Outdoor metal paint on pastic pipes?

[Harry Bloomfield]

I picked up a can of black paint a few weeks ago (Lidl or Aldi), described as outdoor metal paint, with pictures of painted gates on the can. Idea was to repaint my galv steel gates, which I did last week and it went on rather well. Name on the can is Powerfix Profi.

I'm now wondering if the same paint could be used on my plastic bathroom and kitchen drain pipes, which have never been painted?

 

[Tigercubrider]

You'd probably need to roughen up the surface and possibly buy a can of primer for plastic.
Otherwise it may flake off

 

[JohnD]

I've had excellent results on plastic waste pipes and meter cabinet with oil-based non-drip gloss. I can't remember where I heard it.

Clean the plastic thoroughly with a green nylon pan scourer, and detergent, which will also scratch the surface, rinse, and wipe off with white spirit.

a single flowing coat with a soft brush and no primer.

After 20 years some of mine are getting a bit dull but still adhering fine. My neighbours took my tip and also lasting.

I don't know if a water-based paint would adhere so well.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Thanks all, I had already cleaned them up ready for some paint - they didn't really need any roughening they are 30 years old. Paint went on well, it is some sort of oil based paint, quite thick and fast to touch dry.

 

[scbk]

The paint mentioned (powerfix metal paint) is from Lidl, it's good stuff. Aldi do their own version too. I always get a load when they have it in, it's similar to hammerite /rustoleum but only a fiver per litre.

 

[JohnD]

what thinners/brush cleaner does it need?

 

[scbk]

what thinners/brush cleaner does it need?

Can't remember without looking, probably white spirit/thinners, same as rustoleum

 

[foxhole]

I always spray pipes with a can of krylon, quick and easy and never flakes.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

what thinners/brush cleaner does it need?

I found that turps substitute worked for the Powerfix paint, but I never found anything which worked with Hammerite, when I used to buy it years ago - I would just use throwaway brushes. The Powerfix was either £4.99 or £5.99 a litre - bargain, it seems for metal paint if it works. It certainly seemed the part, when I applied it to my gates.

 

[JohnD]

yes, that's what I was thinking. I don't like Hammerite (rust can grow beneath it, and I don't like the stickiness) but when I used to use it, I bought a 5-litre can of thinners, I think it was very toxic, might have been trike.

 

[opps]

Thanks all, I had already cleaned them up ready for some paint - they didn't really need any roughening they are 30 years old. Paint went on well, it is some sort of oil based paint, quite thick and fast to touch dry.

If it is quick drying it is probably cellulose based rather than oil based.

 

[opps]

I found that turps substitute worked for the Powerfix paint, but I never found anything which worked with Hammerite

Cellulose will clean hammerite brushes, however the Hammerite branded brush cleaner uses naptha and acetone.

https://www.selcobw.com/media/files/CS253360706 MSDS Information.pdf

 

[opps]

I've had excellent results on plastic waste pipes and meter cabinet with oil-based non-drip gloss. I can't remember where I heard it.

Clean the plastic thoroughly with a green nylon pan scourer, and detergent, which will also scratch the surface, rinse, and wipe off with white spirit.

a single flowing coat with a soft brush and no primer.

Agreed, oil based paint on guttering/down pipes doesn't need primer/undercoat. However if you are going from black to white (for example) you would benefit from using white oil based undercoat first).

Personally, I am not a fan of non-drip oil based paints, not surprisingly, they don't flow very well when covering large areas. Horses for courses though.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Agreed, oil based paint on guttering/down pipes doesn't need primer/undercoat. However if you are going from black to white (for example) you would benefit from using white oil based undercoat first).

My gates were black and the new paint black. My pipes were originally black, but had faded over the years. All covered fine.

 

[opps]

My gates were black and the new paint black. My pipes were originally black, but had faded over the years. All covered fine.

Spraying gates is sooo much faster. The only downsides are the amount of paint that misses the metalwork and flies off into the atmosphere (meh) and the fact that if they are badly weathered a brush is better at getting into the tight joins (spray often just bounces out of very acute angles).

On my last exterior job I had two wrought iron gates with lots of curly bits. They were fairly badly weathered. If they had been in a better condition (like yours) I would have sprayed them. It would have been much faster. In the end I used Hammerite- I don't particularly like the stuff but drying times are way faster than standard oil based paints, it was late February so the cellulose based (Hammerite) paint helped a lot with regards to drying times (vs oilbased gloss).