What can I paint these buckets with?

[mothhawk]

Your "free" plastic bucket planter may end up more expensive than buying the real thing!!

You're probably right, VC

[polc1410]

It depends on the plastic. If its polyethylene is a nightmare to get anything to stick to it properly. If its PVC then gloss will work as will numerous other things including car paints etc.

A good roughing up will help no matter what,

[mothhawk]

High density polyethylene food grade buckets

On the look out now for a likely shady character with a sock full of coins to come and give them a "roughing up"

[Potstubsdustbins]

Before painting working scale model boats we give the plastic hulls a coat of U-Pol Plast. Its an adhesion promoter designed for just this purpose and is used in the automotive trade.

Needless to say its waterproof and I have never had a problem with peeling in many years.

Colin

[polc1410]

Yip HDPE is a nighmare to get paint to stick to and stay stuck to.

Sand paper will help.

VERY GENTLY heating the surface with a blow torch is supposed to help. But needs to be done carefully.

Using a 2 part Poly Urethane Paint is considered a good compromise but even thats not perfect and is silly money..

[mothhawk]

Right, spray paint not a great success, mostly my poor technique on a windy day



I shall leave the rest (when I've made them) white. And you were right, VC, used nearly the whole can in two coats, on one bucket.

So easy to make, though, hope they work as well as it's said they do.

[mothhawk]

Another thing is, with the white bucket, I can see the "shadow" of the water in the bottom bucket, so I can tell if it needs topping up. With the painted one, can't see the waterline at all.

[veggiechicken]

You could put flower stickers on as they do with wheelie bins
I think they look just as good white as painted

[tel]

I do a lot of plastic modelling and I use acrylic paints-- no problems. Also after painting I put a coat of clear varnish on.