Painting a Plastic Fence
- 1). Wash the fence by mixing several drops of dish detergent into a bucket of hot water and applying the solution to the fence with a sponge. This removes dirt and grease that interfere with the painting process.
- 2). Rinse the fence with a garden hose to remove any remaining traces of soap. Either dry the fence with a towel or allow it to air-dry before continuing.
- 3). Rub fine sandpaper over the fence to roughen its surface slightly. This helps the paint bond to the plastic. Wipe down the fence once you're done to remove any loose sand.
- 4). Place a plastic drop cloth on the ground around the fence and cover any nearby bushes or plants with plastic as well to protect them against paint exposure. Use painter's tape on any areas of the fence itself that you don't want painted.
- 5). Apply two coats of primer to the plastic fence using a paint sprayer, with the second coat applied once the first has fully dried. This prevents the old fence color from affecting the paint job and also helps the new paint bond to the plastic. Paint the fence using up and down motions when painting a vertically-slatted fence to give the fence a smooth look. If the slats are horizontal, go from left to right starting at the top of the fence.
- 6). Clean the paint sprayer and fill it with the paint you want to use on the fence. There are various paints that work well with plastic, but latex paint or an acrylic polymer bonds well and lasts a long time. Spray paint also works well on plastic. Apply three coats of paint for best results.
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