The Best Paints for Plastic Furniture, Containers, Trim, and Auto Parts

One of the best ways to revive those dingy, faded plastic objects around your house and yard is to use a specialized paint for plastic. Plastic can be a tricky surface to paint, but modern paint products make it easy and deliver great results, whether you’re painting plastic lawn chairs or trim on your car. 

Finding the right paint for the job is key to getting a smooth, even finish that will resist peeling, cracks, and scratches. We tested seven of the top paints, using them to paint plastic containers, outdoor chairs, and trim to find the best options for various types of plastic. Once the paint dried, we found Krylon Fusion to be the best all-around option for its excellent adherence, finish, and durability. Below, we break down our testing results and cover the factors you’ll want to consider when selecting the best paint for plastic. 

1. BEST OVERALL: Krylon Fusion For Plastic Aerosol Spray Paint
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2. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch 2X Ultra Cover Spray Paint
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3. BEST PAINT AND PRIMER: Behr Interior/Exterior Spray Paint and Primer 
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4. BEST PRIMER: Kilz Adhesion Interior/Exterior Primer
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5. BEST SPRAY PRIMER: Rust-Oleum Plastic Primer Spray
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6. BEST TEXTURED: Krylon Fusion All-in-One
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7. BEST FOR AUTO PARTS: Rust-Oleum Automotive Paint for Plastic
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Best Paints for Plastic Compared

Our Top Picks

Whether it’s patio furniture, fencing, toys, or automotive parts, the right spray paint for plastic will help perk up your faded and worn plastic pieces. The following recommendations suit a variety of indoor and outdoor applications, as well as budget considerations, and are available to buy at most online and big-box retailers.

Our Ratings

Krylon’s durability, pro finish, and easy-to-apply formulation are why it ranks at the top of our list. It requires very little prep: simply clean the plastic and spray it on. This direct-to-plastic adhesion made painting our plastic Adirondack chairs super fast. 

This paint was also easy to apply. Its wide, comfortable tip made painting our plastic chairs easy. We did initially experience some uneven spray and drips, especially if we hovered over an area a second or two too long. Keeping the tip 8 to 12 inches from the surface and using an even motion solved this issue. Once dry, the finish was smooth and even-looking, with excellent coverage even after a single coat. We ended our project with a professional look and even finish with no drips. 

Krylon Fusion also excelled in our durability tests. Its semi-gloss finish formed a hard shell that repelled our efforts to mark it up by scraping metal across it. It particularly excelled at painting trim, thanks to a narrower spray pattern that allowed for better coverage on more detailed surfaces. 

What our tester says: “Krylon is easy to apply and produces a beautiful, durable finish with very little prep.”—Tony Carrick, Product Reviews tester and writer

Get the Krylon Fusion For Plastic paint at Amazon.

Our Ratings

Rust-Oleum’s Painter’s Touch 2X costs a fraction of some of the other paints for plastic we tested, and yet its quality was among the best. Its any-angle nozzle made it easy to reach the undersides of furniture as well as recessed areas on containers and chairs. We did need to take care to make even passes and keep the nozzle a good 12 inches from the surface to prevent runs. 

While application was easy with Painter’s Touch 2X, we did need to follow strict second-coat application instructions to achieve a good finish. You must apply second coats either within an hour of the first coat or wait 48 hours to avoid wrinkling and buckling. 

Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch 2X covered well (the 2X stands for double the coverage), completely concealing our bright teal base color after two coats thanks to a formula with more solids than most plastic spray paints. Once cured, the finish was durable; it successfully resisted nicks and scratches. Couple that durability with excellent coverage and its low price tag, and you really get a lot of mileage out of this paint, making it a great choice for bigger projects that may demand multiple cans.

Painter’s Touch 2X is available in a variety of colors and six different finishes. 

What our tester says: “This paint is very affordable but still produces a durable, top-notch finish on various types of plastic.”—Tony Carrick, Product Reviews tester and writer

Get Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch 2X at Amazon or The Home Depot.

Our Ratings

This spray paint and primer combination from Behr offered some of the easiest application of all the spray paints we tested. The thinner, ergonomically shaped can and wide nozzle made it the least difficult spray paint to apply. This comfortable feel ultimately translated to more control when working around our plastic chairs. We also easily achieved a smooth, professional-looking finish. While we liked this product’s easy application, it releases paint more quickly than most, so we did need to be mindful to avoid applying thick layers that could drip. 

This formulation has a fast drying time of just 15 minutes, which made a difference since we were working outdoors, where dust and pollen can easily settle on the finish. After curing, this pick had one of the tougher finishes of the paints we tested, creating a hard shell that resists scratches and scuffs well. 

One of this paint’s biggest advantages is its versatility. It comes in a broad range of finishes, from flat to gloss, and a selection of designer colors you won’t find with other brands. 

Get the Behr spray paint at The Home Depot.

Our Ratings

Kilz’s Adhesion was the top primer we tested when it came to coating large plastic surfaces. Its thick, brush-on formula adhered to every surface we tested, including slicker polyethylene. It dries to a uniform base and accepts top coats easily. And unlike with a spray primer, we were able to quickly roll this brush-on paint for plastic across larger flat surfaces, helping us achieve a more even coat. It also dries quickly. Our test piece was ready for a top coat in about an hour. 

This primer adhered well to the top coat on our PVC trim piece, with no peeling or bubbling and no need for scuffing. We then moved on to a glossy piece of polyethylene, to which it adhered well, allowing us to achieve a surprisingly durable top coat. Kilz’s primer is also tintable, which is useful when using darker top coats. 

Get the Kilz Adhesion primer at Amazon. 

Our Ratings

Rust-Oleum’s plastic primer spray creates a bonding layer compatible not just with paint for plastic, but also with virtually any color or finish. This primer works on polypropylene, polystyrene, resin, PVC, fiberglass, and vinyl. We tested it on polypropylene storage bins, and it adhered well to this notoriously slick surface, creating a perfect base coat. Since this is a spray, it was easy to apply to the curves and recesses on the bins.  

Rust-Oleum’s plastic paint primer dries to the touch in about 30 minutes; it’s ready for an oil top coat in an hour and a latex top coat in 4 hours. Once we applied the top coat, the finished product was a durable paint layer with no cracks, bubbles, or peels. 

Our chief complaint with Rust-Oleum spray primer was its narrow spray pattern, which made it a challenge to get an even coat. This also makes it a great option for other plastic objects with nooks and crannies, such as chairs, planters, and shutters. We also used the primer over a black coating on one of our chairs and found that it provided excellent masking. We finished the job with just a single layer of top coat. 

Get the Rust-Oleum plastic primer spray at Amazon or Walmart.

Our Ratings

While Krylon’s Fusion All-in-One paint didn’t dominate any single test, it did produce an impressive combination of adhesion, coverage, and ease of application. It covered our brightly colored plastic Adirondack chairs in just two coats. The nozzle releases a broad, even fan, making it easy to achieve consistent coverage. It can also spray from various angles, which made painting the nooks and crannies of our plastic chairs and storage containers an easy process. 

You’ll have to apply this paint within a narrow temperature range: Krylon suggests applying it between 55 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit with humidity that’s below 60 percent. These conditions were challenging to find since we were testing in the summer heat of North Carolina. 

Krylon Fusion All-in-One was equally adept at coating plastic planters, PVC baseboards, and patio furniture, requiring just one or two coats. And since it’s a combination paint/primer, it also requires very little surface preparation—though you will need to clean and dry the surface before painting it. 

In addition to the matte, stone-like texture that we used, Fusion All-in-One comes in dozens of different colors and a variety of finishes, including flat, matte, satin, and gloss options. 

Get Krylon Fusion All-in-One at Amazon or Lowe’s.

Our Ratings

Rust-Oleum’s Paint for Plastic is specifically designed to handle auto parts. It will stick to the types of molded plastics you’ll find on vehicles, including polypropylene, polystyrene, PVC, and fiberglass. During testing, it produced a smooth finish that gives the plastic that semi-gloss factory finish that you see on vehicle interior and exterior molding. Application is easy with no priming required. Simply remove loose dirt, wipe the surface clean, and let it dry thoroughly before applying the spray paint. The paint dries to the touch in 20 to 30 minutes and is completely dry in 24 hours. 

It produced very little running, which is key given that it’s a paint that will be applied to surfaces that aren’t lying flat. You can also use an angle spray system, which means you can use it at all angles, another important feature for painting automotive parts. Once cured, Rust-Oleum plastic paint displayed strong durability qualities, resisting our efforts to scratch and scuff it. 

While you can use it on other surfaces–it did a great job on our plastic furniture—its color and finish selection is limited to those that you’ll most commonly find on vehicle interiors and trim. 

Get the Rust-Oleum automotive paint for plastic at The Home Depot or Lowe’s.

Jump to Our Top Picks 

How We Tested the Best Paints for Plastic

We tested each of our seven picks by using them for common DIY projects: painting plastic chairs, storage containers, and PVC trim. This testing also helped us determine how each product performs on various types of plastic, including polyethylene plastic, which is notoriously difficult to coat. While painting, we considered how well the paint worked on broad, flat surfaces, as well as curves, corners, nooks, and crannies without running and dripping.

After allowing each paint to fully cure, we examined the quality of each finish, checking for evenness and common signs of poor adhesion, like peeling, flaking, scratching easily, bubbling, and cracking. We tested durability by simulating normal wear and tear, scraping them with hard objects and subjecting them to rain. Finally, we factored in cost to determine the value of each paint for plastic. 

Our Testing Scores

What to Consider When Choosing Paint for Plastic 

Understanding the two different types of paint for plastic—along with factors such as durability, drying time, and finish—is key when choosing a paint for plastic.

Types of Paints for Plastic

When it comes to choosing a paint for plastic surfaces, there are two main options: all-in-one plastic paints, and plastic primers (when combined with a compatible top coat). All-in-one plastic paints are affordable and offer fast completion, while standalone primers offer better adhesion and a wider range of colors. 

All-in-One Spray

All-in-one spray consists of both primer and paint. The benefit of this type of spray is its one-step application; there’s no need to prime a plastic surface and then add a top coat. With an all-in-one spray, the only prep is usually just making sure the surface is clean. The downside of all-in-one sprays is that they’re typically more limited when it comes to available finishes and colors. Plus, they don’t offer the same level of adhesion as a dedicated primer. 

Separate Primer and Top Coat

Primers specially formulated to adhere to plastic are also a good option. Often, they offer better adhesion than all-in-one sprays. Plus, most primers are compatible with standard top coats that aren’t specially designed for plastic, opening up many more options for finishes and colors. 

Plastic Type and Adhesion

Many different types of plastic exist, and not all paints for plastic are suited to coating them. Rigid plastics (such as PVC, ABS, polystyrene, fiberglass, and rigid resins) accept paint fairly easily. Polyethylene, polypropylene, flexible vinyl, and rubberized plastics are notoriously hard to paint. While an all-in-one paint-and-primer spray will work for rigid plastics, a plastic primer is a better choice for these tougher-to-paint plastics. 

Just because a product says it will bond to plastic doesn’t mean it will work with every plastic resin out there. Check the label on the paint to determine its compatibility with different plastic types. After choosing a paint, apply it to an inconspicuous area on the piece, let it cure, then check to see if it scratches, flakes, or stays tacky. 

Moisture Resistance and Durability

Plastic items that are used outdoors have to be able to endure sun, rain, extreme temperatures, and regular wear and tear. Look for an exterior-grade paint designed to resist water, fading, chips, and scratches. A good outdoor paint for plastic should prevent the fading and chalking common with outdoor plastic items and have enough adhesion to resist cracking or bubbling as the plastic expands and contracts with temperature changes. 

Moisture resistance is also important for indoor plastic items in humid areas, such as bathrooms and kitchens. When water penetrates a coating that doesn’t bond well to a surface, it can cause cracking, bubbling, and peeling. 

Choose paints with a high sheen value, such as satin, gloss, and semi-gloss finishes, when water resistance is a concern. These paints dry to a hard finish that resists moisture. Another bonus is that you can safely wash or scrub satin or semi-gloss paint after it’s dried and cured.

Drying Time 

When spray-painting a plastic surface, the paint might feel dry to the touch in about 15 minutes, but you should allow 30 minutes of drying time between coats. Paint dries best when the temperature is between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure to provide good airflow and ventilation to aid in drying.

There is a difference between drying time and cure time. When paint is cured, it is 100 percent dry and has reached its maximum hardness. If you handle or use an object before the paint has cured, you can mar the surface of your newly-painted piece.

Check the product description or label information for the dry time and cure time of any paint that you plan to use.

Finish

Most spray paints formulated for plastic leave a gloss or a semi-gloss finish, but specialty finishes are available too. Metallic, hammered, textured, and camouflage finishes give new interest to old plastic items. Consider a specialty finish if you want to upcycle old plastic pieces to look like metal, stone, or other materials.

Tips for Using Paint for Plastic 

For upcycle and DIY projects like painting plastic lawn furniture or planter pots, spray painting usually yields the best results. As you shop for spray paint, read product descriptions to verify that the paint is recommended for plastic surfaces. 

If your project involves precise, detailed painting on plastic toys, miniatures, or models, consider acrylic paints in markers or ¼-ounce bottles. Markers allow you to paint as if you’re holding a pen, or you can use a detailing brush to apply acrylic paint from small bottles. The following tips will help you to achieve a long-lasting coat when painting plastic objects:

• Be sure your surface is clean and dry before you begin painting.
• Work outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
• Apply several thin coats, allowing recommended drying time between coats.
• If spray painting, cover the surrounding surfaces to protect them from overspray and hold the can 10 to 12 inches from the surface during application.

FAQs

With products specially formulated for painting plastic, you can breathe new life into old, faded, and discolored objects around your house and yard. The upcycling project ideas are endless for DIYers and casual home improvement buffs alike. Check out some of the most frequently asked questions and their informative answers to help you get started on your next painting project.

Q. What is the right kind of paint for outdoor plastic? 

For outdoor plastic, you want reliable adhesion and resistance to moisture and mildew. Check product descriptions to discover which paints are formulated for outdoor plastic.

Q. Do you need to apply a primer when painting plastic?

No, you do not necessarily need to apply a primer when painting plastic. All-in-one spray paints that include a paint and primer can cover plastic without needing to add a separate primer coat. 

Q. How many coats of paint do I need on plastic?

Most plastic surfaces require two to three thin coats of paint for good coverage. Make sure to apply each coat in thin layers to avoid drips. 

Q. Is it better to brush or spray paint plastic?

Spray paint is usually the best option for painting plastic. It covers corners, curves, nooks, and crannies well and doesn’t leave any brush marks. Brush paint may be preferable when using a bonding primer or covering large flat surfaces.

Meet the Tester

Tony Carrick is a freelance writer specializing in home improvement, landscaping, technology, home security, and design. Carrick has conducted rigorous product testing on everything from power tools to home security systems to backyard grills. With each review, his goal is to help readers determine whether a product meets their needs and if it is or isn’t worth its price tag.

Additional research provided by Carol Benton.

 

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