I have an old brass floor lamp that was in bad shape so I painted it with brass-colored spray paint. It looks good but the finish isn't as smooth/glossy as the original. I think that spraying it with a clear top-coat would correct that.

I think when painting a smooth surface its best to use a good primer like kilz that is special for helping paint to stick. There is another primer which is similar but I forget the name. someone at the paint store can advise you. Both stink to high heaven so be sure to have ventilation. Both come in spray or liquid.
I have painted both metal and ceramic lamps with no problem but I used one of these primers.
If you want shiny, I think partymusic is right and you may need to put some glossy urethane as a final coat.
Good luck and post a pic when you ar done.
Kathy

Thanks for the info. I will have to wait a few weeks for some warmer weather to attempt it, but I will post before & after pics!

Robin

Hey.

Kilz is for drywall. Definitely not metal.

I have to look into it, but there is a primer called STIX that is an adheasive primer. On the label it lists metal. I've used it to paint melamine with fantastic results.

I'm going to do some book cases that are particle board with that fake wood coating on them. They're sturdy, having held law books at a law firm, so I want to rebuild them into something else.

After this post, I'm going to use the primer to start painting some of the brass lamps I don't like! :)

Thanks for asking the question.
But don't waste your time with Kilz on metal. Use the proper product for the material for the best result.

C.

As a crafter, I have learned that you can paint most items if you wash off the dirt/grim then wipe it with cotton soaked with alcohol. Alcohol will remove the last traces of oil from your fingers. Spray it with a matte sealer, then paint it as you want. After it has dried about 24 hours I then spray it with a gloss or matte clear.

I have even used this method with glazed ceramics and it turned out lovely.