The Best Paint For Plastic

You take pride in your vehicle, and you have a consistent routine for keeping it looking in tip-top condition. However, no matter how much you take care of your vehicle, the signs of age and use begin to appear. The fading, small dings, and scratches are all signs that your vehicles are growing older.

Giving your vehicle a fresh coat of paint can restore the look of your car. But you can’t use the same paint for every part of your vehicle. Most automotive paint is meant for use on metal. You’ll need another paint for the plastic, vinyl, and fabric surfaces. The right paint will create a strong bond, look beautiful, and be durable enough to last. This guide will help you choose the perfect plastic paint that will help your vehicle look like a new car again.

The Best Paint For Plastic

1. Sem Paints Color Coat

With this satin black spray paint, you’ll be able to restore the look of your vehicle’s plastic, vinyl, carpet, and velour. This is more than just paint; it’s an elastomeric coating that won’t crack or flake off. The paint adheres to the surface it’s sprayed on to create a strong yet flexible coating. You’ll love the look of it with its satin finish. Each can come with 12 fluid ounces of paint. To apply this paint, you’ll shake the can well to ensure the paint is well mixed. Then point the spray nozzle at the surface you intend to paint and spray in a continuous motion.

Unfortunately, you’ll be able to scrape this paint off of certain surfaces after it’s dry. Friction can also cause this paint to wear off. You may also find that this paint isn’t a true black, but more of a grey-black.

PROS

• Will not crack
• Superior adhesion
• Satin finish

CONS

• Can scratch off
• Comes off with friction
• Not true black

2. Dupli-Color Trim & Bumper Paint

This spray can of plastic paint is meant for use on your bumpers. Each can hold 11 fluid ounces of paint. It comes in black, charcoal grey, and clear. Point the nozzle of the aerosol can and spray the paint on your intended surface. In about 30 minutes, the paint will be dry to the touch. Then after an hour, your piece will be safe to handle. You’ll love the high-quality finish that’s solid and uniform in color. It’s also durable enough to last thanks to the paint’s flexible design and the Fade-X Technology that keeps it from fading.

One drawback of this paint is that it’s a challenge to get a consistent finish. You’ll need to have several coats of consistent painting to create a clean finish. You’ll also need to do plenty of prep work to help create a professional-looking finish.

PROS

• Superior adhesion
• Uniform solid color
• Flashpoint: -18 degrees Celsius

CONS

• Hard to get a consistent finish
• Orange peel finish
• Won’t adhere without prep work

3. Four Pack Plasti Dip Rubber Coating Spray

If you have a lot of painting to do, then you’ll appreciate this four-pack of aerosol cans. Each can hold 11 ounces of black paint, so you’ll have plenty for several projects. This is more than just paint; it’s a rubberized coating. What makes this coating stand out is the versatility of it. You can use it on automotive, home, garden, RV, marine, and power sports applications. Once applied, this coating will resist moisture, abrasion, corrosion, acids, and skidding.

Unfortunately, the finish of this paint is flat. This may not be the finish that you’re looking for. You’ll also find this coating to be more time-consuming than other paints on this list. It may also not be abrasion-resistant on certain surfaces.

PROS

• Multi-purpose
• Flexible
• Durable

CONS

• Flat finish
• Time-consuming to apply
• Not abrasion resistant

4. Dupli-Color High-Performance Wheel Coating

Give your wheels a custom upgrade with this wheel coating. It comes in twelve colors, including a clear coat option. Your aerosol can will come with 12 ounces of paint. This paint formula stands out because it’s a track-tested acrylic enamel formula. Once applied, it will be dry to the touch after about 30 minutes and safe to handle after an hour of drying. This paint is durable and creates a resilient finish that will resist brake dust, chemicals, cracking, flaking, and peeling. This paint will adhere to steel, aluminum, and plastic, which makes it perfect for painting your entire wheel.

One thing to note about this paint is that it isn’t beginner-friendly. You’ll want to have some spray experience before trying to work with this paint. The paint is a very liquid formula, which can cause it to run and drip easily.

PROS

• Durable finish resists brake dust and chemicals
• Resists cracking, flaking, and peeling
• Adhesion to steel, aluminum, and plastic

CONS

• Not beginner-friendly
• Very liquid formula
• Paint can dry soft when applied thick

5. S. M. Arnold Leather, Carpet, Vinyl and Hard Plastic Refinisher

Give the interior of your vehicle a completely new look with this easy-to-use spray paint. It comes in 38 colors, so you’re sure to find the perfect shade for your vehicle. Each can hold 11 ounces of paint. This paint can be applied to leather, plastic, carpet, and vinyl surfaces on the interior of your vehicle. After 15 minutes, it’ll be dry to the touch. You’ll appreciate that it will let the surface texture show through the paint, no matter how many coats you apply. This keeps your vehicle looking like it was never painted. What makes this paint stand out is that it won’t peel or crack.

Unfortunately, the color you see online or on the cap may not be accurate to the shade of paint that you’ll get when applied. This can lead to an unpleasant surprise. The color may also fade with age and exposure to the sun.

PROS

• Dries in 15 minutes
• Won’t crack or peel
• Lets surface grain show through

CONS

• Colors are not accurate
• Color can fade with age
• Hard to neatly apply

6. Krylon ColorMaster Paint and Primer

You may already be familiar with Krylon paint from other home improvement projects. This 12-ounce spray can combine primer and paint into one for a fast and easy paint application. It comes in tons of color options, so you’re sure to find the exact shade you’re looking for. The spray nozzle on this aerosol can is superior to help you achieve a smooth and uniform coverage. You can use it to paint metal, wood, plastic, and more. It’s designed to be durable enough for use both indoors and outdoors. In less than ten minutes, it’ll be dry.

One downside of this paint is that it isn’t specifically automotive paint. However, it’s durable and meant for use on outdoor projects, so it’ll be as durable as automotive paint. You’ll want to be careful when painting. If you aren’t experienced, you could end up with too much, causing the paint to bubble and drip.

PROS

• Indoor and outdoor projects
• Dries in ten minutes or less
• Brilliant color

CONS

• Bubbles
• Streaks
• Paint can separate in the can

7. ColorBond LVP Refinisher

molecular bond with leather, vinyl, and plastic. Within ten minutes, it’s bonded and dry to the touch.

Unfortunately, if you don’t prep your vehicle’s surfaces correctly, then the paint can be scraped off easily. You may also find that the color of the paint isn’t an exact match. This can happen because the surfaces in your vehicle are exposed to UV rays. This can cause them to fade and no longer be an exact match to the OEM paint color. You may also find the paint to be thin.

PROS

• Preserves the supple feel
• Won’t flake, crack or peel
• OEM specified

CONS

• Can scrape off some materials
• May not be an exact match
• Paint is thin

8. Sem Paints Bumper Coater

You can use this twelve-ounce can of black paint to bring your vehicle’s bumpers back to life. What’s nice about this paint is that it doesn’t require an adhesion promoter to bond effectively to your bumper material. This black paint is more than just paint; it’s a flexible coating that will move with your bumper to restore it to its OEM depth and vibrancy. It works on aluminum, plastic, and steel, so you can work with this paint no matter what your bumper material.

One drawback of this paint is that it requires a lot of prep work. However, the extra effort is well worth the professional-looking and long-lasting results. If you skip the prep steps, you may find that the paint flakes or chips off.

PROS

• No adhesion promoter required
• Restores black color
• Durable

CONS

• Requires a lot of prep work
• Needs multiple coats
• Can flake or chip off

9. Dupli-Color Perfect Match

Sometimes you don’t want to change the color of your car; you just want to touch up pieces. This OEM paint match spray can is just the solution. You’ll get eight ounces of paint that come in a wide range of ORM colors. The spray nozzle is unique on this can as it’s extra wide for a large and more even coverage area. The paint is durable and will deliver an OEM luster thanks to it being an acrylic lacquer aerosol paint. It’s easy to use and fast-drying, making it pleasurable to work with.

One drawback is that it’s matched to the original OEM color, which may or may not match your vehicle’s color. This is because the older your vehicle is, the more likely the color has faded. The spray nozzle can also malfunction, which causes it to splatter instead of delivering smooth coverage. You can avoid this by cleaning the nozzle before use.

PROS

• Easy-to-use
• Fast-drying
• OEM color match

CONS

• May not match your vehicle
• Needs clear coat to shine
• Spray nozzle can malfunction

10. Dupli-Color Plastic Adhesion Promoter

This final plastic paint isn’t actually a paint, but more a coating that you can use to make your paint stick better. If you’re considering painting plastic components on your vehicle, you’ll want to consider using an adhesion promoter. This 11-ounce can will improve the performance of paint on your vinyl and plastic trim. It’s safe for interior and exterior work. The EZ Touch spray nozzle makes applying it easier. This primer is clear, making an application over it easier since you won’t have to worry about any show-through with your base coat. Your primer will be dry to the touch in about 20 minutes and ready for handling in about an hour.

One downside is that this isn’t actually paint. You’ll need to also buy your paint base coat when using this. It also doesn’t self-level, which can make getting an even application tricky.

PROS

• Improves topcoat adhesion
• Safe for interior and exterior use
• EZ Touch fan spray nozzle

CONS

• Not actual paint
• Doesn’t self-level to create smooth coverage
• Can crack

Buying Guide & FAQ

If you own a modern vehicle, there’s plastic somewhere in your car. You could have plastic hub caps, bumpers, or interior trim. If you want to paint these pieces, you need a paint that will adhere and last.

This guide will help you find the best plastic paint for your needs. This could be wheel paint for your rims, bumper paint, or paint for the interior trim. However, you need to apply the paint correctly for the best look and performance, so it’s important to consider the ease of application. Some paints require a simple point and spray, while others require multiple coats and extensive prep work.

Why Do You Need a Paint For Plastic?

There are several reasons that you may want to buy paint that is specifically designed for plastic. For most people, they want to give their vehicle a customized look. By painting the plastic and vinyl pieces of your vehicle, you can create a completely new and different look that no one else will have.

You can’t just use any paint that you want. There are paints meant for wood, metal, vinyl, and plastic. You need to buy paint that’s specifically meant for plastic because it will adhere to it. Otherwise, you risk the paint never sticking, not drying, chipping, or peeling.

If your vehicle is older, you may find that your vehicle’s plastic parts are showing damage and age. Painting them can breathe new life into your car’s plastic by hiding any fading or minor scratches. This also works if you need to replace a plastic piece in your vehicle, and it doesn’t exactly match the other plastic parts. Painting gives everything a uniform look.

• Give your vehicle a customized look.
• Have the paint stick to the plastic and last.
• Hide imperfections and signs of age in your plastic.

Different Kinds of Paint For Plastics

The paint that you buy for plastic comes in several types of containers. The type that you buy will depend on what you plan to paint and the size of the surface area you want to paint. You should also consider your skill level as some types require more experience.

Consider what and where you plan to paint your vehicle. You should also think about whether you can remove the plastic part from your vehicle. You’ll have several color options that range from standard colors to metallics and clear coats.

Aerosol Spray Can

You may hear these called rattle cans. These spray cans of paint come with several ounces of paint that you’ll then spray onto your vehicle’s plastic pieces. This makes them fast and beginner-friendly. You’ll also only need a minimal amount of prep work, touchup, and cleanup.

However, there can be a lot of overspray with this method of painting. This can make it messy to use and possibly not the best option. What’s nice about it is that you can easily get an even all-over coat of paint. A spray can is the ideal choice for car components that you can remove from your vehicle to paint.

Can of Liquid Paint

If you have a large area to paint, then you may find that a spray can isn’t enough. Instead of buying multiple cans of spray paint, you can buy a single quart or gallon can of paint. Instead of spraying the paint, you’ll brush it on.  This works well because you’ll have greater control over where and how thick the paint gets applied.

This type of paint works well for areas that are inside of your vehicle or require careful, exacting application. You’ll want to be careful when choosing your paintbrush. Choose one that will give a smooth and even application for a professional finish.

Touch Up Paint

If you only need to touch up a small imperfection on your plastic, then a touch-up pen is all you need. You’ll get the smallest amount of paint with this type; however, you won’t need a lot of paint. Look for a touch-up pen that has a brush or fine tip. These will give the greatest amount of control over where you place the paint.

When choosing this option, you’ll want to make sure you get an exact color match. This will blend the paint into the surrounding plastic. Otherwise, the scratch or other damage will stand out even more with mismatched paint.

What to Consider When Buying Paint For Plastic

When buying paint for plastic, you need to buy enough paint for the plastic you want to paint. The more you need to paint, the more paint you’ll need. You’ll also want to consider whether you’ll need multiple coats of paint. This will multiply the amount of paint necessary to complete your project.

You’ll also want to consider the paint’s durability. Some paint, while meant for plastic, won’t last on your vehicle. This means you’ll want to look for paint that can withstand wind, rain, UV rays, and road debris impact.

When buying your paint, don’t forget to gather the rest of the supplies that you’ll need. This includes plastic or paper for covering and protecting your surroundings while painting. You’ll also want a brush, tape, and cleaning supplies.

The Most Important Features of Paint For Plastic

When shopping for your plastic paint, there are a few features you should keep in mind. This will ensure that you buy the best paint for your skill level and application. The most obvious feature that everyone focuses on is the color and finish, but you should also consider the application method and the paint’s durability. This will ensure you have a clean application that will last.

Color

You’ll find plastic paint comes in every color of the rainbow. It also comes in a range of finishes, from high gloss shine to matte. There are even OEM-matched colors and stunning aftermarket metallics. This lets you achieve any color and finish that you can dream up. There are also primer and top coats, which help you achieve the exact shade and finish of your dreams.

When choosing your color, consider the look that you’re hoping to achieve. A stock OEM color will give your vehicle a like-new look. This is perfect for creating a subtle change. A bold aftermarket color is perfect for creating a unique look. You may find that you need several colors of plastic paint. You could use black on the interior and bumpers. Then you could use a metallic on your wheels or plastic trim that you want to give a chrome look.

Application Method

How do you want to apply your paint? Spray cans are easy because you point and shoot. However, they can also be messy with the potential for overspray. Another option is to apply your paint with a brush. However, this can result in brush strokes and drips.

Consider where and what you want to paint. You can make quick work of spray painting large pieces that you can remove from your vehicle. However, small pieces or those that you can’t remove from your vehicle will benefit from a small brush. If you have a lot of different parts to paint, you may find that it’s best to have both a spray can and a paint can for brushing.

Durability

It isn’t enough to paint your plastic. You need to do more than this. Consider how long the paint will last once painted. The first step is buying paint that’s specifically intended for plastic. The second step is to purchase plastic paint that’s meant for your vehicle. This takes plastic paint a step further by being durable enough to last.

You’ll want paint that won’t chip off when debris hits it. The paint also needs to be durable enough to withstand washing and scrubbing. Otherwise, it could scrape off when you wash your car. It also needs to have UV protection, or the sun could cause the paint to fade and peel. Look for a paint that has protective polymers. This will help to make the paint durable and flexible.

FAQs

There are some common misconceptions about paint and what it takes to paint plastic. Many people will tell you that you can’t paint plastic or that painted plastic won’t last. These are not true statements. To make painted plastic last, you need to buy the right paint and put in the prep work before applying it. So have confidence that your paint will last when you use spray paint on your plastic.

Q: How do you make paint last on plastic?

Prepare the plastic for painting by following the paint manufacturer’s directions. This ensures it will adhere to the plastic.

Q: Can you brush paint plastic?

Yes, if the paint comes in liquid form in a can. Then you’ll dip the brush into the paint and apply it to the plastic.

Q: Does spray paint work on plastic?

Yes, spray paint can work on plastic. The method of application is less important than the type of paint itself.

Our Top Pick

Our top pick for the best paint for plastic is the Sem Paints Spray Coat Aerosol. With a single can, you’ll get plenty of paint that’s ready to apply in an easy-to-use aerosol spray can. The paint is versatile, and you can use it on plastic, carpet, velour, and vinyl. The elastomeric coating it creates will not crack as it flexes and moves with the underlying material. You’ll love the smooth satin finish it creates.