The recent surge in the popularity of chalk paint has just continued to grow as more and more people start to use chalk paint for both indoor and outdoor projects due to its unique look and texture. This seems to be leading to an exponential growth effect with more and more people switching over to using chalk paint instead of traditional paint types too.
As you can probably guess, due to a massive surge in the popularity of chalk paint, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of beginners to using chalk paint. This has resulted in a correlating spike in the number of people reaching out with a wide range of questions trying to get the best end result from their chalk paint projects.
We have noticed more and more people reaching out and asking if chalk paint stick to plastic or not so we have decided to make this the topic of todays article. Our goals are to try and help as many of our readers as possible as plastic is a very popular item both indoors and out that many people like to paint to complete the look and feel of their vision for their home.
Will Chalk Paint Stick To Plastic?
Chalk paint can stick to some types of plastic naturally without the need for a primer and the better your chalk paint formula, the better the performance. There are actually seven different types of plastic though and you will probably need a paint primer when using chalk paint on four of them for it to stick.
Thankfully, provided that you are using a decent quality chalk paint, you shouldn’t have any problems getting your chalk paint to stick and bond with the plastic used for most home decorations. Although you may need two or even three coats for it to look correct, the paint will work right out of the tub in a large number of cases.
One mistake that we constantly see people making is going with the cheapest possible chalk paint formulas that they can find. As you can probably guess, all chalk paint is not created equally and spending as little as $5 extra on a higher quality chalk paint formula really can deliver drastically different results.
How To Use Chalk Paint On Plastic!
If you are using a primer on your plastic prior to applying your chalk paint, apply your primer as instructed on its label, wait for it to dry, and then apply your chalk paint. Slow and steady brush stokes tend to be optimal for most chalk paint formulas and usually offer you the best possible results once your paint is dry.
If you are to using a primer then simply ensure that your plastic surface is clean and free from dirt or grease and then apply your chalk paint to your plastic. If you have a plastic coating over a wall then you can use a paint roller to apply your chalk paint to your plastic but for smaller items, a brush does tend to be better.
A cheap paint sprayer can be an even better investment as it allows you to rapidly and evenly apply your chalk paint to a range of surfaces with ease. Please double check that your specific chalk paint formula of choice is comparable with paint sprayers though as some of them will not work.
How To Seal Chalk Paint On Plastic!
To seal your chalk paint on plastic, wait for your paint to fully dry and then use a chalk paint wax on top of the chalk paint to seal it in. The chalk paint wax will protect your chalk paint on your plastic from the elements and ensure that you will have the best results possible for the longest possible time.
Please note that using a chalk paint wax to seal your chalk paint will often slightly change the look and texture of your chalk paint. Depending on exactly what you are wanting to do, this may not be suitable for you but wax tends to outperform the other popular sealant types when used with chalk paint.
We also have a dedicated article going over how to seal chalk paint for outdoor use that maybe helpful too as well as and article going over how to make chalk paint waterproof. If you are planning to use your chalk paint on outdoor furniture or decorations then they are definitely worth reading due to chalk paint being easier for rain water to wash away than other paint types.
Do You Have To Use A Primer And Sealer For Chalk Paint On Plastic?
Although you don’t have to use a primer or sealer when using chalk paint on plastic, we do usually recommend it if your budget allows as they both improve the final result. If you are only planning to use your chalk paint on plastic that will be kept indoors then you can avoid using a sealer if you wish though.
For some types of plastic, a decent chalk paint primer is worth its weight in gold and will make it much easier to get your chalk paint to stick to the plastic with ease. If you are using a cheap, low quality chalk paint formula then a primer is almost essential for anything close to decent performance from the paint when used on plastic.
We also have a dedicated article going over why chalk paint cracks and the most common cause is not using a primer prior to applying your chalk paint. So many beginners over look this and skip out on using a primer for a surface that they should really be using a primer on and are then confused when their end results are questionable to say the least.
Conclusion
That brings our article going over if chalk paint stick to plastic or not to an end. Although chalk paint can be tricky to apply, especially on plastic, you are usually able to get some excellent results from it when the correct steps and preparation are done as explained in our article above. Primers and sealers not only help you get your chalk paint to stick to plastic but they also protect it from the elements if kept outdoors and ensure that it looks its best for much longer than it otherwise would.
