Blog 1 - Getting Started: Pick Your Wall, Choose Your Magnets & What to Buy

1. Introduction

You’re ready to start your Hooked on Paint project. Awesome!

This first blog is all about planning: choosing the right wall, deciding which magnets you want, and making sure you purchase everything you need before you start painting.

Once you complete this step, you’ll be fully prepared for Blog 2, where we’ll guide you through wall preparation, mixing, and painting your ferrous coats.

Let’s get started!

2. Identify Your Wall

The first step is choosing which wall you want to transform into a magnetic display. Hooked on Paint works best on walls that will be used frequently, such as places where you want things to be easy to hang, easy to change, and easy to enjoy.

Great HOP walls include:

• A living room gallery wall

• A hallway or entryway for kids’ artwork

• A child’s room for letters, shapes, or learning tools

• A home office wall for organization and planning

• A craft or hobby wall where supplies need to move around

If you need ideas, inspiration, or layout examples, click here to explore magnetic wall possibilities.

3. Measure Your Space

Once you’ve chosen your wall, grab a tape measure so you can determine how much paint and additive you’ll need. This step is important because every Hooked on Paint wall requires all of the mixed primer to be applied, which typically equals 3-4 full coats.

Coverage Guide

• 1 quart of primer + additive covers 25 sq. ft. (with 3–4 coats)

• 1 gallon of primer + additive covers 100 sq. ft. (with 3–4 coats)

No matter what size wall you’re working with, you’ll use every drop of the mixed primer. This is what gives you a strong, reliable magnetic surface.

More coats = more iron on the wall = stronger magnetic hold.

So if your wall lands between sizes, for example 40 sq. ft., don’t try to stretch one quart. Get more additive and primer to ensure the wall has enough iron additive. Always round up when choosing your paint and additive amounts. A little extra goes a long way toward consistent strength across your entire wall.

4. Choose Your Magnets

Now that you know the size of your wall, it’s time to choose the magnets that will work best for what you want to hang. Hooked on Paint magnets are designed specifically for our ferrous walls, so you’ll get a stronger, more reliable hold than standard magnets.

Start by weighing your items

If possible, weigh the item you plan to hang: picture frames, décor, organizers, kids’ artwork, etc.
Knowing the weight helps you choose the right magnet and ensures the item will stay safely on the wall.

Magnet Options

• 1x1 Peel & Stick Mount: Holds up to 2 lbs

• 1x1 Permanent Mount: Holds up to 2.5 lbs

• 1x2 Permanent Mount: Holds up to 5 lbs

For wider or heavier items, you can use multiple magnets spaced evenly to distribute the weight.

Important notes

• Do not use Hooked on Paint to hang heirlooms, antiques, or irreplaceable items.
  If it can’t be replaced, it shouldn’t rely on magnets.

• We do not recommend mounting items that protrude more than 3 inches from the wall.
  Items that stick out too far can create leverage that changes how the magnet holds, increasing the chance of sliding or reduced stability.

These simple guidelines help keep your wall safe, strong, and long-lasting.

5. Purchase Your Additive & Magnets

Now that you’ve measured your wall and know what you want to hang, it’s time to pick up the materials you’ll need for your project. We’ve made ordering simple by offering pre-sized kits for both the additive and the magnets.

Choose Your Additive

We offer two sizes, so you can choose the one that fits your project:

• Quart Additive Kit, Covers up to 25 sq. ft.

• Gallon Additive Kit, Covers up to 100 sq. ft.

Just select the kit that matches the amount of primer you plan to use!

Choose Your Magnets

Depending on what you plan to hang, you can pick up any of our magnet packs:

• 1x1 Peel & Stick - 4 Pack
  Great for lightweight items that can’t be screwed into.

• 1x1 Permanent Mount - 4 Pack
  Great for lightweight frames and décor.

• 1x2 Permanent Mount - 4 Pack
  Best for medium frames or slightly heavier items.

If you’re hanging multiple items or want flexibility in your layout, grabbing more than one pack is a great idea.

Or keep it simple with our Starter Kit

If you want everything in one click, we offer a Hooked on Paint Starter Kit that includes:

• 1 Gallon Additive Kit

• 4-Pack of 1x2 Permanent Mounts

• 4-Pack of 1x1 Permanent Mounts

It’s the perfect option if you’re doing a full wall and want a variety of magnets ready to go.

6. Pick Your Paint

Once you’ve chosen your additive and magnets, the next step is selecting the right paint for your project. You’ll be using two types of paint: your primer (mixed with the Hooked on Paint additive) and your topcoat (your final wall color).

Choose a Primer

For the magnetic layer, we recommend using a latex primer. Latex primers blend smoothly with the additive, level well on the wall, and create a consistent surface for your magnets.

Choose Your Topcoat

Your topcoat is simply the color you want your wall to be when everything is finished. Almost any standard interior wall paint will work on top of the ferrous layers.

One thing to note is that thicker or heavy-texture paints may slightly reduce magnetic strength.

7. Gather Your Supplies

Before you start painting, make sure you have your basic painting supplies ready to go. If you’ve painted a room before, most of this will feel familiar. Hooked on Paint doesn’t require any special tools, just a few specific recommendations to get the best results.

Standard Painting Supplies You’ll Need

• Paint roller

• Roller pan

• Painter’s tape

• Drop cloth or floor protection

• Brush for cutting in edges

• Plastic wrap or a plastic bag (to keep tools covered between coats)

These are the same supplies you’d use for any wall-painting project.

Important Hooked on Paint Recommendations

To get the smoothest magnetic surface possible:

• Use a 1/4” nap foam roller
  This applies the primer + additive mixture smoothly. A thicker nap roller can create unnecessary texture.

• Use a bucket or mixing container
  You’ll need this to fully combine the additive with your primer before painting.

• You can mix with a stir stick…
  but it takes time and effort to break up all the powder evenly.

• …but we highly recommend using a drill with a paint-mixer attachment.
  This gives you a smoother blend, makes mixing easier, and helps ensure the iron powder stays evenly distributed.

8. Wrap-Up

You now have everything you need to start your Hooked on Paint project: wall chosen, measurements taken, magnets selected, additive purchased, paint picked out, and supplies gathered.

You’re officially ready to move on to the next step!

Continue to Blog 2: Prep Your Wall + Mix & Apply Your Ferrous Coats