How Should You Clean Plastic to Prepare it for Painting?
- If your plastic furniture is new, you will need to thoroughly wipe it down with paint remover for the new paint to adhere properly. According to Danny Lipford.com, simply wiping down older plastic furniture with warm water and a rag will be enough to prepare it for new paint. Krylon has created a new spray paint called "Fusion" which sticks to plastic very well by adhering to the particles. This ensures long-lasting colors and durability, according to Krylon.com.
More work will be needed to prepare a plastic playhouse. Spray down the interior and exterior with a hose at high water pressure. Wipe down the corners and other hard to reach areas by hand before sanding it down. For a playhouse, use fine-grained sand paper and rub the surface in a circular motion. Apply spray paint with even sweeping motions of the whole arm to finish off the project. - There are two types of plastic that are used to make car parts: thermoplastic, which becomes more flexible when heated; and thermoset, which does not soften when heated. Both types require the same general preparation procedures before applying paint. Search-autoparts.com suggests using very hot water and soap as a way to clean off surface dirt. Remove mold release agents with isopropyl alcohol before sanding the surface.
Use only the finest-grained sand paper or buffer when preparing plastic car parts. Onlineindustry.com provides information on purchasing the correct type of sand paper. A good way to test whether or not the surface is perfectly clean is to spray some water on it. If the water forms into little beads, the surface is still dirty and the paint will not stick well. If the water streams off, the surface will allow the paint to adhere to its surface.
Continue preparing the plastic surface by cleaning it with a grease and wax remover. Spray on an anti-static agent to prevent static from attracting dust to the surface. Applying primer is the last step in preparing your plastic surface for painting. Apply two thin layers of paint on the surface to complete your project.