Do you feel like your old ceiling fan is dragging down your room’s style? Believe it or not, you don’t have to spend a fortune replacing it. With a little creativity and elbow grease, you can give it a brand-new look without breaking the bank. Here’s how to modernize a ceiling fan, in a budget-friendly way.
My house came with these nice quality Hunter ceiling fans, however, the look is outdated with the high gloss brass look from the 90s. I tackled this ceiling fan makeover the way I do all my outdated house decor. I take on DIY projects first and if it does not work out, then I will spend the money on a new ceiling fan.
Supplies Needed for a Ceiling Fan Update
Before you start, gather these supplies:
- Screwdriver
- Mild soap and water
- Newspaper and Painter’s tape
- Spray paint (in your desired color for metal surfaces and fan blades)
- Wood paint or stain (for fan blades)
- New fan light shades (optional)
- Drop cloth or old sheets
Step 1: Dismantle the Existing Fan
First, turn off the power on the fan at the circuit breaker. Safety first!
- Remove Light Covers and Bulbs: Unscrew the light bulb and light shade. Keep them in a safe spot if keeping. If you are upgrading the light covers donate the old ones or upcycle them. Also, remove any pull chains.
- Detach the Light Fixture Kit: Pay extra attention to how the wires are attached. Especially if you have 2-way switches turning on the fan and lights. Pro Tip: Photograph the wires before taking them apart. Trust me on this one. I did not do this and I did not remember how they were wired. It took Mr. DD several attempts to get the wiring correct.
- Unscrew Ceiling Fan Blades: Remove the fan blades and the blade holders using a screwdriver. Label the screws if needed to remember where they go. This is easy to do by placing them in separate plastic bags with descriptions.
- Remove Other Detachable Parts: Carefully remove the decorative housing, canopy, and down rod(if you have one)
Step 2: Clean the Fan
A good cleaning can do wonders and reveal the true potential of your fan. This also gives you a great chance to see if your fan has reversible blades. My fan had a different wood tone on the other side of the golden oak that was showing.
- Wash Blades and Parts: Use mild soap and a damp cloth to clean dust and grime from the blades and detachable parts. Be very careful when cleaning the motor housing as you do not want to saturate it with water.
- Dry Thoroughly: Make sure everything is completely dry before moving on to the painting stage. Moisture can interfere with paint adhesion.
Step 3: Paint the Ceiling Fan
This is where the magic happens! If you are lucky, your fan may have decent fan blades that are not the outdated orange oak like mine. If you are one of the lucky ones, you can skip painting the fan blades. Sometimes just painting the body of the fan can make a world of difference.
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- Prepare Your Workspace: Lay out drop cloths or old sheets in a well-ventilated area. Use painter’s triangle stands under each fan blade, or empty plastic containers. This helps to easily paint the edges of fan blades.
- Protect Areas with Painter’s Tape: Cover any areas you don’t want to paint, including the inside of the motor housing.
- Paint Blades and Metal Parts:
- Blades: Paint or stain the wooden blades in your chosen color. Allow them to dry completely before applying additional coats of paint. If you like the wood look, consider doing a paint wash over the existing wood grain or using a wood stain to make a wood grain look.
- Metal Parts: Use spray paint designed for metal to update the color of your metal fan parts. I like to use this 2 in 1 primer and paint. Be consistent with your strokes for a smooth finish. I recommend using this spray paint can trigger to have better control of the flow. Use light coats and do not try to saturate the fan with one coat.
Another option for those who do not want to paint the fan blades, replace them. Here are a few updated styles that may work with your style preferences.
When choosing new fan blades, I recommend getting the same size fan blades. Getting longer blades could put a strain on the motor or could cause imbalance which would burn out the motor.
Step 4: Hang the Fan Back Up
Once everything is dry and looking fabulous, it’s time to reassemble. You will assemble the fan in the opposite direction that you dismantled.
- Attach the canopy, drop bar, and motor housing: This is the hardest part. Most fans have a hook that holds the motor housing which allows for easier assembly. I also recommend that you have an extra set of hands since it is very difficult to assemble since you are always working above your head.
- Turn on the Power Source: Test to make sure all wiring connections are working properly. This is where the photo of the wiring comes in handy. Do this before securing all screws and attaching the blades. It is much easier to take apart if the wiring is not working correctly.
- Reattach Blade Holders and Fan Blades: Attach the blades back onto the fan, ensuring everything is secure. I preferred to attach the blade holders first and then the fan blades after the holders were on. You can assemble the blades to the holders on the ground, however, it makes it heavier to attach them to the motor housing especially if installing yourself.
- Replace Light Covers and Bulbs: Screw the light covers and light bulbs back into place.
Update Fan Light Shades (Optional)
For an updated look, consider updating the light kit or shades. This additional cost is low compared to buying a new fan. I decided to use a drum shade light kit in place of the bulky outdated 4 light kit that was on my ceiling fans. The drum shade is a modern update with my sleek new black fan.
Also, check out this Fantastic ceiling fan gadget that allows you to use any drum shade over the existing light kit. If I had known about this when I did my makeover, I would have used that instead as it is MUCH cheaper!
Update to the Updated Ceiling Fan
I originally decided to do a paint wash on the fan blades to keep a wood tone. However, after deciding to paint the interior window trim black, I also painted the fan blades black for a modern look that accented the window trim.
The below picture shows the updated fan before deciding to paint the blades black.
The other deciding factor was the other ceiling fan had a slightly different wood grain color, that was bothering me every time I looked at it.
How to Paint Wash Ceiling Fan Blades
My original ceiling fan upgrade was painting the shiny gold metal and using a paint wash on the fan blades. Watch this video to see how easy it is to do a paint wash. A paint wash was done to tone down the orange undertones on the fan blades.
For those who don’t want to watch the video, here is a quick rundown on how to paint and wash ceiling fan blades.
- Mix paint and water to a 50/50 ratio
- Apply paint fully over the fan blade
- Use a clean cloth to wipe off the excess paint. Wipe away paint wash immediately, to prevent it from drying. Wipe away the wash with even light strokes.
- Allow to dry completely and seal if the surface will be used heavily. I recommend using a spray sealer to seal. Using a paintbrush to seal will wet the paint wash and cause it to streak.
Easily Painting Ceiling Fan Blades
Taking the fan blades down to paint black was so easy after already updating the fan base.
- Remove fan blades from the blade holders.
- Clean the fan blades thoroughly
- Prepare the workspace with plastic or drop cloths. Place clean fan blades on plastic containers or triangle painter holders.
- Spray fan blades with 2-in-1 primer and paint. Make sure to use light even coats. I recommend using 2 light coats instead of trying to get complete coverage on the first coat of paint. I also love this spray paint can trigger. It makes it so much easier to spray paint from the can.
- Seal the painted fan blades with a clear matte sealer.
- Re-install the fan blades after the spray paint has dried thoroughly.
I love the ceiling fan with the all-black blades and base so much more than the wood and black. The drum light kit stands out with an all-black ceiling fan.
The ceiling fan was originally in the living room, however I switched it with the hanging light fixture as I thought that looked much better above the fireplace. Check out how I transformed that hanging light fixture by making the drum shade.
Conclusion
And there you have it—a modernized ceiling fan that adds style to your space without emptying your wallet. Enjoy your updated fan, and relish the satisfaction of a job well done. If you found this guide helpful, share your results in the comments below! Happy DIY-ing!
DeDe Bailey
DeDe Bailey is the artistic mastermind behind Designed Décor and The Puzzle Table. With a rich background in home décor retail, she has transformed her website into a platform driven by a profound passion for helping individuals craft spaces they adore. As a self-taught furniture painting artist and thrift decorator, she loves sharing her knowledge and empowering others to beautify their homes through furniture painting and thrifting. When she isn’t sharing her wisdom on the Designed Décor blog, DeDe is occupied with showcasing her ingenious jigsaw puzzle table design and expanding her short-term rental located in NE Ohio.
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