How to Paint Plastic

Plastic has brought revolutionary and lasting changes to our lifestyle. Throughout the day, we are in contact with so many plastic objects. Plastic is a very versatile material which can be molded into any desired shape. It has abundant utility according to its hardness, thickness and type. Plastic objects are often painted into attractive colors which add to its visual appeal. This is not possible with metal objects. However, one thing that you may not be aware of is that, plastic is immensely difficult to paint on.

How to Paint Plastic

Plastic items almost always have a very smooth finish and a glossy surface. This makes it very difficult for the paint to adhere to the plastic surface. Besides, paint on the plastic surface also tends to peel off very quickly. Incorrect plastic painting techniques may also result in cracking of the paint. All this makes painting plastic a really tough job. One must use a correct painting technique according to the plastic object they are painting and the type of finish expected. Small plastic items are best hand painted with a paint brush while large plastic boxes or furniture can look elegant with plastic spray painting. You may also consider decorating your plastic items with hand painted designs. An acrylic craft paint can be used for this purpose.

Painting Plastic Furniture

Plastic furniture is found aplenty in our homes. Before spray painting furniture, especially old plastic furniture, use an ammonia solution to clean the furniture. Add half a cup of ammonia in one gallon of water. Wipe the furniture clean with a wash cloth. Use another wash cloth and soak it in water. Wipe the furniture with this wash cloth to remove the traces of ammonia. Use a plastic paint primer to help the paint to adhere better to the surface. Furniture painting should be done only after the primer has dried completely. Buy a right spray paint for plastic from any home improvement store. As far as possible, choose a dry, hot day for carrying out your painting assignment. Pour the paint in the spray can and start working uniformly on the plastic surface. Spray only a thin coat of paint and allow it to dry. Repeat four such thin coats. Turn the furniture upside down to paint the other side.

Painting Small Plastic Items

Small, random plastic objects cannot be spray painted with a paint sprayer, gun or a can. Such items need to be hand painted with a paint brush. If painting plastic auto parts, remove them from their assembly. Before you paint them on, wash them thoroughly with a detergent or a dish soap. Wipe them clean with a lint free towel. Sand them gently with a 400 grit sandpaper. Be careful so as not to scratch the surface too much. Apply an adhesion promoter before applying a primer. Next, apply two coats of plastic primer on the objects. Apply a coat of plastic paint only after the coat of primer has dried completely.

You can spray paint plastic surfaces that are too large to be painted with hand. However, do not forget to sand them with a sandpaper. Flexible plastic surfaces must be painted only after adding plastic flex agent to the paint. You can choose a plastic finish of your choice by applying various techniques. In order to paint plastic to look like metal, use HVLP spray guns. Paint rollers can also be used for a smooth and even finish.

Painting plastic is not that tedious if you know the correct technique and have the supplies at hand. Hope this article was resourceful.