I use rubbing alcohol to clean the surface first. When dry then I prime with Rustoleum Self Etching Primer - Gray. Then what ever Rustoleum 2X color I need. Finish with Rustoleum Matte Clear Coat. I have camo painted all my pellet rifles, shooting benches / tables (folding tables which are plastic). I have also painted T-Fal frying pans, these make excellent cheap plinking targets. Any paint I used without the self etching primer would flake off in big chunks when struck with pellets. This stopped when i switched rustoleum self etching primer. I know its a bit off topic, but the point Im trying to make is this Self Etching primer is awesome on plastics and tough as nails. I don't have to repaint my plastic surfaces anymore due to normal wear and tear. Great Video! :)
The "Purple Primer" is essentially "Acetone" which PVC makers recommend for priming PVC. The purple coloring is for building inspector's benefit. It's an indication that the PVC piping was primed before the bonding solution/agent was applied.
Everytime I am unsure about something I check youtube and sure enough, stiltbeast did a video 6 years ago. Your channel is like an encyclopedia for haunting.
Chemist here with a few years coating chemistry experience. Never though of purple primer for polyethylene especially HDPE. Makes sense. Solvent softens HDPE and let's materials penetrate the polymer network. I looked at ingredients over 10 years ago and, back then, listed a chemical used to bond scratch resistant coatings to polycarbonate eyeglass lenses. So it makes sense for purple primer to help bond paiit to plastic. Now I have a resin shed converted to home office that needs its roof painted and this looks better than anything made by paint companies.
people are looking for an adhesion test , not a wire brush scratch test because any coating in gonna get scratched from using a steel wire brush on it , even a 5000 dollar factory automotive paint job is gonna easily get scratched from using a steel wire brush on it. he should have tested it with using his fingernails or cleaning it to see what the results of that would be because that would be the most likely thing to come in contact with most surfaces . but contact with a wire brush is not common so this video was kind of useless .
This actually makes me super happy to see. I did so much sanding of pipes last year to paint. I was so afraid it wouldn't hold up through storage. I feel so much better knowing I took the time that they may make it through.
New Test Variables: 1) Pressure Washer Test (15° nozzle @ 1,2, and 3 ft. and other relevant settings for item's use specifics) 2) Fade/UV Resistance Test (direct sunlight for 8 hrs. for 1 month. Time permitting, a 6 and 12 month followup short video of results) Possibly add followup results of other items tested in a 'followup video' with items tested at different time intervals. This video was great. Good Job and thank you for the time and effort you spent on making it.
Caution ! The purple PVC primer is a great bonding agent! .. However if you are going to spray paint a white or lighter color the purple color will bleed up through the paint and leave a splotchy purple cast in your finished paint, Even with numerous coats of paint the purple will reappear. Oatley does make a clear PVC primer that works very well and won't bleed through your finished paint.
Thank you Allen. Since I just got into lots of crafts 3 years ago this is going to help me so much. You and Shannon stay safe. Stay blessed. Love and Hugs to you both.
Loved this video! As an automotive painter I always sand and never paint anything shiny. I use a ready to spray adhesion promoter when painting non steel.
@@RocketPunchHero1 about a 116$ a gallon for Transstar brand. I scuff or sand first then shoot a coat of promoter on through an hvlp( paint) gun or airbrush for small parts.
@@swingbelly not that ive seen. There is a an adhesion promoter in a spray can made by UPOL to be sprayed before shooting bedliner down. I haven't tried yet but I.might buy a can and test it. Never paint anything shiny though! That's the best advice, sand ot first for a strong mechanical bond.
Kudos to presenter. So many amatuers are SO BAD at presenting otherwise great information but this video was to the point, well thought out, and presented very well. GREAT JOB! 🥳
Main solvent in pvc primer is acetone. Fast acting solvent used to soften, clean and prepare plastic. Nothing of adhesion is left behind. You are painting chemically treated raw plastic. Purple is mainly a visual indicator. Once opened, they both quickly disappear from the can. Even with the top on. Makes it hard to keep on our trucks.
Thanks so much for doing this. I've used spray adhesive, and didn't have much luck either. Sanding was my alternate, and I hated doing it. I will use the purple primer on my next project. Thanks again; you're awesome!
I've used the 3M spray adhesive to get spray paint to adhere to plastic wrap when making noodle roots and vines. Works pretty good. Paint hasn't scratched off yet and it does get a bit beat up with setup and tear down every year, but that was on plastic wrap and not on HDPE/PVC plastic.
Nicely done, I have been a user of a scotch brite before with a rag of denatured alcohol before I hit any plastic with paint ...just to knock a little of the gloss off ..............great video , right to it and thanks for the patience to wait 7 days .... have a super week !
MEK is a amazing chemical. That is one of the chemicals in purple primer. I believe in the raw form it has been banned. Engine (enamel) paint or high temp (grill paint) work amazingly well. We used to paint the rims of our Vw with it and it held up the best. I painted a old milk can with engine paint and it has been in my yard in the rain and sun daily for 30+ years and its still looks red and shiny.
That video was really good .im using different types of plastic for my dragons primers are so important to get right before spraying. Thanks Allen I like the purple suff
Haven't looked recently, but they used to sell untinted PVC primer. They started making it purple so plumbing inspectors could easily tell primer had been used in construction. Also, you can get the primer in a spray can now, more expensive, but I know you weigh cost vs ease vs time too. You may also be able to use it through an air gun, but I don't know, it is quick drying so it might clog up quickly.
Another VERY useful video Mr Hopps! I've been meaning to do a similar kind of side-by-side test for over 25 years! You have now answered that question once and for all and I thank you sincerely for sharing 🙏🏻
I scuff the plastic surface, prime coat, then color coat. I am a outdoor garden railroader. I work with styrene, acrylic & ABS plastics. These plastics must be painted for outdoors or your replacing at the end of fall. I also use only outdoor/UV resistant paints only. UV rays from the sun break apart the molecular bond in all plastics. Some plastics take longer than others.
Allen, this is such a great demo. You used a pail that is almost impossible to hold paint. Trying all these primers on a small surface sold me. I hope I can get a gallon of this to spray plastic trellis that won't be too expensive. Thanks again.
I've been trying to paint Polypropylene plastic eggs for an easter diorama I'm making for the last 2 days and have learned the hard way that the paint just peels right off. I tried some sanding, but it's pretty unappealing for what I'm working on. I'm going to pick up some purple primer tomorrow and see how it goes. Thanks for the video!
@@StiltbeastStudios Unfortunately the purple stuff bled through the white primer I was using even with several coats. I put another color over it and it looks a little better, but It seems sanding may be my personal best option. It's hard to do on a giant egg though :D
I have plastic trim on my sorento that was scuffed and took away the texture and had to replace a few pieces. What I did was to remove the trim and make a block from 2×4 to support the back side.then with a piece of the old textured trim 2"×6" glued to a radius on another 2"×4 .using a heat gun and heating the trim (I practiced on the old peice) I was able to transfer the texture to the damaged trim by pressing and with a roll motion using it as a sort of die,make sure to also put a champher on the edges.i then (using the clear primer ) painted it with flat black from the auto paint storei its holding up great.it takes so time to get the texture right but with some practice on the old trim,with different heat and pressure methods it can come out prity good.also for small spots I used a plywood backing on a smaller die using vice grips.id like to see a expearamint with that.any other methods you come up with.thanks for the great info,if been searching for a good adhesive to hold the paint,I think you nailed it buddy.😉
I'm curious if you've tried a flex test. My disappointment with spray-painted plastic, especially thinner plastic, mostly stems not from abrasions but from flaking when the plastic flexes. Anyway, I love seeing experiments like this. Thanks!
Thank you for this video! I'm making a wrought-iron fence for Halloween decor with pvc pipe and I wanted to give my paint job the best shot at sticking. One question though: before painting, how long can I let the purple pvc primer sit before it would become useless?
I've read that to spray on plastic your supposed to sand first then clean with mild soap and water Then supposedly use rubbing Alcohol to ensure the surface is very clean then you use a acrylic type primer But I've not seen any spray on undercoat which I'm assuming you do not need to use an undercoat unless anyone else can tell me different
This was great!!! Did you ever do a video on tinting the purple primer? I would be VERY interested in that! Painting plastic is a huge part of theater and always a challenge.
I just mixed some very dark Minwax oil-based stain with a half a can of purple primer and coated a 10" length of 1.5" PVC. I'll let you know how it does and if it seems to work I'll decipher specifically what stain I used.
Awesome info, thanks Allen! Any reason why the first half of the video uploaded flipped horizontally? Everything is backwards. I do think this video shows us more of how desructive your thumbnail is rather than how effective a primer can be!
Old video, but Flame treating plastic works well. You use a propane torch with a a wide nozzle and a soft flame. The idea is to just “kiss the surface” without melting, moving the flame quickly. It should look like you did nothing to the surface when you are done, maybe a little soot left behind. It essentially releases free radicals on the surface of the plastic which will grab onto paint and or adhesives. It’s what the experts in the plastic manufacturing world use to treat next to impossible to bond plastics like HDPE/ LDPE.
I’m new to this topic and this video was very helpful. Question: in prepping to paint a PVC rain gutter would it be beneficial to first sand the pipe and then clean it with purple primer?
Very good video. Got right to the point and had good conclusions. I need to do some painting on an old Lawn Boy lawn mower shroud, and it looks like Purple Primer is what I need, especially since I will be painting a small area (not the whole shroud) that has some contours that would make it hard to sand without sanding areas I don't want sanded. Thanks much!
This is SO helpful Allen! Thank you. I have 8 full-size plastic bouncy horses to do for my display this year, and this will absolutely save me future headache.
@Amy Ranae Schwarz hello good day, i am just here to inquire about the 8 full-size plastic bouncy horses, i am very much invested. I subbed to you in case you decided upload a video of them. Have a nice day! :D
Would like to try the purple primer trick to my kayak. I'm curious if you could top coat the rustoleum 2x with another paint that is submersible. Thanks for the video I've been searching forever to find some way to paint polyethylene
I plan to paint a beverage cart. It's in a bit of rough shape so I'll have to sand for sure. I'm curious how this will hold up over time with putting ice in it and pulling/pushing drinks in/out of it...🤔 Is there a waterproof sealer I should use?
I am thinking of painting a home depot animatronic stormtrooper to make a shadow trooper. What primer and paint should I use?? I was thinking a 2000 grit to prep
Wanting to spray paint my kayak. I'm thinking sanding and purple primer. Lots of items to scratch it out there, plus drag marks on the side, I just know it's going to come off the normal way. Just not sure what size of the primer to get. Time to check out good top coats. Thank you for this informative video!
Hey great info! My situation might be a bit different. I have 8-9, two inch risers with brass ball valves coming up in 75 foot or so intervals along my wood line permitter around my house. I live in a very fire prone area. I need to protect these little “mini hydrants” in case SHTF from the UV to act as a last ditch potential defense. Yea this will be damn futile in a real full on crown fire….) but I also want to use them as occasional irrigation…. But my question is that wouldn’t the heavy application of PVC primer weakening the pipe enough to possibly compromise the strength of the pipe as opposed to say doing a light to moderate sanding job? I like the easy quick way but I have a lot already invested in building these “hydrant stations” with multiple brass ball valves, strapping to the 4x4s out of concrete, obvious PVC pipe and labor and don’t want to have to redo it in a few years due to the high UV we have here in Colorado where I live at 7000 feet which is pretty severe. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated ! Cheers , Chad
yeah this is for prop fabrication- in most plumbing applications you do not paint the pipe, so thats not the intent of the video. you could be correct but ive never tested either for pipe psi afterwards.
I've heard they make spray paint specifically designed for plastic. What if you did a test with the following four on, let's say, a faded deck storage box. 1) No primer, just the spray paint for plastic. 2) Sanding and then the spray for plastic. 3) The PVC primer and then the plastic specific spray paint. Then lastly, 4) I saw on another video that you have to first wash the deck box with soapy, sudsy, water, wipe it down, apply paint thinner and let it dry. Then spray with spray paint meant for plastic. I'm curious to see if a spray paint designed for plastic works better with a prepping stage or without.
I am upcycling polypropylene feed bags making tote/grocery bags. I am trying to paint some. Wondering what you think about primer/paint for this project. I’m not having great performance with my few methods I’ve quickly tried. Thank you
Would suggest the test we did at the cabinet shop. Apply your top coat let it cure the cut a checker pattern into it and lay piece of masking tape down and yank it off.
@@StiltbeastStudios people are looking for an adhesion test , not a wire brush scratch test because any coating in gonna get scratched from using a steel wire brush on it , even a 5000 dollar factory automotive paint job is gonna easily get scratched from using a steel wire brush on it. u should have tested it with using your fingernails or cleaning it to see what the results of that would be because that would be the most likely thing to come in contact with most surfaces . but contact with a wire brush is not common .
So in your opinion. Would the Purple primer work even better with sanding it too? Or would sanding just be a waste of time ? I also noticed the mirroring at the beginning. Thanks very much !
Sanding is never a waste of time, but you will change the look of the surface. if you want it smooth then just primer, if you dont mind a scratchy surface.
I wonder how they do on bending tests. I spray paint plastic bottles for a number of things and they do fine until the plastic bends for whatever reason. Paint pops right off in big flakes which then disintegrate like burnt paper. One time I did give a layer of water based acrylic paint to an ice cream bucket and then spray painted it and it seems to have done a lot better, but I did loose the even, glossy finish that all the others have.
spray adhesive as a primer for painting HDPE surfaces you want to reset to default color by simple scraping or maybe pressure washing🤔? Also could make giant scratch off ticket things.
I have a 55 gal., blue plastic drum that I am making into an airplane-style trailer to pull my dogs behind my electric bike or my lawn tractor with. I used a plastic adhesive before primering but it did nothing and the paint easily peeled. The Oatley PVC primer and cleaner product looks like it may work okay, but I am wanting to use an enamel to paint the thing two different colors. I will tape off the sections which are different colors, but I don't want the edges to peel on me when I remove the paint. I am not keen on the rattle can paints and I want to use my HLVP gun, anyway, as it has remained in the box for about a year, now. Any rate, I didn't see the purple color when you applied that PVC primer and cleaner. Is it clear, as every time I use that blue stuff, I get it on my hands and look really stupid for a day or two before it wears off. ;-) I wish you had done up a plastic drum/barrel in your experiment, as they have multiple scratches in them and the plastic in them is not as smooth as the Home Depot buckets are. I don't want to fill with Bondo or filler or anything, so any rough scratches in the plastic will simply be part of the thing when I finish. It may give the trailer character marks, right? ;-) Thanks for the video. It really helps as I already wasted a lot of time and money on other paint materials which were bad results for this project.
Thanks for this test and video. I'm working on a community art project PVC board and my students will use acrylic paint once primed. Do you think that will work?
is there a difference if craft paints were used instead of spray can paint? i'd be grateful if you also test on store bought skeletons or other props made with the same crappy plastic alan, you are a genius, love everything that you do, especially when $ are taken into account. no one does it better :-)
For aging "skeleton" plastic, a lot of people have luck with the gel-based wood stains. The gel-based stains also work on cling-wrap used in corpsing. Of course, that doesn't give you quite the range of colors and finishes that you'd get from paint.
@@haywardhaunter2620 thx for the info ... i like painting my skeletons with fluorescent/neon black light reactive paints but unfortunately the slightest bang & the paint comes off :-(
Fantastic!! I have always had to sand plastic before painting with acrylics, doing faux curtain rods or picture frames. Then Dixie Chicks came out with a product called “Slick Stick” but it didn’t impress me none. Ive gotten better results by just spraying on Rustoleum 2X in clear matte. I’ve been wanting to paint my plastic shed to match my house, just not sure how to go about it. (Lifetime Shed) I wonder if etching cream (like for glass or ceramics) would do any better? My shed is 9ft x 20ft so I’d need a lot! lol Also, I’ve heard there is some type of bonding agent you can add to paint and use a hvlp sprayer… would be worth investigating. Love your creativity!
need help. I used a cleaning chemical on my vinyl fence and left shiny streaks and browned a bit. how would you take that. I didn't use it on the whole vinyl fence. could I use your methods?
Wow didnt know the purple liquid can b used for paint primer....my kid has a prject n this ibfo is very helpful .....let se how this wotks with acrylics ...thanks
Not sure if you will see this or not, but what would you suggest to use to paint one of those small brown 3 drawer plastic Sterilite bathroom drawer organizers? The one with the weave pattern on it. I want to paint it light purple to match my bathroom.
Thank you for this video. You did the real world testing for us. Plastic is such a pain to paint! Wonder if you could spray the purple primer from a paint gun for larger projects? Def an outside job.
Hey you! Best wishes for a new year! I have a question please! 10 days ago,I painted a faux leather with spray, with no primer. So many days after it's still sticky! What i could paint over it to dry? Please answer me!😀 (Sorry for my bad English) Kisses from Greece!♥️
Curious why not try automotive spray adhesion promoter? I have used the PCV primer for years (discovered serendipitously while making large PCV pipe props) but have recently tried the spray adhesion promoter to try to be more "professional". I think the promoter is just a little more expensive, but not that much more(not sure). However I have not used promoter long enough to know if it is word, just as good or better than the purple primer. You should also try flame treating the plastic as heating the surface is very cheap and easy and can be combined with the other methods.
I have a project where I will be painting plexiglass panels in a small Chapel. If I sand it with 150 then use a matte medium and a gesso will this work ?
I use rubbing alcohol to clean the surface first. When dry then I prime with Rustoleum Self Etching Primer - Gray. Then what ever Rustoleum 2X color I need. Finish with Rustoleum Matte Clear Coat. I have camo painted all my pellet rifles, shooting benches / tables (folding tables which are plastic). I have also painted T-Fal frying pans, these make excellent cheap plinking targets. Any paint I used without the self etching primer would flake off in big chunks when struck with pellets. This stopped when i switched rustoleum self etching primer. I know its a bit off topic, but the point Im trying to make is this Self Etching primer is awesome on plastics and tough as nails. I don't have to repaint my plastic surfaces anymore due to normal wear and tear. Great Video! :)
thats awesome- I see future testing is in order!
Great tip.
Does it come in clear? sos that I can paint something white
The "Purple Primer" is essentially "Acetone" which PVC makers recommend for priming PVC. The purple coloring is for building inspector's benefit. It's an indication that the PVC piping was primed before the bonding solution/agent was applied.
Purple Primer usually has four active ingredents, plus dye. Its not just acetone.
Gotta have some glue in it or I couldn't use it so seal up small cuts
Everytime I am unsure about something I check youtube and sure enough, stiltbeast did a video 6 years ago. Your channel is like an encyclopedia for haunting.
Chemist here with a few years coating chemistry experience. Never though of purple primer for polyethylene especially HDPE. Makes sense. Solvent softens HDPE and let's materials penetrate the polymer network. I looked at ingredients over 10 years ago and, back then, listed a chemical used to bond scratch resistant coatings to polycarbonate eyeglass lenses. So it makes sense for purple primer to help bond paiit to plastic. Now I have a resin shed converted to home office that needs its roof painted and this looks better than anything made by paint companies.
Thanks great to hear back from a chemist.
people are looking for an adhesion test , not a wire brush scratch test because any coating in gonna get scratched from using a steel wire brush on it , even a 5000 dollar factory automotive paint job is gonna easily get scratched from using a steel wire brush on it. he should have tested it with using his fingernails or cleaning it to see what the results of that would be because that would be the most likely thing to come in contact with most surfaces . but contact with a wire brush is not common so this video was kind of useless .
This actually makes me super happy to see. I did so much sanding of pipes last year to paint. I was so afraid it wouldn't hold up through storage. I feel so much better knowing I took the time that they may make it through.
I hate sanding, but it does work really well.
@@StiltbeastStudios it's over time that it will peal 👍
New Test Variables:
1) Pressure Washer Test (15° nozzle @ 1,2, and 3 ft. and other relevant settings for item's use specifics)
2) Fade/UV Resistance Test (direct sunlight for 8 hrs. for 1 month. Time permitting, a 6 and 12 month followup short video of results)
Possibly add followup results of other items tested in a 'followup video' with items tested at different time intervals.
This video was great. Good Job and thank you for the time and effort you spent on making it.
Caution ! The purple PVC primer is a great bonding agent! .. However if you are going to spray paint a white or lighter color the purple color will bleed up through the paint and leave a splotchy purple cast in your finished paint, Even with numerous coats of paint the purple will reappear. Oatley does make a clear PVC primer that works very well and won't bleed through your finished paint.
thank you, yeah Im only going for black at the moment! great tip though!
Could you leave the primer on it as a top coat outdoors?
@@MP-vf8qz no it will perish. Primer and car putty soak water.
Oh thanks for this info.
With the purple primer did you sand as well??? Or just apply and then sprayed after drying??
This was soooo helpful! Thank you! I've always had a hard time painting plastic so this is exactly what I need
Thank you Allen. Since I just got into lots of crafts 3 years ago this is going to help me so much. You and Shannon stay safe. Stay blessed. Love and Hugs to you both.
You are so welcome, go make stuff!
Loved this video! As an automotive painter I always sand and never paint anything shiny. I use a ready to spray adhesion promoter when painting non steel.
Is adhesion promoter expensive?
@@RocketPunchHero1 about a 116$ a gallon for Transstar brand. I scuff or sand first then shoot a coat of promoter on through an hvlp( paint) gun or airbrush for small parts.
I will add that to a future test list
Cobwebs; is there something in a spray can from a big box store to use as a primer? Thanks man.
@@swingbelly not that ive seen. There is a an adhesion promoter in a spray can made by UPOL to be sprayed before shooting bedliner down. I haven't tried yet but I.might buy a can and test it. Never paint anything shiny though! That's the best advice, sand ot first for a strong mechanical bond.
Kudos to presenter. So many amatuers are SO BAD at presenting otherwise great information but this video was to the point, well thought out, and presented very well. GREAT JOB!
🥳
Your comparison videos are invaluable! Thanks for all your time and hard work!
Thank you! And thank you for watching!
Everything I search on how to, I get extra excited when I see there is a Stilt beast video on the subject.
Im so glad, and just happy to help
The purple primer gets my vote! Thanks !
it seems to work pretty well.
Main solvent in pvc primer is acetone. Fast acting solvent used to soften, clean and prepare plastic. Nothing of adhesion is left behind. You are painting chemically treated raw plastic. Purple is mainly a visual indicator. Once opened, they both quickly disappear from the can. Even with the top on. Makes it hard to keep on our trucks.
thanks for the info!
Acetone? As in nail acetone?
Acetone? As in nail acetone?
Thanks so much for doing this. I've used spray adhesive, and didn't have much luck either. Sanding was my alternate, and I hated doing it. I will use the purple primer on my next project. Thanks again; you're awesome!
Glad I could help!
I've used the 3M spray adhesive to get spray paint to adhere to plastic wrap when making noodle roots and vines. Works pretty good. Paint hasn't scratched off yet and it does get a bit beat up with setup and tear down every year, but that was on plastic wrap and not on HDPE/PVC plastic.
got it, I will add plastic wrap to my tests in the future!
Very very helpful to me. I start my project this coming week! THank you, sir.
Oh my goodness thank you Allen!!! Needed this tutorial...you da bomb as always!!!
glad you liked it
Nicely done, I have been a user of a scotch brite before with a rag of denatured alcohol before I hit any plastic with paint ...just to knock a little of the gloss off ..............great video , right to it and thanks for the patience to wait 7 days .... have a super week !
I will actually have an update soon as I try a new process or two.
This was SERIOUSLY helpful! Thank You!
I'm so glad!
I do a Iot of DIY PVC projects and find Krylon Fusion All In One work the best. It has both primer and paint combined and adheres well.
great tip
MEK is a amazing chemical. That is one of the chemicals in purple primer. I believe in the raw form it has been banned. Engine (enamel) paint or high temp (grill paint) work amazingly well. We used to paint the rims of our Vw with it and it held up the best. I painted a old milk can with engine paint and it has been in my yard in the rain and sun daily for 30+ years and its still looks red and shiny.
I will try that hi temp flat black on my trim,great idea.
MEK is Chlorform and it is still available. But it alone will not prep of dull HDPE plastic.
That video was really good .im using different types of plastic for my dragons primers are so important to get right before spraying. Thanks Allen I like the purple suff
Glad it was helpful!
this has always been my biggest problem ...not scratching the paint off my plastic .... thanks for sharing it was extremely helpful HFL!!
Glad to help
Haven't looked recently, but they used to sell untinted PVC primer. They started making it purple so plumbing inspectors could easily tell primer had been used in construction. Also, you can get the primer in a spray can now, more expensive, but I know you weigh cost vs ease vs time too. You may also be able to use it through an air gun, but I don't know, it is quick drying so it might clog up quickly.
im pretty sure it would eat the bottle, and they do still sell the clear
Where can you get the primer in a spray can? I've looked locally and on line and nobody has ever heard of it.
@@kevinleonard5315 I saw it at Menards.
Another VERY useful video Mr Hopps! I've been meaning to do a similar kind of side-by-side test for over 25 years! You have now answered that question once and for all and I thank you sincerely for sharing 🙏🏻
thank you, I will test a few types of paints on plastic next
I scuff the plastic surface, prime coat, then color coat. I am a outdoor garden railroader. I work with styrene, acrylic & ABS plastics. These plastics must be painted for outdoors or your replacing at the end of fall. I also use only outdoor/UV resistant paints only. UV rays from the sun break apart the molecular bond in all plastics. Some plastics take longer than others.
Allen, this is such a great demo. You used a pail that is almost impossible to hold paint. Trying all these primers on a small surface sold me. I hope I can get a gallon of this to spray plastic trellis that won't be too expensive. Thanks again.
I've been trying to paint Polypropylene plastic eggs for an easter diorama I'm making for the last 2 days and have learned the hard way that the paint just peels right off. I tried some sanding, but it's pretty unappealing for what I'm working on. I'm going to pick up some purple primer tomorrow and see how it goes. Thanks for the video!
good luck!
@@StiltbeastStudios Unfortunately the purple stuff bled through the white primer I was using even with several coats. I put another color over it and it looks a little better, but It seems sanding may be my personal best option. It's hard to do on a giant egg though :D
@@chaosbringer12 they have it in clear.
I have plastic trim on my sorento that was scuffed and took away the texture and had to replace a few pieces.
What I did was to remove the trim and make a block from 2×4 to support the back side.then with a piece of the old textured trim 2"×6" glued to a radius on another 2"×4 .using a heat gun and heating the trim (I practiced on the old peice) I was able to transfer the texture to the damaged trim by pressing and with a roll motion using it as a sort of die,make sure to also put a champher on the edges.i then (using the clear primer ) painted it with flat black from the auto paint storei its holding up great.it takes so time to get the texture right but with some practice on the old trim,with different heat and pressure methods it can come out prity good.also for small spots I used a plywood backing on a smaller die using vice grips.id like to see a expearamint with that.any other methods you come up with.thanks for the great info,if been searching for a good adhesive to hold the paint,I think you nailed it buddy.😉
Dude... believe it or not. Your video rocked.💪😊
I'm curious if you've tried a flex test. My disappointment with spray-painted plastic, especially thinner plastic, mostly stems not from abrasions but from flaking when the plastic flexes.
Anyway, I love seeing experiments like this. Thanks!
i didnt really paint anything thin, so I did not
That would be a good test.never thought pvc primer would work so good.
Did you end up trying to tint the pvc primer? I’d love to hear how it worked out.
Any replies to this pvc primer tinting?
I love it when you R&D test stuff.
its also very fun
I would love to see if the tenting project goes well , I have a few projects I'd love to finish with a good hold on paint , that was very helpful
I should be able to do it soon- sifting through all the materials in the shop that froze and were destroyed now actually.
I love your videos like this(going all the way back to your blood tests video). Super helpful and informative!
thank you
And yet another valuable informative video. Thanks for Sharing!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for this video! I'm making a wrought-iron fence for Halloween decor with pvc pipe and I wanted to give my paint job the best shot at sticking. One question though: before painting, how long can I let the purple pvc primer sit before it would become useless?
I've read that to spray on plastic your supposed to sand first then clean with mild soap and water
Then supposedly use rubbing Alcohol to ensure the surface is very clean then you use a acrylic type primer
But I've not seen any spray on undercoat which I'm assuming you do not need to use an undercoat unless anyone else can tell me different
This whole video is me figureing it out- these are my methods.
This was great!!! Did you ever do a video on tinting the purple primer? I would be VERY interested in that! Painting plastic is a huge part of theater and always a challenge.
Not yet! I swear I will soon.
I just mixed some very dark Minwax oil-based stain with a half a can of purple primer and coated a 10" length of 1.5" PVC. I'll let you know how it does and if it seems to work I'll decipher specifically what stain I used.
Purple primer.. who would have thought.. Got to pick up some but I think they sell it in clear too..
they do- Im normally painting darker so the purple works
@@StiltbeastStudios Allen thank you for all your help and info..!
Awesome info, thanks Allen! Any reason why the first half of the video uploaded flipped horizontally? Everything is backwards. I do think this video shows us more of how desructive your thumbnail is rather than how effective a primer can be!
I am a master of destruction.
Old video, but Flame treating plastic works well. You use a propane torch with a a wide nozzle and a soft flame. The idea is to just “kiss the surface” without melting, moving the flame quickly. It should look like you did nothing to the surface when you are done, maybe a little soot left behind. It essentially releases free radicals on the surface of the plastic which will grab onto paint and or adhesives. It’s what the experts in the plastic manufacturing world use to treat next to impossible to bond plastics like HDPE/ LDPE.
Thanx for share the test... was bit confused, that the beginn was mirrowed... Greet from Munich, Mariooooo 🤘🏼
same info, just flipped.
I've used rubbing alcohol and a green scrubby pad.
It seems to sand it enough to bond well but it doesn't really look sanded.
great tip!
I’m new to this topic and this video was very helpful. Question: in prepping to paint a PVC rain gutter would it be beneficial to first sand the pipe and then clean it with purple primer?
One thing to consider, painting plastics can have a chemical affect on the structural integrity of the material, usually making it weaker.
it can, its normally minimal most of the work I do is decorative.
Very good video. Got right to the point and had good conclusions. I need to do some painting on an old Lawn Boy lawn mower shroud, and it looks like Purple Primer is what I need, especially since I will be painting a small area (not the whole shroud) that has some contours that would make it hard to sand without sanding areas I don't want sanded. Thanks much!
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks, very good video... I would litely sand any smooth plastic and use a gray plastic primer...
Great tip!
This is SO helpful Allen! Thank you. I have 8 full-size plastic bouncy horses to do for my display this year, and this will absolutely save me future headache.
I cant wait to see what you do!
@Amy Ranae Schwarz hello good day, i am just here to inquire about the 8 full-size plastic bouncy horses, i am very much invested. I subbed to you in case you decided upload a video of them. Have a nice day! :D
Would like to try the purple primer trick to my kayak. I'm curious if you could top coat the rustoleum 2x with another paint that is submersible. Thanks for the video I've been searching forever to find some way to paint polyethylene
I plan to paint a beverage cart. It's in a bit of rough shape so I'll have to sand for sure. I'm curious how this will hold up over time with putting ice in it and pulling/pushing drinks in/out of it...🤔 Is there a waterproof sealer I should use?
any good outdoor sealer should help
I am thinking of painting a home depot animatronic stormtrooper to make a shadow trooper. What primer and paint should I use?? I was thinking a 2000 grit to prep
Wanting to spray paint my kayak. I'm thinking sanding and purple primer. Lots of items to scratch it out there, plus drag marks on the side, I just know it's going to come off the normal way. Just not sure what size of the primer to get. Time to check out good top coats. Thank you for this informative video!
its not very expensive, so Id get the big can.
Hey great info! My situation might be a bit different. I have 8-9, two inch risers with brass ball valves coming up in 75 foot or so intervals along my wood line permitter around my house. I live in a very fire prone area. I need to protect these little “mini hydrants” in case SHTF from the UV to act as a last ditch potential defense. Yea this will be damn futile in a real full on crown fire….) but I also want to use them as occasional irrigation….
But my question is that wouldn’t the heavy application of PVC primer weakening the pipe enough to possibly compromise the strength of the pipe as opposed to say doing a light to moderate sanding job? I like the easy quick way but I have a lot already invested in building these “hydrant stations” with multiple brass ball valves, strapping to the 4x4s out of concrete, obvious PVC pipe and labor and don’t want to have to redo it in a few years due to the high UV we have here in Colorado where I live at 7000 feet which is pretty severe. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated ! Cheers , Chad
yeah this is for prop fabrication- in most plumbing applications you do not paint the pipe, so thats not the intent of the video. you could be correct but ive never tested either for pipe psi afterwards.
Would it be a good idea to lightly sand the surface before using the purple pvc cleaner as the primer?
So, using Oateys pvc primer works great as a base coat for any spray paint?🤔
I've heard they make spray paint specifically designed for plastic. What if you did a test with the following four on, let's say, a faded deck storage box. 1) No primer, just the spray paint for plastic. 2) Sanding and then the spray for plastic. 3) The PVC primer and then the plastic specific spray paint. Then lastly, 4) I saw on another video that you have to first wash the deck box with soapy, sudsy, water, wipe it down, apply paint thinner and let it dry. Then spray with spray paint meant for plastic. I'm curious to see if a spray paint designed for plastic works better with a prepping stage or without.
I am upcycling polypropylene feed bags making tote/grocery bags. I am trying to paint some. Wondering what you think about primer/paint for this project. I’m not having great performance with my few methods I’ve quickly tried. Thank you
Would suggest the test we did at the cabinet shop. Apply your top coat let it cure the cut a checker pattern into it and lay piece of masking tape down and yank it off.
noted, I will give that a try!
@@StiltbeastStudios people are looking for an adhesion test , not a wire brush scratch test because any coating in gonna get scratched from using a steel wire brush on it , even a 5000 dollar factory automotive paint job is gonna easily get scratched from using a steel wire brush on it. u should have tested it with using your fingernails or cleaning it to see what the results of that would be because that would be the most likely thing to come in contact with most surfaces . but contact with a wire brush is not common .
Does it make it even better if you sand before the purple primer?
it does
Would you recommend sanding before purple primer or would it hurt??
sanding always helps adhesion
So in your opinion. Would the Purple primer work even better with sanding it too? Or would sanding just be a waste of time ? I also noticed the mirroring at the beginning. Thanks very much !
Sanding is never a waste of time, but you will change the look of the surface. if you want it smooth then just primer, if you dont mind a scratchy surface.
Good video experiment. I wonder if sanding and wiping down with acetone before finish painting would work?
Im sure it would help
I wonder how they do on bending tests. I spray paint plastic bottles for a number of things and they do fine until the plastic bends for whatever reason. Paint pops right off in big flakes which then disintegrate like burnt paper.
One time I did give a layer of water based acrylic paint to an ice cream bucket and then spray painted it and it seems to have done a lot better, but I did loose the even, glossy finish that all the others have.
Well, that's great. I'm a plumbed, so I have plenty of purple primer. Haha!
Sweet!
spray adhesive as a primer for painting HDPE surfaces you want to reset to default color by simple scraping or maybe pressure washing🤔? Also could make giant scratch off ticket things.
it does scratch off that easy lol.
Did you ever try making the black dye color you mentioned in this video? I can't find another video of such on your website.
Thank you! Again, much needed information.
Glad it was helpful! I will do more testing for sure.
I have a 55 gal., blue plastic drum that I am making into an airplane-style trailer to pull my dogs behind my electric bike or my lawn tractor with. I used a plastic adhesive before primering but it did nothing and the paint easily peeled. The Oatley PVC primer and cleaner product looks like it may work okay, but I am wanting to use an enamel to paint the thing two different colors. I will tape off the sections which are different colors, but I don't want the edges to peel on me when I remove the paint. I am not keen on the rattle can paints and I want to use my HLVP gun, anyway, as it has remained in the box for about a year, now. Any rate, I didn't see the purple color when you applied that PVC primer and cleaner. Is it clear, as every time I use that blue stuff, I get it on my hands and look really stupid for a day or two before it wears off. ;-) I wish you had done up a plastic drum/barrel in your experiment, as they have multiple scratches in them and the plastic in them is not as smooth as the Home Depot buckets are. I don't want to fill with Bondo or filler or anything, so any rough scratches in the plastic will simply be part of the thing when I finish. It may give the trailer character marks, right? ;-) Thanks for the video. It really helps as I already wasted a lot of time and money on other paint materials which were bad results for this project.
I really appreciate this! Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for this test and video. I'm working on a community art project PVC board and my students will use acrylic paint once primed. Do you think that will work?
I am curiouse enough to try pvc primer on some old speakers to paint black. See how we go 🙈
let me know how you did!
Hi, my brother painted he's plastic ceiling with two coats of white under coat and then one coat of gloss, in the bathroom. Is it going to last.
Great vid man.
I, based on this excellent video am going to combine a light sanding, then the primer and the results should be great for PVC pipe painted brown.
Solutions plus is a plastic rejuvenator. And last forever. Check it out might be a good tint but you do have to wipe to level it?
I will check it out!
Excellent! I'm a long-time fan. Now, PLEASE show us a way to paint pool noodles!!! Nothing sticks!
Great suggestion!
is there a difference if craft paints were used instead of spray can paint?
i'd be grateful if you also test on store bought skeletons or other props made with the same crappy plastic
alan, you are a genius, love everything that you do, especially when $ are taken into account. no one does it better :-)
For aging "skeleton" plastic, a lot of people have luck with the gel-based wood stains. The gel-based stains also work on cling-wrap used in corpsing. Of course, that doesn't give you quite the range of colors and finishes that you'd get from paint.
@@haywardhaunter2620 thx for the info ... i like painting my skeletons with fluorescent/neon black light reactive paints but unfortunately the slightest bang & the paint comes off :-(
I will work on that for you.
What do you suggest if I want to paint a PVC pipe a metallic, gold or silver color?
the same, light sanding then purple primer. the spray it black gloss then the metallic
What is the best way to prep and paint pool noodles?
Fantastic!! I have always had to sand plastic before painting with acrylics, doing faux curtain rods or picture frames. Then Dixie Chicks came out with a product called “Slick Stick” but it didn’t impress me none. Ive gotten better results by just spraying on Rustoleum 2X in clear matte.
I’ve been wanting to paint my plastic shed to match my house, just not sure how to go about it. (Lifetime Shed)
I wonder if etching cream (like for glass or ceramics) would do any better? My shed is 9ft x 20ft so I’d need a lot! lol
Also, I’ve heard there is some type of bonding agent you can add to paint and use a hvlp sprayer… would be worth investigating.
Love your creativity!
I have a follow up to this coming soon
need help. I used a cleaning chemical on my vinyl fence and left shiny streaks and browned a bit. how would you take that. I didn't use it on the whole vinyl fence. could I use your methods?
Wow didnt know the purple liquid can b used for paint primer....my kid has a prject n this ibfo is very helpful .....let se how this wotks with acrylics ...thanks
good luck!
Woud you recommend a formula for restoring plastic mud guards on 2000 Toyota Tundra?
Thanks for the video and the helpful tip!
Glad it was helpful!
Awesome! I’ve always wondered what spraypaint sticks the best to. 😁
Thank you! Cheers!
Not sure if you will see this or not, but what would you suggest to use to paint one of those small brown 3 drawer plastic Sterilite bathroom drawer organizers? The one with the weave pattern on it. I want to paint it light purple to match my bathroom.
I would go with one of the *made for plastic spray paints like fusion from Walmart- they are actually pretty good.
Thankyou, a very useful video.
Im glad it was handy!
Great info. Hi Allen
Glad you enjoyed it
Thank you for this video. You did the real world testing for us. Plastic is such a pain to paint! Wonder if you could spray the purple primer from a paint gun for larger projects? Def an outside job.
you could, but wear a respirator for sure
Amazing video!!!! 🙏🙏🙏🙏 now need to find a way to get my hand on the purple primer!!! Gonna extremely hard in Ivory Coast 🤦♂️
good luck!
Thank you so much :)
Hey you!
Best wishes for a new year!
I have a question please!
10 days ago,I painted a faux leather with spray, with no primer.
So many days after it's still sticky!
What i could paint over it to dry? Please answer me!😀
(Sorry for my bad English)
Kisses from Greece!♥️
we have a product called japan dryer- it will help, or you can use a powder to keep it from being tacky
@@StiltbeastStudios sorry 😐 again! What kind of powder?
Curious why not try automotive spray adhesion promoter? I have used the PCV primer for years (discovered serendipitously while making large PCV pipe props) but have recently tried the spray adhesion promoter to try to be more "professional". I think the promoter is just a little more expensive, but not that much more(not sure). However I have not used promoter long enough to know if it is word, just as good or better than the purple primer. You should also try flame treating the plastic as heating the surface is very cheap and easy and can be combined with the other methods.
I can add those to my list!
Where do you buy the spray adhesion promoter? What brand works well for you?
Great information!! Thank you
Wonder if sanding & contact cement would be tough?
I have a project where I will be painting plexiglass panels in a small Chapel. If I sand it with 150 then use a matte medium and a gesso will this work ?
that should work fine actually
Hello, love this vid. Can you explain what the purple primer is again? l live in Australia so need to be able to describe it to buy somewhere. Thanks,
you use it to clean the pvc and get it ready to glue.