor projects
• Drying Time: Medium
• Finish: Ultra matte

Chalk paint is a favorite for creating distressed vintage looks on wood crafts, in particular on furniture.

The FolkArt Home Decor Chalk Paint Set comes in an affordable pack of 12 neutral colors that look great on all kinds of wood crafts.

Pros:

• Nontoxic
• Creamy consistency for ease of blending and shading
• Comes in 8 ounce containers, so good for larger projects
• Easy cleanup
• Doesn’t require priming before paint application
• One coat is enough to cover most surfaces, finished or unfinished

Cons:

• Not incredibly durable
• Requires a high-gloss varnish if a shiny finish is desired

Best Metallic Paint for Wood Crafts: Arteza Metallic Acrylic Paint

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At a Glance:

• Number of Colors: 12
• Ease of Use: May need to be thinned before use
• Durability: These paints are not permanent
• Drying Time: Fast
• Finish: Pearl sheen

The Arteza Metallic Acrylic Paint Set is a great choice when it comes to making your wood crafts dazzle with a little bit of metallic shine.

Pros:

• Nonfading
• Nontoxic
• High viscosity
• Vibrant colors
• Labels show lightfastness rating as well as opacity level

Cons:

• Comes in small tubes, so not the best choice for larger projects
• Metallic colors are fairly translucent, so may need several coats for desired opacity
• These are thicker paints, so they may need to be thinned

Best Pastel Paint for Wood Crafts: Delta Ceramcoat

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At a Glance:

• Number of Colors: 18
• Ease of Use: These paints may require more than one coat for desired opacity
• Durability: Good for use on indoor projects
• Drying Time: Medium
• Finish: Matte

The Delta Ceramcoat 18 Color Acrylic Paint Set has an excellent selection of Easter egg colors that look great on all kinds of wood crafts.

The colors are a creamy consistency, making them easy to apply and blend as needed.

Pros:

• Creamy consistency
• Even coverage
• Elegant color selection

Cons:

• Small bottles are better for accent pieces or smaller wood crafts

5 Tips for Painting Wood Crafts

1. Sanding and priming can really make or break a wood craft. Be sure to sand and/or prime as needed before applying your first layer of paint.
2. Allow all layers of paint to dry thoroughly before applying the next.
3. To increase longevity, apply a sealant or varnish after paint has dried.
4. Use the right paint for the intended project. Make sure to use paint rated for exterior use on outdoor projects.
5. In general, use a smaller brush to cover smaller areas and a larger brush to cover larger areas.

Wrapping It Up

When it comes to painting wood crafts, there are tons of different paint options to choose from.

Whether you are looking for a wood paint that is good for beginners, to use on outdoor projects, or that is the best value you can get, the information in this article has got you covered!