How to paint the plastic?
- Thread starter Slapshot8
- Start date
The best way possible to change the color of your plastics is to trade your plastics for some in fair shape that are the color you want LOL
The second best way is to use professional two part paint with additives to promote flexibility. The same type of paint that goes on cars with urethane bumpers....
The third way and least professional (so the way I do it LOL!) is to use Krylon Fusion spray paint and a LOT of prep work. The finish isn't as good as can be achieved with professional automobile paint but it's less expensive and quicker. There are limited colors to choose from.... You want to clean the plastic to be painted thoroughly preferrably using paint stripper and then a thinner and then a wax and grease remover. I let mine sit until a nice warm afternoon with good sun and then spray a single block layer to "prime" the plastic. Then let it cure in the sun and respray a lightly thicker layer and let that bake in the sun.
Recoat fairly thin several times until the color is completely covered allowing it to dry in the sun for a few hours between (don't skimp, the curing is as important as the spraying).
The second best way is to use professional two part paint with additives to promote flexibility. The same type of paint that goes on cars with urethane bumpers....
The third way and least professional (so the way I do it LOL!) is to use Krylon Fusion spray paint and a LOT of prep work. The finish isn't as good as can be achieved with professional automobile paint but it's less expensive and quicker. There are limited colors to choose from.... You want to clean the plastic to be painted thoroughly preferrably using paint stripper and then a thinner and then a wax and grease remover. I let mine sit until a nice warm afternoon with good sun and then spray a single block layer to "prime" the plastic. Then let it cure in the sun and respray a lightly thicker layer and let that bake in the sun.
Recoat fairly thin several times until the color is completely covered allowing it to dry in the sun for a few hours between (don't skimp, the curing is as important as the spraying).
I've had better luck with the finished product without scuffing but with a single VERY thin layer to prime the plastic after it's been wiped very clean with wax and grease remover.
I've always torn the plastic up a bit even with scotch brite pads....
If you let it harden and do it in thin enough layers that practically all of the volatiles can evaporate, splashes of gasoline won't affect it..... I've splashed gas on my paint tank cover without any wrinkling...
My cousin and I had good luck a couple years ago painting the plastics on his warrior (it was originally purple/pink) we did it black. We used that fusion paint. As mentioned before, prep work is key, scotch brite pad, clean it good, etc. We also did very, very light coats, and lots of them.
The only places it came off was where the seat rubbed it and where gas hit it. It was pretty gas resistant but years and years of fueling eventually got to some of it.
Hope this helps!
The only places it came off was where the seat rubbed it and where gas hit it. It was pretty gas resistant but years and years of fueling eventually got to some of it.
Hope this helps!
dont let people make it seem too complicated when its extremely simple. the air box is plastic so dont buy strippers they are rough on plastic pieces. good rule of thumb is to always clean a prepped are with rubbing alchohol because its totally safe on all paintable areas. get some sandpaper steel wool whatever as long as its not too rough like 80 grit cause you dont want to create canyons in the plastic when you sand it. 220 180 160 something in that area will work wonders. and yes the krylon fuzion is good paint for plastic because its made to bond with the plastic. make sure to let it dry in the sun or in a very warm area because it does take longer to set up than most spray paints. have fun and like sicivicdude said, use thin layers of paint and have fun but dont try to clean the painted area before its set up.
ouch, that's gonna be spendy, but look a lot better than spray bombs when it's done!
i used krylon fusion then a few coats of clear then a few coats of wax and it holds up really good
