Painting plastic panels – wall covering in a fresh color

Can you paint plastic panels?

If you plan to renovate your wall or ceiling paneling and paint it in a new, fresh color, please first inform yourself about what panels your ceiling or walls are clad in. The term "panels" is generally understood to mean panels made of wood or solid wood, as well as veneer and laminate.

These can be deleted much easier. But when it comes to plastic panels, there is a possibility that they will not take on any color. If you still want to take the risk and paint your plastic panels, you must follow a few rules.

Plastic wall panels appear in a new color

Plastic panels are often in wood look and give the room a warm and inviting look. But if they already look dirty or worn, then they must certainly be renewed. In some cases it is advisable to simply tear them down and completely redesign the walls. Of course, this proves to be exhausting and annoying work that one likes to avoid. And in this case, you just want to paint the panels with paint and quickly give your home a new face.

Paint over art panels with paint

Plastic panels are made of polystyrene (polystyrene) or hard plastic. The polystyrene panels are usually suitable as a ceiling panel and can be relatively easier to color. You can use normal wall paint. Avoid colors with solvents that can damage the surface of the styrofoam. For aesthetic reasons, a coat of white is recommended, as the dark shades of color emphasize the joints.

Plastic wall panels completely painted over in white

Wall panels made of hard plastic are as mentioned above in wood look and often consist of melamine. Unfortunately, this plastic can not be painted over so easily and has to be edited for the time being. Use fine sandpaper (300-400) to rough the surface of the panels. Then remove the resulting dust and clean the panels with a damp cloth / sponge or directly with clean water to thoroughly remove dirt and sanding dust. After you have prepared the surface well and allowed to dry, you can prime the plastic panels. An acrylic primer is recommended in this case. Let it dry again and then apply a layer of acrylic varnish with a foam roller. Note that acrylic varnish dries very quickly and try to paint the entire surface in one go. If necessary, apply another coat of paint and let us know if you are satisfied with the final result.

Bedroom wall panels in white

Hard plastic panels

Hard plastic panels in wood look

Wall cladding in wood look, but made of plastic

When the old wall panels are to be painted over with paint

Sand plastic panels, clean, prime and paint with acrylic paint

Enjoy the end result

Plastic panels in the attic room        

 Cover hard plastic ceiling panels in white

 Plastic panels in the nursery 

Bedroom wall design like new

With a paint in pink you can reach a romantic atmosphere in the bedroom 

Gray wall panels in the home office

 Strong blue as wall paint and white as ceiling color

Kitchen in shabby-chic style 

 Some basic rules when painting wooden panels apply here - Watch the video!