High Gloss Paint for Plastic Part

Enamel paints stick to polystyrene, polycarbonate and ABS rather better than regular gloss paints.

Very few paints stick properly to polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, polyvinylchloride and polytetrafluoroethylene.

Thanks, PWSlack,

This is not what I mean. What I want to know is why regular gloss paint cannot stick better than enamel paints? Is there some factor in gloss paint that prevent the adhesion?

Onto which plastic?

On those that you have mentioned - PS, PC and ABS.

First we need to establish how the adhesion test is performed and what specific paints are involved.

It may have to do with the type of solvents used in the paint.

It may have to do with the fact that tape sticks much better to a high gloss surface that a flat one.

As usual, not enough information for spit!

The only reason any paint fails is:

A) Improper paint for substrate.

B) Improper preparation of substrate.

C) Age or wear

Gloss does not come into play.

There are paints specifically designed for plastic.

http://www.krylon.com/products/fusion_for_plastic/, this works well. The solvents in it, chemically react with the plastic substrate, causing it to fuse together, much like PVC primer.

Follow the directions on preparation and you should be successful.

ABS is one of the harder substrates to paint. PVC is one of the easiest. Issue with both and depending on end use is UV penetration. There are several manufactures of UV blocking paints for these substrates on there. The housing industries have pushed hard for this over the last few years. The AAMA 615 standards list adhesion testing and required other weathering test. Sherwin Williams makes a "Ploane" material that is solvent based and does well in both adhesion and UV blocking on these types of substrates. Depending on what your looking to coat there are manufactures making water based materials as well that contain UV blocking pigments.