How To Make Your Own Paintball Mask?

Paintballing is all fun but the thing that I enjoy more is how to make your own paintball mask or my custom equipment for paintball. I love making custom camouflage overalls, paintball masks, and protective padding for a safe and standout experience in the field.

In this post, I’ll be sharing ideas on how you can make your own paintball mask. You can add multiple bells and whistles to make the mask more functional, stylish, and comfortable. So let’s begin with:

Important Points – Make Your Own Paintball Mask

There are various ideas that you can work on while making your custom paintball masks. From painting to adding lenses and adding camouflage stuff you can experiment with your masks in many ways. Here are some paintball mask customization ideas:

• Adding different lenses would change the field of view. However, all paintball masks do not work with different lenses.
• The easiest way to customize your mask is by painting or adding different colors to it.
• You can camouflage your mask. You can add leaves strings or various DIY items to make ghillie-up masks.
• You can adjust and improve the mask fit. Adding customizable straps, chin padding, and harnesses would completely change the fit of the paintball mask.
• You can alter the appearance of your mask by adding different covers or skin to it.

Related Post: How Are Paintballs Made?

1. Making The Ghille Paintball Masks

Stuff You Need

• Paintball Mask

The first and most crucial part of the process is getting a simple paintball mask. If you already have a paintball mask, that is fine enough to ensure safety on the field you can customize it. However, you can’t pick any paintball mask randomly. The best idea is to buy a paintball mask that is easy to dismantle and offers maximum customization. Safety should also be among your top concerns.

I recommend you buy a high-quality anti-fog mask with a thermal lens from reliable bards like HK Army, Carbon, Virtue VIO, and Dye. You can’t find quality anti-fog masks between $40 to $70. Make sure that the mask you are buying is easy to dismantle and works with off-brand lenses, straps, and paddings.

• Scissors
• Thick and Coarse Cotton Yarn Dyed In Camouflage Colors and Cotton Strings
• Spray Paint
• Fabric Dye
• Tape And Glue

Clean The Paintball Mask

If you are using a paintball mask that is already in use, you need to clean it before adding strings or yarn to it. If the mask is not clean, the paint and glue will not stick to it perfectly.

Related Post: How To Clean A Paintball Gun?

Cut The Yarn And Strings

• If you are using yarn, you need to cut it into 50 to 70 pieces varying between the length 10 to 25 cm.
• If you are using strings, cut around 50 pieces of strings of length between 10 to 25 cm.

Tie The Knots

• Paintball masks come with holes for breathability around the visor and cap area. If there are no holes you can drill multiple holes into it.
• Now take the cotton strings or yarn string and tie them in a simple knot around the visor and all the holes.
• Unravel all the twined lines to create a bushy effect. It will take you around 30 to 40 minutes to minutes to tie strings around the mask structure.

Painting The Strings

• It’s time to add camouflage colors to yarn or cotton strings. Spray paint is the handiest option. It is advised to choose the spray paint that works with fabric.
• Before you add paint it is crucial to tape the lens from both inside and outside. Also, you need to cover the padding inside the masks as paint can change the feel and texture of the padding.
• Now apply fabric dye or paint on the threads or yarn. Use multiple camouflage colors to get the perfect woodsy look. Keep on adding paint until you get the desired results.

2. Adding Skins And Stickers To Paintball Mask

Another thing that you can try is using stickers or various covers to jazz up the boring look of your mask. If you know how to create stickers, you can create your favorite designs. You can find a wide range of decals, and sticker trim on Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and various online selling platforms. Also, you can buy these decks and stickers from local paintball shops.

You can apply paintball mask decals on the non-ventilated areas on the mask to make it look more vibrant and cool. Gaiters can also be used on the paintball mask, but it would limit the breathability by covering the vent holes on the mask. In summer it is not a good idea to use gaiters.

3. Paint The Paintball Mask

One of the easiest and most versatile ways to make your custom paintball mask is by adding paint to it. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to paint the paintball mask:

Get The Best Paint

When choosing the best paint for paintball you have multiple options. Spray paints are handy, but not as reliable as paints designed for plastics. However, you can find many primer spray paint combos that work really well with plastics. If you are buying regular spray paint, I recommend you oil-based paint with a quality primer.

If you are not on a budget you can find many plastic paints. You don’t need any primer for those paints and they will stick to all types of paintball mask surfaces. Acrylic paints are cheap but they may or may not stick to plastics. Also, you can’t expect a long-lasting finish from these paints.

Painters’ Tape

Painter’s tape is one of the most important things you need while painting the paintball mask. Painter’s tape allows you to keep the goggles, lenses, and foam padding paint free. Also, it will help you create various designs like strips, etc.

X-Acto Blade

If you want to create a design with painter’s tape, an X-acto blade is a must-have. These blades come in handy for precision cutting allowing you to cut the tape in various shapes and angles. X-acto blades are available in all DIY stores.

Stencils

Another way through which you can add design to your mask is stencils. You can use an alphabetical stencil to write something on your masks. Also, you can implant various designs and shapes using different stencils.

Taking The Mask Apart

If you don’t want to mess up everything or cover the goggles, lenses, or straps with paint, it is advised to dismantle your mask before you apply paint. Some masks are easier to take apart than others.

Don’t apply force to detach the various parts.

Apply Painter’s Tape

Apply tape on the areas that you don’t want to cover with paint. X-Acto blades are really helpful in cutting the tape to the shape of the paintball mask.

Apply Base Coat

If you are using regular spray paint apply a primer coat on part of the mask you want to paint on. Let the primer dry. It may take as long as 3 hours to get fully cured. To make your design stand out I highly recommend you apply a base coat. Choosing a base color will allow you to create a clean and more visible design or pattern.

• Apply base coats on the parts on which you want to create a design.
• Let it dry.
• Oil-based paint and plastic paints may take as long as 15 hours to get fully dry. So I recommend you not to add another coat for one day.

Creating Symmetrical Design

• If you want to create a symmetrical design with different colors, you can use painter’s tape.
• Apply the tape on the painted surface in zig zags, lines, and stripes.
• You can add variation to a symmetrical design by precision cutting the tape.
• Depending upon the design idea you’re working on, apply another paint coat. The exposed area will be painted while the taped area will stay paint-free.
• Wait 24 hours for the paint to dry and then reveal your design by taking out the tape.
• You need to be very careful while revealing the tape.
• You need to do it with a steady hand and a lot of care to ensure that it is not taking the excess paint with it.
• The best way is to glide the X-acto blade along the corners of the tape to break its contact with the paint coat.
• Now carefully peel off the tape and your beautiful design is revealed.
• You can again tape the painted surface to add different colors and introduce new elements to the design.

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Creating designs With Stencils

If you prefer stencil over tape art, here is the best way to do that.

• Clean your mask before applying any paint. Grease, dust, or debris can ruin your experience so you won’t get a smooth and long-lasting finish.
• Apply the primer coat (if necessary) and allow it dry for 3 to 4 hours.
• Apply the base coat and leave it for one day to get fully cured.
• Now choose a location on which you want to draw a pattern with a stencil.
• The best idea is to put a stencil on the flat area. For the best result, there should be minimal space between the stencil and the surface on which you want to add paint.
• However, if the stencil is flexible enough to adapt the curves you can choose a curved stencil.
• Place the stencil on the surface you want to cover with paint. Try to keep it as flat as possible and make sure there is no or very little or no between the stencil and mask.
• Use the tape to secure the stencil on the mask.
• Now apply a paint coat with a spray paint bottle. Unlike tape, you need to be very careful about the amount of paint when you want to paint through a stencil.
• You need to apply paint of limited quality. If you apply too much paint it will leak or drip through the stencil and you won’t get a smooth design.
• Do not remove the tape or stencil until the paint is dry. Let the paint dry for at least one day.
• Carefully remove the stencil and tape and put all the parts together.

FAQs

Wrapping Up

I’m hopeful that these ideas will help you make your own paintball mask. While making your paintball mask, you need to ensure that you are not compromising safety and visibility. Make sure the lens and padding are paint free. If you add yarn or any mount to the paintball, make sure they are not limiting the visibility and breathability.

Robert Knapp

Throughout his career, Robert C. Knapp has played with the best in the world and has earned the respect of many of the top players. His skill, versatility, and timing have helped him rise to the top of the paintball world. He is a true professional who will likely go down as one of the greatest players in game history.

His impact on the game is both on and off the field. He has become an ambassador for the sport and has enriched the game with anecdotes and facts from the past.

Apart from that, he contributes to this blog several times to help and guide newbies in this world of paintball.