How would I go about painting a kids plastic rocking horse

Kathleen
by Kathleen

I would like to turn a child's heavy plastic rocking horse to look like a carousel horse, biggest concern is what kind of prep and paint to use

thanks Kathy


  17 answers
  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Sep 08, 2020

    Hi Kathleen,

    Use a paint especially for Plastic, then you should have no problems. Sounds a great Project.

  • Clean it well and use spray paint that is made for multi-surfaces. You can tape-off areas to change colors.

  • Deb K Deb K on Sep 08, 2020

    Hi Kathleen, here are a few links that should hopefully help you out,

    https://www.justalittlecreativity.com/2011/11/pony-draft.html#.VurBqOIrJhE


    This is one from Hometalk

    https://www.hometalk.com/diy/decorate/rooms/plastic-rocking-horse-makeover-36863568?expand_all_questions=1

  • Recreated Designs Recreated Designs on Sep 08, 2020

    Hi Kathy, if the current horse is plastic you can really use any kind of paint but I would definitely put a coat of primer on first. You can buy spray primer and it works beautifully. Once you have a coat of spray primer on, paint away with any paint that has the colours you love. Have fun!

  • Ken Erickson Ken Erickson on Sep 08, 2020

    Use a spray paint designed to use on plastic. Many colors available and it's easy to do.

  • Cheryl A Cheryl A on Sep 08, 2020

    Make sure you use a paint that is not harmful to humans if you are planning to use this for a toy for a child. It should say that on the paint cans. You would have to find a photo of a carousel horse and paint it in the colors you like. Sounds like a great project

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Sep 08, 2020

    Yes, put a coat of primer on first, it will help with the paint sticking. But first clean it very well, warm water and a good dish soap-like Blue dawn. Let if dry.

    If you spray paint, go in light layers to avoid drips and runs.


  • Chloe Crabtree Chloe Crabtree on Sep 08, 2020

    I would clean it very well with warm soapy water. When it is dry, You can use a spray paint made for plastic and give it a nice base coat of a neutral, like white. Next you can use acrylic paints to paint on your design. When you are finished, make sure you seal it with a clear acrylic spray.

  • Mogie Mogie on Sep 08, 2020

    Prep is a big deal with this. Before you begin painting, clean the toy thoroughly with soapy water, then let it dry completely. You should be very careful if you decide to use a solvent to strip off the original paint, as this solvent may itself damage the toy's plastic components. Remove old decals by gently scrubbing or scraping them off -- they can be replaced with decals from a replacement sheet.

    If your toy has moving parts, carefully disassemble them first. Otherwise, you risk sealing the joints when you paint the toy, rendering them immobile. Pieces with moving parts that can't be disassembled without damaging them must be handled with extreme care to prevent sealing.

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Sep 09, 2020

    Wipe down with blue Dawn or a degreaser. Scuff with fine steel wool. Clean with denatured alcohol. Now you are ready to prime and paint. Krylon makes a really good spray paint for plastic. Just make sure it is formulated for plastic and spray is the easiest to apply. It sounds like you are doing multiple colors so you will need to tape an area off for each color. Make sure the preceeding color(s) are completely dry & use frog tape or the paint will pull off.

  • Vimarhonor Vimarhonor on Jun 12, 2021

    Hello. I recommend the plastic friendly spray paints my personal preference is the Rustoleum universal line. As an indoor project -Acrylic artist paints could be used on top of the spray painted base coating. I did this sort of project with some plastic planters trying to cohesively unite them. They were based coded with Rustoleum universal oil rubbed bronze and acrylic painted decorative enhancement was placed on top. I am surprised they even held up with outdoor exposure.

  • Kmdreamer Kmdreamer on Jun 23, 2021

    For the paint to stay you would need to rough the surface up a little with fine sand paper do the whole horse then prime and paint

  • Trudy Trudy on Nov 14, 2023

    deco

  • Mogie Mogie on Nov 15, 2023

    Wipe down with blue Dawn or a degreaser. Scuff with fine steel wool. Clean with denatured alcohol and let it dry well. Now you are ready to paint just be sure to pick a paint made for use on plastic.