Painting grill

[what2do]

Just taken delivery of a square headlight grill, hoping to paint it this weekend. Is it best to use plastikote or are there better products? Prefering the matt black look. Whichever product I use, what is required prep wise, never painted plastic before. Cheers.

[R0B]

When i did mine.I gave it a rub down with a fine emery/sandpaper.I used a satin spray paint.And finished it with a couple of coats of clear lacquer.

[Oldiebut goodie]

I have just done mine (only bit of the van with a full coat of paint!). I used a good degreaser to clean it and then gave it a light going over with a sandblaster then finished it with matt black spray. Easier to touch up leaving the matt without anything on top. Can't remember what variety of paint I used though. I thought that Plasticote was just the name not what it goes on - half remembered nugget of information.

[what2do]

I like the idea of blasting the plastic to prep it, nice n easy. Blasted the exhaust brackets ready for painting yesterday, back to the cabinet I go. I guess that 1 rattle can should be enough, correct?

[Graham81]

I used Halfords satin black on mine - plastic primed 1st- looks like new

[Oldiebut goodie]

I like the idea of blasting the plastic to prep it, nice n easy. Blasted the exhaust brackets ready for painting yesterday, back to the cabinet I go. I guess that 1 rattle can should be enough, correct?

Depends upon how many grills you are doing and the size of can! You need to do both grills and really need to do from the back also otherwise little bits get missed.

[what2do]

Based on me doing both grills, back and front, 1,2,3 750 ml tins? Just wondering weather or not to buy local or tinternet. I don't object to having a spare tin as there will always be other bits and bobs to do. Cheers.

[Oldiebut goodie]

I think I used 3 x 400ml tins (the only size my local had at the time). So 2 x 750 should be ample.

[dickie14]

I used Halfords satin black on mine - plastic primed 1st- looks like new

Likewise. I did the grille, wing mirrors and both bumpers. Used two 750ml cans and that included doing two or three coats on the bumpers. Couldn't believe what an improvement it was!

[nevill3]

I too used a couple of cans of satin black on my bumpers, front grills, windscreen wiper arms and the rear air vents. It was the quickest and most satisfying result so far. The van looked like new with just these few bits spruced up.