What Kind Of Spray Paint To Use On Plastic

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The Spruce / Chloe Jeong

Because not all paints will adhere to plastic, it's important to choose paint specifically formulated for use on this blazon of surface to avert the thwarting of peeling or bubbled results. Whether you desire to freshen up plastic furniture, give a toy a new lease on life, or jazz upwards plastic fencing or other outdoor decor, Krylon Fusion All-in-One provides the functioning, color, and coverage yous want.

We evaluated paints for plastic based on their adhesion ability, range of colors and finishes, smoothness of application, and ease of use.

Here are our favorite paints for plastic.

Krylon

Wht We Like

First-class coverage and adhesion
Several unusual finishes, including hammered, metallic, and textured
Doesn't drip or run

What We Don't Like

Some say nearly nozzle non working
Mismatched cap/paint color at times

There's no demand for a split primer when y'all use Krylon Fusion All-in-1 spray paint. This top choice covers beautifully, even over irregular or difficult surfaces, without need to sand or do extensive prep work first. Don't worry about bubbling or peeling when you spray information technology on your plastic furniture or other plastic items around your dwelling house: Non but does this paint bail tightly to plastic, it likewise adheres smoothly and evenly to most other surfaces, including wood, metal, glass, tile, ceramics, and masonry. Considering it as well protects confronting rust, it tin can be your MVP when painting plastic furniture or other objects that have metal components.

Krylon Fusion All-in-1's wide colors selection ranges from neutrals to brights to black and white. Choose from matte, satin, or gloss finishes. Several specialty finishes include clear, metal, hammered, and textured. All dry to the touch in effectually twenty minutes without running, dripping, or bubbling, and are dry to handle inside two hours. Plus, the paint sprays at any bending you demand, fifty-fifty when holding the tin can upside down. The larger-than-average spray push button makes it an easy finger press.

Use Fusion All-in-One for interior or exterior projects, just e'er spray it in a well-ventilated area. 1 12-ounce can covers up to 25 feet. Equally most paints that attach to plastic, the base of operations of this pigment is an alkyd, which is similar to oil, so cleanup, if any, requires a solvent, non plain water.

Form: Spray | Dry Time: 20 minutes | Surface area Covered: 25 foursquare feet | Primer Built In: Yeah | Interior/Exterior: Yes

Behr

What We Like

Covers painted surfaces very well
Pigment doesn't sag or run

What We Don't Like

Some complaints about odor
Mismatched cap/paint color at times

There's no need to break your budget when buying paint for plastic, fifty-fifty if yous have a large area to embrace. Behr Premium Spray Paint/Primer offers a broad range of colors, including neutrals, brights, stylish grays, jewel tones, and basic black and white, all at a reasonable price. Choose from satin, gloss, or flat finishes. All offer fantabulous adhesion and coverage to plastic and many other surfaces, including metal, wood, ceramic, glass, masonry, and terra cotta. With merely a coat or two, you can cover one-time or new surfaces with a smooth, fifty-fifty coat that won't show what's underneath, drip, or bubble.

Behr Premium includes primer correct in the formulation, so no demand for lengthy prep sessions before you start painting. It dries quickly equally well; expect your project to be dry to the bear on inside 15 minutes. You can use the paint for interior or outside projects, but e'er use information technology in a well-ventilated surface area. A 12-ounce tin can covers upwards to xv feet. Every bit this is an oil-based pigment, y'all need a solvent for any cleanup.

Form: Spray | Dry out Fourth dimension: 15 minutes | Surface area Covered: 15 square anxiety | Primer Built In: Yes | Interior/Exterior: Yes

Rust-Oleum

What We Like

Doesn't fade in the sunday
Sprays at whatever angle
Resists chipping, flaking, peeling

What We Don't Similar

Sprayer not working well at times

If you're painting outdoor plastic objects, such as patio furniture, plastic fencing, an outdoor storage shed, or children's backyard playsets, so you'll love the superior coverage, adhesion, and long-lasting results of Rust-Oleum Universal Spray Paint/Primer. This sturdy paint-and-primer in i sprays from any angle and hands covers plastic, woods, metallic, wicker, and masonry. It neither fades nor chips and it resists rust, so even rough weather doesn't leave a mark.

Yous can cull from many colors, as well equally multiple finishes, including flat, gloss, satin, pearl, metal, and hammered. All dry to the touch within xxx minutes. This is an oil-based paint, and so you demand a solvent for any required cleanup, although typically, spray paint doesn't require much. Each 12-ounce tin can covers up to 15 anxiety.

Class: Spray | Dry out Fourth dimension: 30 minutes | Area Covered: 15 square anxiety | Primer Congenital In: Yeah | Interior/Exterior: Aye

Krylon

What We Like

Shiny, true-metal sheen
Metallic colors, including chrome
Shine, fifty-fifty performance

What Nosotros Don't Like

Stale paint rubs onto easily at times

If y'all're looking to add some bling to a plastic item, such every bit decor, piece of furniture, crafts, or accessories, the shiny, true-metal-appearance of Krylon Premium Metallic Spray Pigment is for yous. This loftier-performance paint comes in several colors, including chrome, pewter, gold, copper, rose gilt, and silver, all with a polish, glossy sheen that closely resembles the actual metal.

With a sheen that resembles real metal plating, the pigment excellently adheres and covers plastic, along with many other materials, including wood, newspaper, ceramic, glass, wicker, metal, and plaster. It dries to the bear on in just fifteen minutes and is set up to be handled in an 60 minutes or so. Each tin can covers up to 20 foursquare anxiety.

Grade: Spray | Dry Fourth dimension: xv minutes | Area Covered: xx square feet | Primer Congenital In: No | Interior/Exterior: Indoor only

Giani

What We Like

Excellent durability
Provides very fifty-fifty coverage
Low VOC and smell

What Nosotros Don't Like

Substandard castor and rollers

Laminate is a material made by pressing plastic resins and sparse layers of decorated paper together. The result tends to have a plastic-y feel, even though it can closely resemble existent wood. But painting laminate cabinets is often more challenging than painting wooden cabinets, equally not all paints will stick to laminate surfaces. Luckily, if yous want to change the color of your laminate kitchen cabinets, y'all get everything you lot need with the Giani Nuvo Plus Cabinet Pigment Kit, which comes in a wide range of popular chiffonier colors.

The kit contains two 31-ounce cans of high-quality paint that requires no primer, yet provides first-class adhesion and coverage over laminate, wood, and metal surfaces. It's enough paint to embrace up to 100 square feet, which is sufficient for nigh boilerplate-sized kitchens, and it'southward low-VOC, water-based, low-smell, and safety for apply within the firm. Y'all too become a roller frame, 2 roller covers, a ii-inch paintbrush, two stir sticks, and total instructions.

Form: Brush on | Dry Time: 2 hours | Area Covered: 100 square feet | Primer Built In: Yes | Interior/Exterior: No

Dupli-Color

What We Similar

Flexible without cracking or peeling
Can be used on auto rug

What Nosotros Don't Like

Limited range of colors

Does your machine's vinyl dashboard, seats, console, panels, or even flooring need a fresh coat of colour? For this we suggest Dupli-Color'due south Vinyl & Fabric Specialty Coating, which sprays on smoothly and easily, dries to the touch in 30 minutes, and allows handling in one hour. There's no need for priming with the paint, which provides splendid adhesion and coverage without cracking, peeling, or flaking, however however remains flexible.

The paint sprayer'southward large, conical nozzle makes it easy to bending the tin can to attain tight angles or areas inside the car. Y'all can choose from several colors, including most of the common colors used for car interiors, including black, tan, greyness, white, silver, and red.

Form: Spray | Dry out Time: 30 minutes | Area Covered: Non specified | Primer Built In: Yeah | Interior/Exterior: N/A

The Ground forces Painter

What We Like

Dispenses controlled paint amounts
Interesting and unusual colors

What Nosotros Don't Similar

Shake vigorously earlier each utilize
Lacks congenital-in primer

If your hobbies include painting plastic miniatures or models, such as toy soldiers, fantasy figures, game pieces for role-playing games, model ships, planes, or boats, then you lot might appreciate the quality and color pick in this comprehensive ready from The Army Painter. Not only for painting war-game figures, the Mega Paint Set includes l 18-ml bottles of paint, each with a dropper tip, so you can dispense only the modest amount of paint needed.

These high-quality acrylic paints cover plastic very smoothly, merely y'all need to prime the plastic prior to painting. Once that's done, however, your hardest task is deciding which color to utilise get-go: The set includes 39 colors, ranging from neutrals to brights; five metallics; four Quickshade Washes for adding shadowy tints of color; and two effects paints. (One is the color of rust, and the other is titled "Glistening Blood.") Yous also get a loftier-quality paintbrush and a guide to painting miniatures. A groovy manner to start or add to a hobby.

Form: Brush on/Dropper bottle | Dry Time: Not stated | Area Covered: Not stated | Primer Built In: No | Interior/Outside: Due north/A

Krylon

What We Like

Huge color range, on-trend hues
Fast drying
Covers well

What We Don't Similar

Some complaints that paint is runny
Strong odor

Here's the perfect pigment for flipping thrift-shop finds, transforming onetime piece of furniture, reviving scuffed and scraped luggage, giving home decor a makeover, or renewing just nigh whatever other plastic object needing a fiddling adornment. Krylon COLORmaxx comes in a very wide range of colors, including many unusual brights, and in flat, satin, or gloss finishes.In that location are metallics, as well.

The primer is built correct into the formula, so no need to waste product time priming earlier yous pigment. Information technology dries to the bear on in simply x minutes, then you can redecorate in the morning and display your creation in the afternoon. The paint covers excellently and adheres without fading, flaking, chipping, or rusting over plastic, wood, metal, wicker, paper, drinking glass, and ceramics.

Course: Spray | Dry Time: 10 minutes | Area Covered: 25 square anxiety | Primer Built In: Yes | Interior/Exterior: Yes

Courtesy of Amazon

What We Like

Excellent coverage
Huge range of colors
Durable
Resists chipping and peeling

What We Don't Similar

Mismatched lid / paint color at times

Why put upwards with meh plastic furniture when it's so easy to give information technology a facelift? With Rust-Oleum Painter's Bear on 2X Ultra Cover, you lot go twice the coverage of most other general-purpose spray paints, along with splendid adhesion, fast drying fourth dimension, and a smooth, fifty-fifty coat of color. Choosing that color might be the hardest role, because in that location'south a wide selection of fashionable hues, as well as six different sheens, including ultra-matte and high-gloss.

Along with plastic, this spray paint adheres beautifully to forest, wicker, and metal, so you can utilise it for a multitude of painting projects. The primer is built in, meaning less prep time before getting started. The big, angled nozzle sprays in any direction—even upside down—without tiring your hand. It dries to the touch in 20 minutes, and ane can covers upwards to 12 square feet.

Form: Spray | Dry Time: 20 minutes | Area Covered: 12 foursquare feet | Primer Built In: Yes | Interior/Exterior: Yes

Majic Paints

What Nosotros Like

Shine, even coverage
Requires little prep time

What We Don't Like

Merely ten colors available

Most paints that adhere to plastic are spray paints. That'southward no problem for most smaller projects, or if you don't mind going through multiple cans. But when tackling a larger job or when precision counts, you might prefer a brush-on pigment. Luckily, Majic Paints Diamond Hard RePurpose Interior/Outside Satin Paint brushes on smoothly and evenly over most surfaces, including plastic, without demand of sanding or priming.

The durable, scratch-proof finish doesn't fade, and is suited to interior or outside utilise. And then go ahead and paint furniture, fences, toys, decor, and but virtually anything else you can think of, with one of the 10 cute, satin-stop colors. Each comes in a 32-ounce can, so yous should have plenty of paint for your projection. Along with plastic, you lot can employ this pigment on wood, tile, ceramic, metal, glass, brick, masonry, and drywall.

Grade: Castor on | Dry out Time: 1 hour | Area Covered: 112.v square feet | Primer Built In: Yes | Interior/Exterior: Yep

Terminal Verdict

If you want spray pigment that covers plastic smoothly and evenly, is easy to utilize, comes in plenty of colors, and doesn't flake, peel, or fade once information technology's dry, it'southward hard to go wrong with Krylon Fusion All-in-Ane. Just if you are specifically looking for a product to utilize outdoors, whether on patio furniture, fencing, or anything else exposed to the elements, Rust-Oleum Universal Spray Paint/Primer covers plastic beautifully, and holds up to sun, rain, and current of air.

Application Method

The majority of paints that adhere to plastic are spray paints. Spray pigment applies evenly over plastic'due south smooth surface, and yous don't need to worry about brush marks, which would testify upwards very clearly on a plastic surface. Still, if you prefer or need a brush-on paint, other choices work well on plastic surfaces. Brush-on paints are especially helpful if you lot are painting something very small and detailed, such as a arts and crafts or miniature; or, conversely, if y'all need to encompass a large surface such as a cabinet or piece of furniture.

Color

Think of any color, and chances are, a spray paint matches that hue. You tin find paints for plastic in merely about any color y'all might desire, including white, black, neutrals, chief colors, super-brights, on-trend colors, and metallics that look just like real metal. In fact, the hardest part of choosing a pigment for apply over plastic is deciding on the colour you lot like all-time.

Sheen

Paints for plastics come up in a variety of different sheens—as well called finishes—ranging from ultra-matte to loftier-gloss. Of form, yous also can find in-between sheens such equally satin, semi-gloss, and eggshell. Some spray paints feature specialty sheens, including pearl, textured, hammered, and metallic. Your selection of sheen is a matter of preference and mode, but typically, it'due south easier to wipe glossy surfaces clean, while matte paint does a improve chore of covering imperfect or crude surfaces.

FAQ

What is the best paint to utilise on plastic?

Many paints cover plastic well. More often than not, these are oil-based or alkyd-based paints, equally water-based paints typically don't adhere well to plastic and may peel, bubble, or flake off once dry. That means you demand mineral spirits or thinner for any necessary cleanup, unlike water-based paints that require just h2o.

As for the form of pigment, well-nigh paints for apply on plastic are spray paints, which do a practiced chore of laying down an even glaze of color over materials with smooth surfaces such equally plastic. Nevertheless, you can opt for castor-on paints for plastic, if you lot prefer.
How do you use acrylic paint on plastic?

If y'all want to use acrylic or water-based pigment on plastic, you accept to sufficiently prep the items. Typically, that means offset sanding the surface to create "grip" and then applying a primer. In one case the primer is completely dry out, you can coat it with the desired acrylic paint. Be prepared to apply more than one glaze, as acrylics practice not always provide as much coverage equally oil-based paints, particularly over a polish surface such as plastic.
Tin you lot permanently pigment plastic?

To extend the life of your painted plastic, you need to do 2 things. First, ensure that the paint yous use doesn't require a dissever coat of primer—if it does, make certain you prime the object before applying paint. Second, apply a clear sealant to the plastic once the pigment has completely dried. This provides an extra layer of protection against the elements and wear and tear.

This commodity was written past Michelle Ullman, the tool expert for The Spruce. She has extensive feel non only in writing about all things related to the abode but as well in conveying out various DIY projects, including landscaping, painting, flooring, wallpapering, piece of furniture makeovers, and simple repairs around the house and yard.

For this roundup, she considered dozens of spray paints that piece of work on plastics, evaluating each for functioning, ease of use, durability, and color range. She also considered feedback from customers, as well as her own experiences carrying out numerous DIY projects.