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I have a customer that would like to paint their solid surface wall panels. I’ve never had to do this. Any experience out there? Concerned with proper preparation–should they abrade/rough the surface, and to what grit? Primer recommendations? Paint recommendations — acrylic or latex? I appreciate your help on this curve ball.
Blasphemy!
I would use an auto paint system and prep, and for sure spray it. The surface has to stand up to heat and soap along with being wet often….just like a car.
Talk them into some metalics with a design at least. Hot rod flames? Lava motif with crackle paint? Air brushed dolphins? This could actualy be fun!
hope this helps and good luck SeanI would abrade the surface with 100grit and use sherwin williams waterbased tileclad for the primer. It may be possible to leave this as the finished product, but it can also be topocoated with a more durable protective coat. If going white, for sure use a polyurethane overtop of this primer as the white primer will yellow. I can provide more details if required. Thanks and good luck.
Ok.. now your getting into my realm of expertise. If you are going to paint the panels, buff with nothing higher than 220. Anythng heavier will leave swirl marks.
Prime with Bulldog from an automotive paint supplier. It’s designed for being a primer to plastics and glass.
PPG has a coating called Pitthane. It’s an aliphatic urethane. Stay away from polyurethanes. Any sort of light will make it yellow. If you need to spray it, reduce it down to sprayable consistency with acetone. Acetone will let it set up faster and prevent runs. Krylon Fusion for plastics is also an aliphatic urethane. There are many AU’s out there, just check with your local paint store to see what they have in stock. I use AE’s for tub refinishing and the PPG holds up well. It can also be tinted to any shade. However, it’s a 5-1 two part mix so you will need to thin it down to make it sprayable and to get a smooth finish. Use an HLVP system and a respirator. This stuff packs a kick. Go thin and several coats.I’ve also developed a wipe on plastic and vinyl restoration coating, however it’s more for vinyl shutters and patio furniture. It’s a two part component system. I do have a single component that is still in the testing stage that lays out a bit smoother. The two part is a water base, but the single component is solvent based. (http://www.easy-restore.com) if you want to check out the product we developed and patented.
Sorry to contradict Canuck, but I have years of coating, testing, spraying and developement on plastics, porcelain, and acrylic resin based substrates.
Direct email me if you need more info on coatings. rhugill@nationaltubandtile.com or @countertopartisans.com">rhugill@countertopartisans.com. Would be glad to help.
Hi Rick. I can’t disagree with anything you are saying and perhaps I did answer too quick. The waterbased tileclad is an excellent product and should be rolled not sprayed. It will go on quite thick so will definitely hide 100 grit. The only reason I recommended this product is that I assumed the person was looking for a rolling solution and was not familiar with spraying. My assumption was the customer wanted to paint the solid surface themselve (hence rolling) and this is a good user friendly primer for a homeowner. This does have high moisture resistance but cannot stand water 24/7.
Spraying does open up lots of different products. I’ve used bulldog years ago for a while and it does work well but does have quite the odour, again I thought the homeowner was doing this job. I’ve also used Pitthane for years but again that was a while back. If my memory is correct I found it worked better with a urethane accelerator. (Again if my memory is correct I’ve used PPG 97-723) Agree with acetone, that pitthane stays very wet so acetone being the fastest thinner helps this product. Take care with overspray, this product will carry much farther than other urethanes. I also liked Devoe 379 Aliphatic Urethane and found it a little more forgiving for a new user but still had excellent results.
Also agree with your comments regarding aliphatic urethanes, again we do so much mulitcolor product and dark colors I didn’t think to ask what color was going on the surface.
I too have been working with coatings for years. I do caution recommending some of these products and the spraying process to the homeowner. They are bound to become quickly frustrated without some experience. If I’m wrong and someone with experience is doing this work then I apologize, but then I do have to ask if they had experience I assumed they would know most of this stuff already.
If it’s to be done by the home owner let them figure it out. Nothing easy about this task. If you want it done right then hire an expert.
I like the Devoe line of industrial paints(it’s what our gear shed sells), we use them on fiberglass commercial fishing boat hulls. Pretty sure a boat is subject to harsher environments than a shower wall?
Would any of you recommend a light rub down with white or gray scotch brite to knock the gloss down after painting?
just my 3 centsI like higher gloss for ease of cleaning in a shower, less will stick to it. However for lower gloss and if I was spraying already I’d use the Devoe 379 clear over the white, they do have a low gloss option. It would be quicker. For super gloss and depth you could use gloss clear as the final coat, mix in a few oz of white from the previous coat.
The 379 is an excellent product, but would use the accelerator with it to speed the set up time. 359 was my favorite with quick set up time and almost as high of a gloss as the 379. However, it had a higher VOC level so they stopped making it.
I’ve heard a lot of good things about the 359, a local buddy here uses it a lot on tubs. I’m pretty sure it’s still available here, just talked to him the other day on it. Agree on accelerator. It seems unless a person is buying something from a refinishing company (where it’s already added) it’s almost always required.
I am smarter than when I started reading this thread. you guys seem to know you stuff.
I just used Fusion on some signs I engraved for an arbor day 4-H project. You guys suggested it to me and I was surprised that it was tougher to sand through than any other paint we’ve used. That sounds promising.
Awesome information. Funny how we are talking about painting an entire solid surface surround. But, I guess if the color is no good, it is a great option with the right paint.
Thanks for the information folks. I mean it thanks, as this will help a me and a guy I work with in painting engraved Solid Surface signs that will be used out of doors 24/7. Lot of knowledge here. Hope to meet some of you folks some day and buy a few pints.
Michael
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