Read on for our guide on how to paint plastic.
Work on old cardboard rather than on sheet plastic.
Paint soaks into the cardboard but tends to smear on sheet plastic.
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The cap should be sealed tightly when the can is not in use.
Scrub the plastic with a rag or sponge.
Thoroughly rinse the surface with cool, clean water, so that no suds remain.
The Spruce / Sanja Kostic
Sand Glossy Surfaces
Sand the object surface.
Paint adheres far better to rougher, matte surface plastics than to glossy plastics.
Since most plastic is glossy, sanding is an essential step.
The Spruce / Sanja Kostic
Lightly sand all surfaces with 180- to 220-gritsandpaper.
Fine sandpaper such as this will prevent you from marring the surface.
Since plastic is soft, it’s possible for you to do the sanding by hand.
The Spruce / Sanja Kostic
However, if you have large areas to sand, you may want to use arandom orbital sander.
This is especially important when using an electric sander on plastic.
It’s often best to sand by hand.
The Spruce / Sanja Kostic
Wipe Down the Plastic With Mineral Spirits
Give the object a cleaning.
Check local waste management regulations for guidance on disposing of rags soaked with mineral spirits.
Be safe when tossing the soaked rags as they are flammable.
The Spruce / Sanja Kostic
Drip the spirits or alcohol onto a clean rag and wipe down the surface.
Do this as many times as necessary until the rags come up clean and dust-free.
Spray the First Coat of Paint
Be patient.
The Spruce / Sanja Kostic
Take your time when spray-painting plastic.
If possible, lay the work material flat (horizontally).
Overspray can produce a fine dust that will dull semi-gloss or glossy paint sheens.
To prevent this, do not move the spray can backward as you spray.
Instead, move forward.
Spray dust will then be covered up with fresh paint if you move in this direction.
Spray lightly across the surface.
Do not aim for total color coverage at this point, as that will usually lead to drips.
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The paint should feel solid and dry to the touch, not tacky.
For this, the paint has to be 100-percent dry and hard.
Otherwise, you might end up with smeared paint that is difficult to remove.
Paint the plastic with a second coat.
As before, resist the temptation to lay down a thick coat of paint.
Keep the paint can tilted at an angle and lightly mist the surface at about 12 inches away.
The paint tends to drip, pool, and blotch; once dried, it quickly peels off.
Most general-purpose spray paints work on plastic, but care must be taken to prepare the surface before painting.
General-purpose spray paints offer more color choices than specialty plastic paints.
Should You Use Spray Paint or a Brush for Plastics?
Formulated the same as the spray-on versions, the only difference is the delivery system.
Paint brushed onto plastics can smear or create brush marks.
Thus, spray paint tends to produce a smoother, drip-free surface with no danger of brush marks.
If you are using spray paint specifically meant for plastic, then you do not need to prime.
However, if you’re using regular spray paint, then you will want to prime the plastic first.
Yes, you’re free to paint over plastic.
Paints specifically intended for plastic include Krylon Fusion for Plastic or Rust-Oleum Specialty Plastic Primer Spray.
Material Safety Data Sheet: Mineral Spirits.
National Center for Forensic Science.
