Painting vinyl slip covers

[Ian in Mississauga]

Has anybody had any luck painting vinyl?

[silvertop]

Originally Posted by Ian in Mississauga

Has anybody had any luck painting vinyl?

NO

Normal use and body oils will remove it quickly.

[Roger V]

Painted/dyed a '57 T-Bird vinyl dash and worked great. I have probably twenty years on it but of course have not sat on it. I understand that you can dye vinyl seat covering the same as I did the dash pad. How well it holds up, I have no idea. You don't just use regular paint. I can't remember the dye brand though it something like Sema (sp.).

[Charlie Stephens]

Painting with normal paint is a definite "NO". They do make special sprays to color vinyl. You could probably get some at any discount auto store but I would recommend going to some place that specializes in automotive paint (this is not a paint). Maybe try an upholstery shop. I painted the dash (the only one available was blue) on my '57 TBird when I had it in 1972. I think I used a product called MarHyde. When I sold the car 5 years later it still looked perfect. Probably wouldn't work quite as well in areas with wear such as a seat. A good friend had a show quality '32 Coupe he used as a driver. After owning the car about a year he took something apart and found that the black vinyl had been sprayed. So in answer to your question, YES, but not with regular paint.

Charlie Stephens

[boomerusmc]

Back in the days when I worked in a marina, we used a spray-on vinyl paint to restore/re-color vinyl seats on older boats that we were trying to sell. It worked...to an extent. I remember that the seats would feel tacky whenever they got warm (e.g., sitting in the sun for a bit).

[ronn]

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The question is how clean you get your vinyl-need to use a good dose of alcohol
vinyl paint is said to hold up fairly well, but I certainly wouldnt expect 10 years from it.

[Tacoma Bob]

SEM coating products. Works very well on non contact (seating) areas. I have done lots of dye jobs with the stuff. Available in quarts and spray bomb. FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS!

[mollydog]

I used the vinyl dye from Eastwood Co, (Check website). I used it on the seats and door panels to change the color. Works GREAT, does not get sticky in the heat and has worn well. I highly recommend it. Also easy to use. Work must be clean first. I use Simple Green to scrub the seats first, dried them good and just sprayed them. Great way to go.

Mollydog

[SeaSlugs]

I used either it was rustoleum or Krylon spray can vinyl paint on my chevettes sunvisors. Were blue now black (in a red interior) and havent flaked peeled gotten tacky in the heat or anything. still flexable.

Menards carries it in a variety of colors (mostly the typical automotive interior colors but do have bright red yellow etc).

[Tom Wesenberg]

Vinyl spray works great on headliners and door panels. I even used black to color my gray handgrips on my motorbike. The handgrips held up for a few years, then slowly the black wore from my hands gripping them constantly. I never thought it would have held on that long.

[marc silva]

I have used what we used to call "Fab Spray"(not the actual name,just what we referred to it by) in our body shop for 40 years that I have been doing this. You get it at an auto paint store and it is made by a company called SEM. I have painted vinyl tops,door panels, arm rests and seats( from rust orange to black). I have to tell you if you prep it correctly it actually holds up real good. Granted if there is piping right where your legs rub it will eventually rub off the edge, but it takes a while. It holds up real good everywhere else, and you can use protectant on it and it won't melt it off, and it covers excellent. It is an in- expensive solution to get you by until you re-upholster. I have been restoring and painting cars for all of those 40 years(I can't believe that long) and I would recommend it highly-quality wise for what it does. It will make old vinyl look like new and if you do the same color , and it can be tinted just like auto paint, the wear through goes un noticed.

[Ian in Mississauga]

Thanks for all the good advice. My wife,who also loves the A, thinks that after 30 years maybe its time for new upholstery.