Replies

1. 
   CJH | May 10, 2005 03:11am | #1

   Curtis,

   Many of the most common sign boards are PVC faced and are designed to be easy to paint.

   You might do a google search on some of the various PVC faced sign boards and see what paints are recommended.

   Sintra, Kotamex, and Celtec are all pretty common.

2. 
   stancalow | May 10, 2005 03:14am | #2

   curtis

   either Krylon or Rustoleum makes a spray paint that is supposed to stick to plastic.  I've not used it on PVC but on PE, and is sticks pretty well, but can be scratched off.  I got it at my local Ace hardware so it should be widely available.  Not too many color choices, however. 

3. 
   nikkiwood | May 10, 2005 04:12am | #3

   Certainly, PVC can be painted.

   From time to time, I have had occasion to paint some PVC pipe -- and I used a latex, without a primer, but after sanding the pipe with 80 grit. I remember once using using an interior latex (Aquaglo) and another time, an exterior latex (MoorGlo) -- both from Ben. Moore.

   However, while the paint adhered okay over time, these were not surfaces subject to wear -- which it sounds like yours might be. If that is the case, then I would confer with a real paint store, and see what they recommend.

   So it is possible, and you can safely use any color you choose. But when I painted white PVC black, I had to use two coats.

   Good luck.

   "I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
   -- Bertrand Russell

4. 
   geezergeek | May 13, 2005 11:29am | #4

   Curtis, you will be relieved to hear that I finished a work table made of pvc pipe only a few weeks ago. Not only did I finish the table, I also stepped boldly out of my comfort zone and painted it too.

   Your larger "rattle can" manufacturers like rustoleam and perhaps krylon as well make a "plastic Primer" which is very useful when attempting to paint plastic pipe. The only other way I am aware of to get spray can paint to adhere to pvc it to mistakenly get overspray on it while painting something else not plastic. In these situations paint will adhere even with no plastic primer. Deliberatly attempting to paint pvc without plastic primer first usually ends with the paint flaking off beginning soon after becoming dry.
   Good luck Curtis, remember.....Plastic Primer.....then final pigment coating. They will love it. Joe.

5. 
   highfigh | May 13, 2005 12:20pm | #5

   If the PVC will be in contact with other hard objects frequently, I'm not sure any paint will endure that just because the paint would be the weak point. Whenever I have painted PVC pipe, I wiped it with a solvent(acetone, lacquer thinner, PASO, etc) first. This softens the surface and gives the paint more adhesion. I sprayed the fresh air inlet for a furnace about 7 years ago and haven't needed to touch it since. Without the surface prep, I have seen paint fall off and/or separate pretty quickly.

   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
1. 
   Curtis | May 14, 2005 12:07am | #6

   Hello and thank you.

   I just found some rust-oleum specialty spray paint called paint for PLASTIC. It stated that no primer is needed, if you look at the contain material it has a few chemicals that soften the plastic so the paint can get a good hold.

   I used it yesterday, and 24 hrs. later the paint is very hard, on the back side I scraped a knife on it and it didn't come off. ( No I didn't try real hard, but a firm scrape didn't peal the paint off.) that's good enough for me at this time. besides Ide like to pad the bugger with Vilna or leather. IM NOT TO FOND OF PLASTICS ANY WAYS! but we will have to see how it holds up?

   thank you. and everyone who has replied.

   Thanks again.C.A.G.

1. 
   tms | May 14, 2005 01:07am | #7

   Hey Curtis,Sounds like problem solved. I just thought I'd jump in though to remind folks that PVC is subject to degredation from UV in sunlight.I use a lot of PVC pipe in my work, all schedules and classes, and anything that's exposed to sunlight gets a coat of paint. After about a year of exposure under the grey skies of Seattle, a Schedule 40 PVC pipe is too brittle to cut with a jaw type cutter. Imagine what would happen say, in Albuquerque, or Denver.Tom