How to Paint Plastic

Hello, my friend, hello again; today we come together to talk about How to Paint Plastic and hope the blog can help you.

Perk up dingy plastic by spraying on a fresh, smooth coat of paint in the color of your choice. Here’s what you need to know about painting plastic.

Whether your goal is to renew a faded plastic deck chair or change the color of a home decor item like a picture frame, flower pot, or holiday ornament, there are two main things to know about painting plastic: It’s possible and it can be easy. Although there are traditional paints formulated for use on plastic, spray paint is the easiest type of paint to use.

“While using spray paint on plastic is always recommended, you could also brush and roll paint onto plastic but you will not get the nice smooth finish you would get when spraying it,” says Ryan Adamski, Sr. Production Manager at CertaPro Painters.

When applied carefully, spray paint can transform a not-so-great looking plastic surface into a fresh, factory-finish look. If you’ve never spray-painted before, it’s best to practice the perfect technique of layering light dusting coats on a disposable scrap like flat cardboard. Learning how to paint plastic isn’t difficult to do; it simply takes some basic skills that are outlined below.

What type of paint should you use for plastic?

It’s important to purchase spray paint that’s designed for use on plastic. “There are paints that are specifically designed to adhere to plastic, like Rust-Oleum spray cans and Krylon Fusion,” says Adamski. In addition, there are plastic-friendly multisurface paints that may also be appropriate for wrought iron, ceramic, metal, glass, and vinyl, so you may find another use for any paint that happens to be left over.

Among the several brands that make spray paint for plastic, I’ve personally had a lot of success using Krylon’s COLORmaxx and Fusion on a variety of plastic surfaces. Beyond their standard colors, the brands offer metallic options for plastic, too. Even though a label might say that the paint needs no primer, I always use a primer for plastic to make sure the finished look is as professional as possible.

Another thing you’ll want to check is whether the paint is designed for interior or exterior applications. Some multipurpose spray paints are designed for both, which further extends the possibilities of use.