How Do I Paint Plastic?
Due to the nature of plastics, it is important to use an appropriate paint system that will achieve long-lasting, high-quality results. Coatings that have been designed for plastics have the following properties:
- Strong adhesion The shiny surface of plastic is difficult for standard primers and paints to adhere to. Plastic primers and paints have excellent adhesion properties to help combat this.
-
Flexibility Plastics expand and contract in response to temperature (thermal expansion) so any coating needs to be flexible enough to cope with this constant movement.
Prepare surfaces by ensuring they are clean and dry, free from anything that can interfere with the application or adhesion of materials and Tikkurila products to be applied, removing loose and failing material by scraping or brushing with a stiff bristle brush to a sound edge.
Feather the sound edges with a fine grade abrasive paper, removing all visible signs of organic growth and using Tikkurila Mould Removal Solution to treat areas before allowing them to dry.
Use methylated spirit to ensure the surface is free from any contaminants and anything that could interfere with adhesion, frequently changing the cloth, before priming overall with one full coat of Otex Adhesion Primer.
Apply the primer in accordance with the technical data sheet and allow it to dry.
Finish with two full coats of Panssari Akva. Follow the minimum drying times (depending on conditions as per the technical data sheet) between coats.
Plastic is a tricky substrate to paint and we always recommend consulting our technical team for specific advice related to application and suitability. Please give our technical team a call on 0131 334 4999 or send a message here.
