How to Paint Plastic Wood

How to Paint Formica Walls
Written By
Ryan Lawrence
Ryan Lawrence
Published: May 19, 2010
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
1 minute read

Things You Will Need

  • 300-grit sandpaper
  • Tack cloth
  • Roller frame
  • 2 nap roller covers
  • Acrylic latex primer
  • 2- to 4-inch latex paintbrush
  • Acrylic satin latex paint
  • Oil-based primer
  • Oil-based paint
  • 2- to 4-inch oil-based paintbrush
  • Mineral spirits

Synthetic paneling

  1. Sand the paneling with a fine-grit sandpaper to abrade it to promote paint adhesion.

  2. Wipe the surface with a tack cloth to remove dust that could interfere with primer adhesion.

  3. Apply a coat of acrylic latex primer with a roller. Smooth the wet primer with a paintbrush for latex paints. Allow the primer to dry for two hours.

  4. Clean the brush with water.

  5. Apply a coat of acrylic satin latex paint to the primed paneling in the same way you applied the primer.

Wood filler

  1. Apply a coat of oil-based primer to the plastic wood filler with a paintbrush for oil-based paints. Allow the primer to dry for three hours.

  2. Wash the brush with mineral spirits.

  3. Apply a coat of oil-based paint to the primed wood filler with the cleaned brush.

The Drip Cap

  • Two types of surfaces are commonly referred to as plastic wood: synthetic paneling and ta type of wood filler used to seal holes and repair cracks.
  • Apply a coat of oil-based primer to the plastic wood filler with a paintbrush for oil-based paints.
  • Allow the primer to dry for three hours.

Photo Credits

sandpapier image by Thomas Aumann from Fotolia.com

sandpapier image by Thomas Aumann from Fotolia.com

Ryan Lawrence

Ryan Lawrence is a freelance writer based in Boulder, Colorado. He has been writing professionally since 1999. He has 10 years of experience as a professional painting contractor. Lawrence writes for High Class Blogs and Yodle. He has a…

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