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Best Paint For PVC?


Ralph A

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For those who have worked with PVC, I would like to ask your opinion as to the paint that you have had the best experience with.  I'm building new frames for my Superstar tree and my lawn grid and really down want to have to paint it again.  Thanks for the advise!!

 

Ralph

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The BEST is Rosco Toughprime, but it's about $45 per gallon.

 

I've used it to cover PVC, metallic foil and other difficult to paint items in my 20+ years in theatre. It's water based and dries quickly.

 

If that's not in the budget, next best is an oil based primer that can be color tinted at the store: http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202951076?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051&N=5yc1vZbt0t&R=202951076#.UVZve_Pn_L8

 

If you don't want a slow drying paint, checkout: http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/100205766?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051&N=5yc1vZbt0t&R=100205766#.UVZvzPPn_L8

 

Or: http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/100144295?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051&N=5yc1vZbt0t&R=100144295#.UVZwHfPn_L8

 

I don't get a kickback from Behr or Home Depot, but I've used all of them and they work the best, especially if you can roughen up or sand the PVC before you paint it.

I've tried other brands, but they don't work as well as the ones above.

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I used the purple primer staining method and worked great and very cheap.  The more you rub your pole, the darker it gets. :blink:   Wear good rubber cleaning gloves and I used a good terry cloth rag to do the pipes.  For the couplings use the can's applicator to apply primer, it's a little harder to get the stain to work in.

Edited by scubado
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I used the purple primer staining method and worked great and very cheap.  The more you rub your pole, the darker it gets. :blink:   Wear good rubber cleaning gloves and I used a good terry cloth rag to do the pipes.  For the couplings use the can's applicator to apply primer, it's a little harder to get the stain to work in.

wow, started reading that at the second sentence and had to check and make sure I was on the Light-O-Rama forum!!!

 

Also need to finish my coffee before I start reading!  jimswinder where are you!

Edited by caniac
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About 2 years ago at the Fl. Mini I saw someone use a clear PVC primer and added whatever color he wanted for his PVC, it seamed to work rather well. This might be worth looking into.

Earle

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.234330406619791.72554.233759653343533&type=3#!/photo.php?fbid=234358489950316&set=a.234330406619791.72554.233759653343533&type=3&theater

Edited by EARLE W. TALLEY
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Thanks Ken for the links on the paint!! 

 

scubado,  I would have never thought about a dye.  Did you use a dye with the purple primer or just the primer?  How has this held up for you?

 

 

Thanks for the link Earl!

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There was a thread long ago, well, ok, not really long ago, but a while back. Was it this or the old forum? The poster had the directions and locations to purchase the materials needed to dye the PVC. Anyone remember?

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Thanks overeasy.  I just finished reading that and it was very helpful.  I think I'm gonna give this dyeing a try.  I ordered the dye on ebay. 

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I used the dye method, it's extremely runny, drips all over the place, put down lots of cardboard. I haven't had any of the items in the sun yet, so I'm not sure of the fading from UV.  

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I used the dye method, it's extremely runny, drips all over the place, put down lots of cardboard.

 

Thanks for the heads up.  I read that this stuff is thin.  I will get the dye by the end of the week.  I will play with it then and see what I think.

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Thanks Ken for the links on the paint!! 

 

scubado,  I would have never thought about a dye.  Did you use a dye with the purple primer or just the primer?  How has this held up for you?

 

 

Thanks for the link Earl!

I used the ready made purple found at stores, about $4 for the larger can.  It doesn't add thickness so fitting together is not a problem.

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Rustoleum makes a whole bunch of stuff for plastics. I've used them on plastic appliance parts and lawn furniture which I believe is PVC. All kinds of colors, primers, textures. And spray cans, too!

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Thanks Bob, I will look into that as well.  On the parts that you did you the Rustoleum did they scratch very easily?

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I painted the base PVC parts for my mega tree flat black so they don't show up too much.

 

I just used plain old Rustoleum spray paint.  Seemed to work pretty good, and didn't damage the PVC.

 

Jerry

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Rustoleum didn't scratch easily at all... IF you give it time to cure. It was tack free in less than an hour, but took a full 24 to really harden against picking it off with a fingernail. I've painted black plastic microwave oven handles (admittedly not PVC) to use them on white ovens and they stand up to that abuse just fine.

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Cool!  Thanks for the information on the Rustoleum paint.  I've used it before but never on PVC.

 

Thanks again!!!

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Used the dye method on my 11' megatree last Christmas.  At the end of the season, the PVC did show changes from the sun.  Green tended to go dark.  Still had a green tint but was looking almost black.  Course, tree was up for 6 weeks and So Cal had a long hot spell (85 degrees) in December.  Overall, I am still glad I did the tint instead of paint.  Built a PVC leveling base for the megatree and used paint.  Paint did not fade but I will have to repaint where it scratched off.

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Thanks magish!!   Will have to see what happens to mine this year when I have mine up. I live in hot Texas.  Even in December.

 

I just finished Dying my Superstar Tree.  I used 1/2 electrical conduit spliced from the inside (no bumps) 16'7'' long to support the CCR'S.

 

I have found that the dye is not an opaque, but somewhat transparent.  I had to go over the PVC three times to get the darkness I wanted.  The finished look is kinda cool, it's like a marble effect.  The process takes some time, so if you have a lot to do it may not be for you.  I had 12 16' foot sections to do and It took most of the day.

 

I found that a foam brush works the best and do this outside like others suggested.  I added twelve  drops of dye to two ounces of MEK.

 

I have a lawn grid to complete this spring that is almost 800 linear feet of PVC.  I will be painting that as the above would take much to long.

 

If you have any questions just let me know.

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