SPRAYPAINT MONITOR

Before starting...sorry for my awful english, is not my native language.

So I wanted to make a much needed upgrade for a low price. Searched online on german ebay, and why? Because second hand stores are common in Germany, normally they sell used office in working condition. Bought mine here , a 23 inch Fujitsu for 45€, plus 25€ for shipping, so in total less than half of the price. The downside is that normally this stores *don´t* post images of the article itself but stock images. So I received the monitor, a damn fine one with 23", speakers, DVI+VGA...but for some reason companies don´t sell grey/white enclosures nowadays because they tend to get a dull yellow. So here i´m with a ugly frame. Tried hidrogen peroxid to "whitening" without results so decided to paint it in matte black because the less shinny the better for viewing purposes.

Things I got:
1 can of plastic primer
1 can of spray paint matte black
1 can of spray matte varnish
Masking tape
Spray trigger
Iron wool
alcohol
latex gloves
Lots of protective paper ( you can buy cheap rols of painting paper in any warehouse).
Screen cleaner

(If possible do it in ventilated area, it will dry faster and you will not get toxic fumes. A breathing mask is recommend.
Take in account that each layer takes about 15 minutes to dry so it´s a good idea to save some time doing the masking of one piece while the other is drying.)

The monitor has 2 parts: screen and arm. So, after disassembling, I covered all surfaces I didn´t want paint.

With steel wool and alcool get ride of all the dirt, this is important also to great a good aderent surface. Keep in mind the surface will get bruised so no turning back...

Priming is important for a good aderence of the paint. Go spray primer and spray it on the plastic in a thin layer. Did it with a standard spray trigger, is cheap ( less than 10€ ) and you get steady spraying, easier than doing with the fingers only.

After the primer is dry ( about 15 minutes ) you can feel the surface is almost adesive. Now I can paint in the desired colour ( in this case matte black ), using the spray trigger with a side movement from outside the arm, to the arm and finishing outside the arm. Why? So I can have a steady coat. No thick layers. Just very thin. Let it dry 15 minutes or more. Than made another thin layer. And dry, and again. Till I got a uniform coat without dips.

When the arm is dry coat it with matte varnish for a couple of reasons: tol get a protective finishing, a steady surface and off course it will look better. Din´t try to spray the coat without the trigger because would risk a awfull orange skin effect. Doing light layers at 25 cm distance, allowing it to dry and than another. The arm is ready

The same as the arm, but in this case protected all the open/ventilated areas, I don´t want paint inside the case. As those areas are at the back and the monitor are against the walll I decided to not paint those holes as they are out of sight.

This is the trickiest part: I didn´t want to disassemble the screen as there where no screws. So I´m going to paint it with the screen attached. But I want all the frame painted. If I don´t make a completely protective mask I risk having some white plastic unpainted or worst, have the screen painted. So I raise a little bit the frame and put the masking tape a little bit below the plastic so the paint can cover completely the frame withou touching the screen.

I´m not going to put masking tape all the way the screen, it can be a little trick to remove the residual glue of the tape. So, after all borders are masked with a little bit below the plastic, time to protect the inside area of the screen.

Put a thick paper in the center, less than the size of the visible screen so it can be attached tape to the allready attached without this touching the screen.

In the end do a light test to see if there´s not a single spot without mask. That includes the light of the power switch.

By the way, I painted also the buttons, as I´m the only person who uses the monitor and know exactly what each button does and this model itself is very user friendly for navigation.

As all sensitive areas are covered, painted the same way as the arm: first applied primer, waited to dry and then first thin layer in a side movement beginning outside and inside outside the monitor. Do it till is covered, letting it dry between layers.

Only when COMPLETELY dry turned the screen around and paint the back. Same procedures: clean, prime, paint with thin layers.

I Assembled the monitor to the arm for one reason: is easier to apply coat in the vertical manually. Same procedures as coating the arm

Only after being completely dry I removed the masking tape. Cleaned the glue residue with screen cleaner. DO NOT use glue remover, it can damage the screen.

I think image speakes it for itself. Hope you liked and this help you paint/renovate your old white/yellowed/silver monitor. :)