[kuroneko]

So I'm working on my fence and I have heard different things about painting the pipes. Some people say spray paint and the others say it takes too many cans and it's too hard. Some people say paint by hand and others say it takes to long.
So what is the best way to do this?
Also, I probably will also need to paint the black plastic chain for it at some point too. I'll take any ideas for that as well.

 

[untillater]

method 1: lay all your sections down tightly packed but in 1 layer, spray that side, wait for it to dry, roll over, spray yadda yadda rinse repeat.

method 2: assemble sections. mount on rebar stakes and spray or brush.

Personally, I prefer to spray, I have an air compressor, so I just bought a paint spray gun for it $50 or so at your home improvement store of choice. With this you can use almost any type of paint. if you go this route you will also need to get the appropriate thinner for the type of paint. compared to the cost of spray cans.... or the brush strokes left behind .... worth its weight in gold.

 

[kakugori]

Just don't buy the cheap spraypaint. That's the best advice I've got for that, and it came the hard way.

More creative - get one of those donut shop icing waterfalls, thin out your paint a bit...


I've got a bunch to paint this year too. Not sure there's a real "best" way.

 

[Katster]

Whatever you do, do not use that Fusion spray can stuff that is supposed to be for plastics it is a nightmare! It splatters and drips and does not fuse to anything but your hand!

 

[gr8johnson]

I laid all my poles out on a drop cloth close together. Then I used a paint roller. I rolled them and waited for them to dry. Roll the poles over and roll them again. Repeat until covered. Use a thick nap roller to cover more. This also puts the paint on thicker so it doesn't chip off easily. Worked great for me.

 

[Intellagirl]

The Krylon Fusion paint works really well IF you give the pipes a light sanding first and make sure that all of the dust and dirt is off of them. If not, as Kakugori noted, it just drips and chips. I've had great success with it if I take those steps first.

 

[89Lt1]

i was doing some pipe that are my spotlights this year... i used the $.99 flat black spray from lowes. Seems to be working ok and sticking well to the pvc... at a buck i can use three or four and still be under the cost of a can of fusion. we will see how well it will hold up though. I would definitely suggest getting the spray can trigger adapter, it will save your finger

 

[Trex]

Same we used regular flat black spray paint, laid the PVC rods out, sprayed and rolled. Ours are 4-5 years old now and still look great! I also have the comfort grip accessory 89Lt1 has shown above, it is a must if you are doing a lot of spraying. Good luck,

 

[Pumpkinhead625]

Ironically, I just finished assembling my fence sections and gate, and today I begin painting them.

There is a secret weapon that makes painting your PVC pipes a LOT quicker and easier; it's called a painting mitt. You wear it like a mitten, dip it into the paint, and go. Cheaper than spray paint, quicker than a brush, and you get excellent coverage. I also suggest lightly sanding your PVC before painting to improve adhesion.

Here's a link to HD, but I'm sure Lowes would have it as well, or any paint store.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Linzer-8-in-x-3-8-in-Synthetic-Painting-Mitt-RT363/100168481#.UjsJV5TD_IU

I'd suggest using a lint roller or some tape on the mitt before use to remove any loose fuzzies.

 

[gr8johnson]

Oh I wish I had that when I did all 105 of my 5' poles. Lol.

 

[kuroneko]

All good ideas. I have about 30 to deal with and I just want to get them black for this year. If I have time I'll worry about adding detail to them. I thinking about pawning this off on my husband since he wants to try to help this year. He was really upset when I told him there was nothing he could do. I have a little CDO, which is 'OCD' but the letters are in the correct order as they should be. Anyway, this seems easy enough for him... I hope lol

 

[Kelly_A]

If you want the spray paint to adhere better, wipe down the pipes with an acetone soaked rag first, it'll break the gloss finish. Its a lot easier than sanding.

 

[Russell]

STAIN - http://makezine.com/projects/Stain-PVC-any-color-you-like/

 

[Russell]

EBay Black Dye For Pvc Stains 1 0z concentrate $19

 

[Russell]

Sorry it's late/early I should have put this all in one post. A bit pricey but I love this stuff.

 

[stuffyteddybare]

I put all my candles on old broom sticks, hung the ends from a tree and then I could paint all the sides at once

 

[EveningKiss]

Wish i had seen this before i went to home depot lol. I just uesd some spray cans but im not liking how many it takes (1.5 cans for one section. too pricy) I was HALFWAY Tempted to just dip the pipe in a can of paint and let it drip dry lol.

 

[rojospider]

I went for the rustic look with my fence. So this is how I painted mine.
Get paint that can be poured in a can or bucket.
Buy a 1.99 pair of cloth gloves and some rubber gloves (like doctor uses)
Put rubber gloves on first (to keep from getting paint on your hands) Then cloth gloves.
dip your hands in the paint and brush with your hands. Its way faster than spray painting.
After they dried I did a little white wash to make them look old. My 2 cents.

 

[kuroneko]

No one is late as I haven't even assembled them yet. I still have to attach the finials to them before painting.
If it matters, I'm using the grey electrical conduit, because it's cheaper than regular plumbing schedule 40 pipe.

 

[matthewthemanparker]

If you have a compressor, get a cheap spray gun. I have the one from harbor freight that cost less than $20. Would a professional use it? Probably not but it is well worth the cost for what I use it for. To spay latex, thin with windshield washer fluid.