[mikeyp78]

I've run a search for previous threads and it seems that the group is pretty split on this topic. I also looked at some Youtube videos and the advice seems to be pretty split on the topic, too.



So, I have 20-year-old vinyl shutters... was thinking about painting them.



What's the consensus? Worth it? Not worth it?



Best practices? Best products?



Remove oxidation before painting? Don't worry about the oxidation?


Thanks in advance. Hope you are all well.

 

[Old Thomas]

I washed mine and painted them about 15 years ago and they are starting to look like it is time to do it again.

 

[mark sr]

If you don't wash off the oxidation the paint won't get a good bond with the vinyl. Latex paint is preferred, no primer needed.

 

[mikeyp78]

If you don't wash off the oxidation the paint won't get a good bond with the vinyl.

Recommend a good product to get the oxidation off? Will CLR do the trick?



Thanks!

 

[mikeyp78]

I washed mine and painted them about 15 years ago and they are starting to look like it is time to do it again.

15 years sounds great! Latex?


Thanks!!

 

[Old Thomas]

I washed them with soap and water. Then I brushed on latex house paint. It took all winter doing one shutter at a time when I felt like it. Removed them in the late fall, put them back in early spring. Now we are retired and go to FL for the winter so it will be a summer job when it us too hot to hang around outside; my shop has AC.

 

[mark sr]

Ya, soap and water works fine, rinse well. I often use laundry detergent although it's somewhat dependent on what I have on hand.

 

[firehawkmph]

I did a bunch of my shutters a few years ago. I washed them with Simple Green cut 50/50 with water. Gave them a light scrubbing with a scrub brush. After they dried I sprayed a few coats using Rustoleum X-2 in the spray cans. It's made for wood, vinyl, metals. Doesn't require any primer. Worked well and they seem to be holding up just fine.
Mike Hawkins

 

[meagain]

I have the exact same dilemma! My concern is more about needing to paint white shutters something darker and I'm worried about warping. Do I need to go with one of the paint lines that offer "vinyl safe" colors like Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams? So far I haven't been impressed with the number of bad reviews for the SW exterior paints, but their "vinyl safe" color palette has way more options than the BM. I'd appreciate any advice or experience on this point. My shutters get a lot of intense afternoon sun.

 

[mark sr]

A lot depends on how thick the vinyl is. The heavier shutters can withstand more heat than the thinner ones. On vinyl siding you never want to repaint them darker than the factory color [the vinyl is temperature rated] SWP's vinyl safe line is the only exception I know of.