How to Paint a Walmart Nutcracker (Beginner-Friendly Guide)

Written By Evelyn Goudelock

If you’ve ever looked at a Walmart nutcracker blow mold (or any of their other blow molds!) and thought “I love it… but how do I even begin making it over?” you’re in the right place. 💕

Customizing a viral 6ft Walmart nutcracker is one of the easiest ways to create a custom holiday statement piece, even if you’ve never painted anything before!

Let’s break it down step by step. Not every step is totally necessary, but I’m going to give you the best practices as if you had all the time and patience in the world haha!

Step 1: Clean Your Nutcracker

Before painting, wipe your nutcracker down with a damp cloth to remove dust, oils, or residue. This helps everything stick better. If yours looks fine, go ahead and skip- not a totally necessary step!

Step 2: Prime (Yes, It Matters!)

If your nutcracker is plastic or a blow mold, primer is key. It’s okay to skip, but you really really shouldn’t! Some of the newer nutcrackers come ready to go- and in some cases it’s okay to jump right in, but we’ve noticed a lot of people’s primer came chipped which is not a great testament to its durability! In those cases people just primed like normal.

Use a plastic-safe bonding primer and apply light, even coats.

👉 Expect about 1.5–2 cans per nutcracker. Here’s the groups go-to options:

🔹 Rust-Oleum 2X: https://walmrt.us/3TkEzv9  (ad)

BRUSH-ON PRIMERS: ideal for those who sre in colder climates and dont have a warm area to prime, or those who are sensitive to the smell of spray paint!

• Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3 (brush-on): very low smell and great adhesion https://walmrt.us/47LOUrH (ad)

• Kilz 2 (brush-on): also low-odor and dries quickly https://walmrt.us/49nou0t (ad)

What color primer should I go with?

•White: if you’re painting your nutcracker with light or bright colors

•Gray: if you’re painting your nutcracker in rich or dark colors. Some people also like to use gray on white nutcrackers simply because the gray over the white makes it easier to see where youre spraying.

Step 3: Paint Your Base Colors

For details, acrylic paint works beautifully.
For large areas like jackets, hats, or bases, spray paint saves time and gives a smoother finish.

💡 Tip: Pastels always look better over white primer.

Step 4: Add Details & Glitter (Optional but Fun ✨)

This is where personality comes in — diamonds, stripes, trim, or glitter accents.
If using glitter:

Embellishments, Stencils, etc:

Use a dot of hot glue or e6000 (or both!) to secure your embellishments.

Links to embellishments people have used:

🥾Boot Makeover Collection: Here

Nutcracker Embellishments: Here

Glitter:

Step 5: Seal It

Sealing protects your work and keeps colors vibrant, especially if your nutcracker lives outdoors.

I recommend a gloss sealer for shine or matte for softer looks (just not on eyes!)

Sealer Links:

💜 If you’re ever unsure, post a photo in the group and tag me! I love helping troubleshoot ◡̈

Evelyn Goudelock
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