5 Tips for Spray Painting Plastic

There are new paints specifically formulated for spray painting plastic. Spray painting plastic was once a burdensome task, as it tended to create blobs, beads or droplets on a glossy plastic surface. Now you can get the job done with much less bother and with a great result.

Clean Plastic Equals Smooth Finish

Make sure anything you’re going to paint is clean. If there are some sticky materials glued on the surface of your plasticware, remove it prior to spray painting. Hose it down with water first and let it dry thoroughly if your plastic can’t be easily cleaned by mere wiping alone. Having clean plastic is necessary to create a smooth finish after the painting job.

No Need for Primer

For painting, it is often recommended that a primer should be used prior to spraying the final colors. But for plastic, it is not always required, as long as you have a clean surface and are able to do some quick sanding. There are even paints available that do not require you to perform sanding at all.

Spray Evenly from a Distance

Do not spray too close to the piece, as it will thicken the color on some parts. To create an even tone, spray from a distance, about 4 to 6 inches away from the object you are working on. When spraying, never begin or stop on the surface of your material. This will create drips and bunching up of colors which can damage your nice paint job. Continue spraying in an even single line from one end to the other. When you have sprayed in the single line from left to right, go slightly beyond the edge of the piece before leaving off the trigger and stopping the spray. Then, do the same thing from right to left, repeating until done.

TIP: Painting professional Edward Kimble, author of Interior House Painting Blog, adds, “The piece should be sprayed in several coats. The first coat is very light and does not cover the piece. We call this the “tack” coat. The next coat will stick to the tack coat and cover the piece. Don’t put the paint on heavy in one coat, or it will run. Usually two to three light coats will finish the piece nicely with no runs.”

Prevent or Repair Orange Peel

Orange peel happens when the paint has dried out before it has the chance to level off on the plastic surface, creating a dimpled, uneven finish. To fix this, sand to level the surface of the paint once it has totally dried out. Orange peel happens when the paint is applied too thickly, or you could be working too far from your plasticware. To get the best distance do some trial and error work prior to your actual painting job. This will help you determine your best distance that will not create orange peel. Remember that if you are moving close to your subject, you have to work faster to get an even result in the color.

Have Patience

Spray painting is not easy and takes some time and careful attention to details. You should always keep in mind to always be patient with your work and not hurry in finishing the job. Hurrying could sometimes ruin the paintwork. Give some old lawn furniture or other plastic piece a facelift with a new color and a couple coats of spray paint.

Edward Kimble, professional painter and author of Interior House Painting Blog, contributed to this article.