Painting Plastic Garden Furniture
8 min reading time
Is your plastic garden furniture past its prime and looking like wilted flowers? With varnishesn and outdoor paints that adhere well, you can conjure up a new look in no time. Painting plastic furniture is easy!
Table of contents
In this "How to" we focus on plastic garden furniture. For tips on how to paint wooden or metal garden furniture, see the tutorials Painting metal garden furniture and Painting and varnishing wooden garden furniture.
No, your plastic furniture deserves a second life. Whether you want to paint your table, deck chair or plastic garden bench, in just a few hours everything will look like new - and maybe even really classy.
Ideas for Painting Plastic Garden Furniture from the MissPompadour Painting Community
White, dark green or anthracite are the classic colours of plastic furniture for the garden. Somehow they almost always fit, but they often look... yes, exactly: boring!
You can paint plastic furniture just as you can paint wooden furniture - if you want, in many different colours. As Pippi Longstocking said: "I make the world widdewidde as I like it.... !"
Preparation: Choose the right colour for your plastic garden furniture
Which plastic garden furniture do you want to paint?
The varnishes mentioned work on most common plastics. You can even give garden furniture made of rattan-like wickerwork a new look.
Professional tip: With the paints mentioned, you can also paint elements made of wood or metal in your garden furniture to match the plastic furniture.
What effect do you want to achieve?
Matt colours are less suitable for painting plastic garden furniture.
- Matt effect: Matt colours have a naturally rougher surface, making them less robust and weather-resistant. They also have less adhesion compared to semi-gloss, glossy colours, or special outdoor paints. If you still want to achieve a matt effect, only use it on furniture that experiences less wear and tear and is protected from the weather.
- Silk matt/glossy effect: Silk matt colours and outdoor lacquers are the most hard-wearing and offer the highest level of protection. Our balcony & garden paint is ideal. It's UV and weather-resistant and particularly robust, ensuring it brings you joy for a long time! Easy Eggshell! is also suitable for outdoor use.
Painting plastic garden furniture the right way: Instructions from MissPompadour
Step 1: Cleaning
Thoroughly clean your plastic furniture before painting, removing all greasy residue. MissPompadour To Clean is perfect for this. Then, simply wipe with water and let the surface dry completely.
Step 2: Sanding - A Quick Yes or No?
Before you paint your plastic garden bench or table, you don't need to sand it. Only sand if old paint is peeling off. You can lightly roughen very smooth plastic with fine sandpaper or a sanding fleece. This helps the paint adhere even better.
Step 3: Priming
For optimum adhesion, first apply a good-coverage layer of MissPompadour To Bond & Block primer with a very clean brush. Then, let the primer dry for at least 3 hours.
Step 4: Painting
Now, apply coats of paint with another brush – as many as you need until you're happy with the result. Two coats are usually sufficient. After about two hours of drying time, you can apply the next coat with a paint roller or brush. If you're painting large surfaces like a plastic garden table or hard-to-reach areas, a paint spray gun can be a great option.
Important: Always follow the instructions for diluting the paint.
Pro tip: Choose a painting spot that's as shady as possible and protected from dust and wind.
Step 5: Curing
Finished painting your plastic garden chairs? Then, wait a little longer before you sit on them. The paint will only be fully cured and robust after 14 days. Keep your furniture protected from moisture during this curing time.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Painting Plastic Garden Furniture
Can I paint plastic garden furniture without sanding it?
Yes, you can do that. Only very smooth plastic surfaces should be roughened with fine sandpaper or a sanding pad.
Can I also use matt varnishes to paint plastic garden furniture?
Matt varnishes are less resistant and adhere less well. Silk matt varnishes are therefore ideal.
Can I also paint plastic garden furniture?
Yes, that is quite simple. Often you can even save on sanding. To Paint you proceed in a similar way as when painting metal garden furniture. You can find out exactly how it works in the instructions for painting plastic garden furniture.
Can I paint plastic flower pots?
You can also easily embellish plastic flower pots with paint to match your plastic garden furniture. Our outdoor varnishes are ideal for this.
Can I leave my painted plastic garden furniture outside?
Yes, you can. Pay attention to the weather, because the varnishes do not tolerate standing moisture. So place them tilted or under a canopy.
You'll need these accessories for painting plastic garden furniture
- Paint Roller: You can achieve an even coat of paint with our microfibre paint rollers.
- Sanding Fleece: To prepare very smooth plastic surfaces, you can roughen them before sanding. Use fine-grit sandpaper or the MissPompadour sanding fleece To Sand for this.
- Paint Tray: Pouring your paint into a paint tray makes application much easier. Our paint tray is designed to be held comfortably in your hand while you work, and its textured surface helps you remove excess paint from your roller. Special paint trays for brushes allow you to stand your brush upright. With their ergonomic handles, you can hold these trays easily when painting.
