Experts warn against ‘sofa painting’ trend that sees Gen Z revamp their couches at home – and say they’re just ruining an expensive piece of furniture

Experts have warned of a trend which sees people on social media trying to renovate their sofas with paint.

The trend is popular on TikTok and Instagram reels, gaining over 29.7 million views, as creative fans attempt to save money with their DIY projects.

Videos filmed by TikTokers across the UK show them splashing multiple coats of paint on their sofas before scrubbing and sanding to achieve an even finish.

But while sofa makeovers may look good at first, experts warn they will soon become “dry, uneven and crusty”, and people risk ruining an “expensive canvas”.

Molly Mackinder, 25, who lives in Essex, shared her sofa makeover in a videoas she turned it from light blue to cream.

Molly mixed four parts water with one part chalk, before spraying the fabric with water and painting over the mixture. She covered it with an abrasive sponge to work the paint and added additional layers before covering it again with sandpaper.

The DIYer said she was “happy” with the result, but admitted the makeover had left it “patchy in places”.

She wrote on her TikTok account @mackingahouseahome: “Painting a sofa?!! I’m glad I did it because it saved me from having to buy a new sofa and I’m happy with the result… but I don’t probably wouldn’t do it again.

“It took SO MUCH paint and forever to wait for the fabric to dry between each coat! »

Meanwhile, Emma Carberry, from Glasgow, who runs interior design company Form And Balance, said she turned to the sofa painting trend because she wanted a ‘luxurious sofa’, but only had a used one to work with.

She transformed her gray coach using a deep olive green, saying a “little TLC” had made it “iconic”, while “saving a fortune in upholstery costs”.

While comments were clearly won over – calling the makeovers “stunning” and “so good!” ”, experts have warned people at home not to rush to get out their own paintbrushes.

Michael Rolland of The Paint Shed warned that painting is not a “simple hack” and said: “DIY sofa painting is all the rage on TikTok with viral videos showing a fun, simple, eco-friendly and affordable way to redesign your furniture.

“However, this may be one of those trends where what you see is usually not what you get. In fact, the only easy thing about painting sofas is that it It’s easy to make huge mistakes that could result in unnecessary costs.

“People expect their painted sofa to look like real quality pieces, but that’s just not a reality with this trend. Fabric paint, even good ones, is unlikely to cover wear or imperfections.

“It’s even less likely that it will look like the material for a brand new piece of furniture. It’s much harder to keep paint from becoming dry, patchy and crusty than the Tiktokers show.

“A sofa is a very expensive canvas to destroy and this is inevitable without experience and expertise.”

If you still want to renovate your sofa, Michael advises that there are easier and more cost-effective ways to give it a new lease of life.

Less risky options include sewing a removable cover, purchasing a slipcover, or investing in quality cushions.