Painting Vinyl Stripe or Letters?

[rardiH36]

Has anyone had success painting over vinyl striping or letters that is still in reasonable shape, but a little bit weathered? If so, preparation tips and type of paint used?

The 3/4" gold stripe on my topsides just below the toe rail is at odds with my recently revised color theme. I'm thinking that painting over the stripe would be a lot easier than removing it ... and I know that the line will be straight!

 

[KD3PC]

Paint will likely not stick well, the vinyl is not stable enough to be a base when it gets hot or cold...you may be able to visit a truck graphics shop and either buy or have them make the "stripe" in the color you desire to then place over the undesired one you have...

removal is not too bad with the 3M wheels...

all the best

 

[Tim Huss]

If you decide to remove it, try a good hair dryer or heat gun with a hard plastic scraper, should be able to take it off. then clean the residue with a little acetone.
Take your pocket knife and make a few marks along the edge before you remove it, they will tellagraph through any paint well enough to locate your stripe.
Chances of getting paint to stick to the vinyl arent so great

 

[higgs]

Even if the paint sticks, you will still have raised section outlining the numbers. You gotta get them off.

 

[DannyS]

The vinyl will hold paint. I used to own a sign shop and we would add painted fades and stripes to vinyl all the time. A spraypaint from the hardware store is all you need. Most of the time, however, I used a signpainters paint called One-Shot.
Now, the question is, should you do it this way. Painting the vinyl was fine for new graphics and for situations that called for paint. I don't think your situation is right for paint. You don't need to remove the old vinyl if you just want to cover it up with another vinyl color. Just clean it well, have someone make up some stripes and have them show you the best method for application and cover it up with new vinyl. Remove the registration numbers first and have the sign shop make up new ones for you.
It may seem overwhelming, but when armed with a few tricks from the sign guys, you can do it and it will look good.

 

[RichH]

Danny -
Rardi lives in Kalifornia.
One-shot™ is a lead-based paint so he will have to 'illegally smuggle' it into Kalifornia. If he gets 'caught' with a heavily leaded paint there .... he will be in very deep doodoo.

You can order One-shot™ online; its really one of the very best 'sign paints' ever formulated.

 

[Rick D]

Danny -
Rardi lives in Kalifornia.
One-shot™ is a lead-based paint so he will have to 'illegally smuggle' it into Kalifornia. If he gets 'caught' with a heavily leaded paint there .... he will be in very deep doodoo.

You can order One-shot™ online; its really one of the very best 'sign paints' ever formulated.

As a Kalifornican, I wouldn't direct anyone to the internet to purchase non-Kali-approved and formulated products, of course.... :naughty:

 

[rardiH36]

Here's More About the Situation Behind the Question

Thanks for the responses. I posted the question because I know that paints don't adhere too well to some plastics .... And this seems to the initial responders' recommendations as well.

I had some hope that since the vinyl has lost its original factory perfect finish due to exposure for a few years in the elements, and with a little roughing up with say 220 sand paper, then maybe just maybe painting it over would work.

With DannyS's response that vinyl can hold paint, possibly there is hope and worth a try. I've attached a picture of the intended target. Its the gold 3/4" stripe below the toe rail that I want to change color to the same jade green of the port frames and hatches. It might not show in the picture, but it does stand out as "wrong" for the jade color. The previous color for the frames/hatches was gold.

The idea of painting holds attraction because I know that my paint matches and I think finding new vinyl to match and then applying will be a lot more time consuming than just masking and painting. If ultimately it doesn't work, then to the new vinyl plan, or remove it completely. The paint product is Rustoleum's Hammered Finish, which is xylene based and is not banned in California (yet)! Stands up to the elements really well and the previous gold coat applied 3.5 years ago was still firmly attached to the plastic port frames with absolutely no peeling before I put on the new color.

The need for this project is a little disappointing since I am finding that I did like my previous gold color scheme better :neutral:. Further, I hadn't quite anticipated that the gold stripe would be so "odd man out". But what's done is done. And the jade green theme isn't all that bad. Several years from now I can go at it again. Maybe metallic pink and gold?

 

[DannyS]

Paint it. What's the worst that can happen? If it doesn't work out you can remove the stripe with the paint. Once you mask off the stripe, use a scotchbright pad to scuff up the surface and give it some tooth for the paint to bight into. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[DannyS]

One last tip, if you can cover the old color in one coat, pull the tape when the paint is still wet. That way you won't accidentally pull up the paint from the vinyl. if you wait too long to pull the tape, you may need to score the edge with an x-acto blade to separate the tape from the paint.

 

[larryw]

I just bought a bottle of One-Shot to touch up my engine paint

 

[DannyS]

Yeah, One-shot no longer contains lead. It's sold at most better art supply stores.