# Painting Vinyl Shutters



## Fishcapades (Mar 18, 2003)

Has any one ever painted vinyl/plastic shutters? I have a total of 20 of them and my wife wants to change the color of them..... I can spend close to $400.00 to buy new or repaint them.. They are a red color now and she wants them a light brown color.

Realy dont have the extra cash to buy new so im concidering just priming them and then spraying them the color she wants?

Any pointers?

Thanks,

Carl


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## Wendy (Oct 6, 2008)

Depends on the condition... if they're chipping/flaking apart then they may need replaced.

Wash them up really good to remove dirt and chalking. (prime if surface chalking) Any vinyl sidding rated paint should work fine to paint the shutters! 

Have fun!


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## mattl (Aug 6, 2005)

...yep, any good quality latex exterior will work.


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

Get yourself a bucket, scrub brush, and some TSP. (TriSodiumPhosphate) Use HOT water and some TSP and scrub them up good and rinse them with clean water. Let them dry. Then hit them with some Kilz2 (Latex based). Then a good quality exterior latex trim paint and you'll be good to go. 

I did my dads about five years ago and they were dark brown originally. Painted them white and they still look great! I didn't spray them though. A decent quality brush will be fine and a lot less wasted paint. Plus much less messy. (overspray)

I think you'll be happy with the result. It's MUCH cheaper than buying new.

Good luck!

John


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## Big Reds (Oct 14, 2007)

If you can, the make a special plastic spray paint that works great with shutters. Comes in a limited color selection however.


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## Firemedic (Apr 5, 2005)

TSP like Pollman said, and add a bonding agent to the paint like Emulsabond.


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## mattl (Aug 6, 2005)

BUT>>> when using Emulsibond, only use it in the 1st coat. an emulsifier is a bonding agent turning that particular coat into an open coat. It must be coated over with straight product!


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## Wendy (Oct 6, 2008)

TSP is great stuff!! It can be caustic, so wear gloves and safety glasses to protect yourself! Works great for any paint prep-cleaning!

I'd avoid Kilz on the vinyl. (I haven't had much positive results with that product). With shutters being a pain to paint, you'll want to use the best stuff you can get so you won't have to do it again too soon. Anything that will molecularly bond with the surface will be better than Kilz


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

I've never had anything but good luck using Kilz. As my post stated, at leat five years ago I prepped the almost thirty year old shutters by scrubbing them with a hot solution of TSP and water. When they were good and dry I hit them with a coat of Kilz2 and let them dry. Then a couple coats of good exterior semi-gloss trim paint and they came out great. They were originally dark brown and are now white. They still look as good today as the day they were painted.

John


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## Fishcapades (Mar 18, 2003)

Thanks guys.... Ill be doing this saturday.......


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## Wendy (Oct 6, 2008)

Have fun!


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