How to Paint Plexiglas

While ordinary Plexiglas fits many applications, you can get even more use out of it by painting it. Painting Plexiglas opens up a whole new field of possibilities for you to choose from. For example, you could customize your Plexiglas furniture to match the existing decor or decorate it in any artistic way that you might wish. Be creative!

Step 1 - Sand and Clean the Plexiglas

Before you begin to paint, you must prepare the surface. A dirty surface will be difficult to paint, as will an extremely smooth surface. First use your fine-grained sandpaper on the surface of the Plexiglas. Sand lightly and be sure to hit every spot. However, you don't need to sand very hard or for very long.

Next get out a sponge and soak it in soapy water. Use the sponge to clean off the Plexiglas you plan to paint. Then rinse out the sponge and use it to wipe off the Plexiglas. Finally dry off the surface with a clean rag. Washing the Plexiglas after sanding it ensures that no small particles get trapped under your coat of paint.

Step 2 - Add Primer

The surface of your Plexiglas is now ready to accept paint, but in order to get the best results, you should prime it first. Before priming, set up a drop cloth outside on a flat surface and set your Plexiglas on top of it.

Get out your spray acrylic primer. Shake it thoroughly and hold it 18 to 24 inches away from the surface at a 45-degree angle. Pull the trigger on your spray primer and keep moving it constantly. Never paint the same spot twice. Using too much primer is the worst thing you can do in this situation. If you use too little, you can always let it dry and add a second coat.

When you finish, allow the primer to dry. If necessary turn your Plexiglas over to prime any sections that were covered the first time. Finally examine the coat primer to make sure it looks thick enough. If it does not, repeat the process.

Step 3 - Paint the Plexiglas

Use your acrylic spray paint of the color you have chosen. Shake the spray paint and paint using even, constantly moving passes from 18 to 24 inches away at a 45-degree angle. After the paint dries, turn over the Plexiglas to paint the bottom if necessary. Finally, look at your work and decide if the color is bright enough for your tastes. If it is, you are finished. If it is not, apply a second coat.

You can use acrylic paints of any kind if you want to decorate your plexiglass once you have applied your coat of flat color.

Step 4 - Waterproof (Optional)

If your Plexiglas is going to be outside or exposed to water inside, you may want to apply a waterproof sealant to it. Choose a commercial sealant advertised for use over paint and apply it according to the instructions on its package.