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How to Paint Plastic or Vinyl Exterior Shutters
By: Danny Lipford 
Can outdoor plastic window shutters be painted, and if so what kind of paint should be used? -Laurie
Hi Laurie,
Yes, you can repaint plastic or vinyl shutters. If they are new, check with the manufacturer to see if they need any special cleaning and follow their painting instructions.
If the shutters have been around a while, you’ll need to clean them before painting. If mildew or mold is present, kill it using a mixture of one part bleach to four parts water in a pump up garden sprayer or spray bottle, then rinse thoroughly with a hose. Be sure to protect your skin, eyes, and any plants when working with bleach. Next, scrub the shutters with detergent and water to remove any dirt or chalking. Rinse off the soap with a hose, and allow the shutters to dry before painting.
When painting plastic or vinyl, use a high quality, exterior, acrylic latex paint or a paint made specifically for plastic, such as Krylon Fusion. Avoid painting the shutters a darker color than they were originally, since this can allow the surface to absorb more heat than it was designed for and may cause them to warp.
Good luck with your project,
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6 Comments on “How to Paint Plastic or Vinyl Exterior Shutters”
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February 11th, 2009 at 11:25 am
where do i buy exterior acrylic latex paint containing urethane?
September 28th, 2009 at 7:08 am
We just purchased new shutters for our house. After painting them 3 times, The paint is not staying on very well. What’s wrong, and what do we need to do?
Thanks
November 9th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
I was going to paint my vinyl shutters with the same latex paint i painted my front door with. After reading a few articles, I am not sure I can do that. Also, I am not sure if what I have are shutterlocks. If I end up breaking them, where can I purchase new ones?
August 13th, 2010 at 3:13 pm
I was at my True Value paint store yesterday and I asked the guy in the paint dept about painting my vinyl shutters. He said it was not a good idea to paint vinyl a darker color as the shutters will warp. Yet, I see here on the internet, article after article saying it is OK to paint them. So, since mine are pretty old, and since it would only cost a few dollars to replace them, I am going to go ahead and paint and see how it works out. I’ll post a follow up soon. Wish me luck.
June 16th, 2011 at 11:55 am
Hi I have so many vinyl shutters that it would be costly to replace them with new ones, so I would like to know if WHITE paint would cover well over faded light red. Also will the paint last a long time or do u have to keep repainting every year or so??
Ben Erickson Says:June 30th, 2011 at 9:26 am
Hi Gladys,
Since the red in your vinyl shutters might bleed through, after cleaning I would prime them with an exterior, stain blocking, latex primer before topcoating with exterior latex paint. Good luck with your project!