When I first started reenacting, OD green paint seemed to be the solution to everything.  De-farbing = spray with OD green paint.  While I’ve moved on from this typical newbie trend, I’ve found that a good OD green paint is great for a lot of things, especially wood projects where you want to give the wood some kind of protection from the weather.

Over the years, I’ve tried many types of OD paint. First, I found a can of regular krylon camo spray paint.  This stuff is actually pretty useful if you are not particular about which shade OD you get.  They also have flat black.  Then, I moved to scavenging clearance bins for flat black, khaki, white, and anything remotely olive in a spray paint.  This method is not particularly advisable, unless your budget is VERY small.  And, then, I went to a MVPA surplus / swap meet.  They had whole cases of color correct OD green paint!  I was so excited!  The downside – you can pay up to $10 for a can of spray paint.   1 can of spray paint is going to cover an OD green table or stool.  I think I used between 3 and 4 cans spraying my bicycle OD green.

My review on the “specially made OD green ultra matte” spray paint?  Use it on metal only, preferably on top of primer, and don’t be surprised if it scratches off.  The spray doesn’t soak into wood very well. I found that if I wasn’t careful I got a rough surface instead of a smooth one, which seems to be related to the ultra matte finish.   All and all, I used it for many years, complaints and all.

So, what are your other options?  Luckily home depot will now match colors.  Piece of advice – don’t drag your footlocker in there.  Find something small and OD green. I prefer indoor / outdoor matte or satin paint, depending on what I’m painting.  And, pony up and buy a gallon if you’re painting any kind of  larger project.  Primer helps to avoid multiple coats, but if you’re like me, you’ll see 5 more things that could use a new coat of OD green paint.   If you’re on a strict budget, you can buy regular indoor paint.  It will work just fine, but it won’t stand up as well to an afternoon rain shower.    For the ultimate in color protection, I highly recommend a satin or matte clear coat.  Krylon spray clear coat works just fine, or you can buy a polyurethane.

Whatever kind of WWII type paint you need, make sure you read all of the directions.   Most pre-painted items and even some wood finish items will require light sanding.  And, be sure that if you’re repainting an original WWII item, you are doing so in good conscience. In my opinion, that type of  restoration should only be done when a piece is completely un-useable otherwise.  Be careful not to erase history with that fresh coat of pain.