You can make humble plastic look high-end with these paints
Sometimes you want to paint something other than your walls. Think about your plastic lawn furniture, a picture frame, or even a kid’s toy that’s covered in scuff marks. Painting plastic (or any non-traditional surface, really) always comes with a lot of “what ifs” and unknowns.
You may be tempted to reach for the craft paint at first, but what you get out of a project depends on what you put into it, and craft paint yields a look that not everyone loves. But fear not; you can forgo the craft paint and use one of the following best paints for plastic instead for a polished, professional look that won’t break the bank.
First up on our list of the best paint for plastic is an offering from Krylon. The company notes that its Fusion All-in-One® offers an easy-to-use rattle-can delivery system that dries to the touch in 20 minutes. You don’t even have to be able to spray paint like a pro to use this product.
Krylon Fusion All-in-One® is, however, an oil-based paint. This means you should follow personal protective equipment (PPE) protocol while working with it, like wearing an approved respirator to prevent accidental inhalation and putting on long sleeves and gloves to avoid skin exposure.
While not specific just to painting plastic, Rust-Oleum® says that their Painter’s Touch® 2X Ultra Cover® spray paint ensures great coverage with more pigment and a long-lasting finish for many projects. Additionally, they say that their paint offers twice the coverage of some other options on the market. This means you’ll likely need just a single coat to fully cover your plastic surface instead of the typical two coats you’d need otherwise. The lower coat requirement can make this a solid paint for your project from your wallet’s viewpoint.
The “any-angle” spray tip that comes with the Painter’s Touch® 2X Ultra Cover® spray paint allows you to invert and turn the can sideways while working on a project, according to Rust-Oleum®. This unique feature aims to help free you up from handling any wet, painted material and prevent the need to go back and clean up any fingerprints or marks.
If restoring cars is your thing, you’ll want to get to know ColorBond’s Leather, Vinyl, and Hard Plastic Spray Paint (LVHP). ColorBond notes that it’s specifically designed for repairing auto interiors, meaning you don’t have to live with those dings and scrapes your kids or pets have left on your car’s door panels anymore.
ColorBond LVHP is available in a large variety of colors that match most common auto interior colors. You’ll still need to do your due diligence on getting the exact interior shade that was originally used on your car for that specific year so you can match it perfectly. Another good way to ensure that everything matches is to paint entire sections of the interior instead of a spot-treating approach that will highlight even the smallest mismatches.
If you’re not confident in your ability to evenly cover a plastic item with acrylic spray paint, another option is to use Specialty Plastic Primer Spray from Rust-Oleum® first.
Once you’ve thoroughly primed the plastic surface, you can use any latex paint, plastic paint, or stain for the top coat. This white plastic primer is an oil-based product, so use PPE like a respirator and rubber gloves to reduce your exposure to toxins.
Of course, a local interior painter will be able to easily and safely paint plastic for you if you’re concerned about the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in oil-based products or don’t have the proper PPE to combat those VOCs.
Owned by Rust-Oleum®, XIM’s Plastic and Vinyl Bonding Primer aims to more easily bond challenging surfaces, like plastic, to paint. As such, the company states that using this XIM product makes your paint more likely to adhere to plastic surfaces and stay on for longer.
You can use XIM’s paint primer for interior and exterior paint projects, and the brand notes that it offers a tough, long-lasting result that will make your freshly painted plastic surface pop. This bonder is also tintable, so you can change the primer’s color to help reduce the likelihood of having your old paint color peek through the new one.
Just because your plastic surface doesn’t look like metal doesn’t mean you can’t make it look like metal. With a metallic spray paint like Krylon’s Premium Foil Metallic spray paint, you can give your plastic surfaces that extra oomph that really makes them stand out. From vases to plastic furniture, the sky’s the limit with repurposing old plastic into ultra-shiny and unforgettable accessories that truly complement your home.
Krylon notes that this spray paint is fast-drying and free from acid. The paint also comes in eight vivid metallic colors to match the aesthetic of your space. However, if you’re hoping to use this paint on your exterior, you may be disappointed, as this spray paint is for interior projects only.
Max-Flex™ All Surface Spray Paint from Glidden® comes in 16 colors and several interior paint finishes, including satin, matte, semi-gloss, and gloss. Whether you need interior paint or exterior paint, this product fits the bill.
Many DIYers find that Glidden’s all-surface paint doesn’t drip or leave unsightly streaks on your surfaces, plus the brand boasts that this paint has a dry time of just five minutes. Glidden says that another perk of this product is that, due to its spray pattern, you’ll likely need fewer sprays compared to other options that have a standard cone-like spray pattern.
According to BEHR, their Premium™ Spray Paint and Primer has an ergonomic design that makes it easier for DIYers to spray away to their heart’s content. BEHR’s Premium™ Spray Paint and Primer has a self-proclaimed thick, high-quality consistency that hides uneven textures, giving your project an even coverage that might just have it looking like it’s brand new.
If you’ve struggled to find the perfect color for your plastic surface, you may find it with this paint, which is available in 26 colors and gloss, satin, or flat/matte finishes for even more customization on your project.
Also owned by Rust-Oleum®, Bulls Eye 1-2-3® Water-Base Primer from Zinsser® calls itself one of the best adhesive coatings for tricky surfaces like plastic. Whether you’re painting an interior or exterior surface, this primer touts a durability that can withstand Mother Nature and a high-quality finish that can bring much-needed sophistication to your interior design. If you’re looking to paint your gutters, this could be a good choice.
Additionally, Zinnser® notes that this primer has low odor, high mold and mildew resistance, and stain resistance. At the same time, since it is a primer, it only comes in white. Still, you shouldn’t need to sand your plastic to get this primer to adhere, making it the perfect canvas for applying other, more colorful paints on top while hiding old paint and imperfections.
The Spray Paint and Dip Can from Plasti Dip® are technically rubber coatings (not paint). However, if you’re looking for an unconventional method for “painting” plastic surfaces, these unique coatings could be the right fit for your project. The spray comes in eight different colors, while the dip comes in four.
Though color options are limited, many DIYers find that this specialty rubber coating is easy to just dip plastic into directly or spray on in order to protect surfaces from abrasion, skidding, and other forms of damage.
Last but not least on our list of the best paint for plastic is yet another Rust-Oleum® product: Universal® Spray Paint. Rust-Oleum® notes that, like its other paints for plastics, this spray paint will fully transform your plastic surfaces into good-as-new works of art both inside and outside your home.
What sets this product apart from other Rust-Oleum® offerings is that it’s an all-in-one advanced formula that comes with both paint and primer, so you don’t have to worry about taking extra steps to keep the paint adhered to your plastic surface. This spray paint also comes with an ergonomic trigger that Rust-Oleum® says puts less stress on your fingers as you paint.
Kristin Luna contributed to this piece.
Most high-gloss paint will stick to plastic. However, it’s important to prepare your plastic surface to have the best success with painting it. Even the most plastic-adhering paint can struggle to fully adhere to a surface that no one has properly prepared. Ensure that the surface is clean and free of grease or dirt. If your plastic is very slick, you may also want to lightly sand it to increase the chances of complete adhesion.
One of the best ways to get paint to stay on a plastic surface is by removing old, peeling paint from your plastic surface and cleaning the plastic. Once you’ve cleaned the surface thoroughly, you can prime it with a plastic paint primer, wait for it to cure, and then apply high-quality paint that manufacturers have designed specifically for plastic surfaces.
