If you have plastic shutters that are in good condition but the paint has faded or become chalky, they can be repainted. Because most of these shutters are made of vinyl, selecting the right paint is important. The best paints for painting vinyl will have acrylic and urethane resins and can be purchased at paint stores and automotive stores. Stay with the same color as the original shutters; going from a dark to a light color is not advisable with these materials.

Preparation

Before painting vinyl shutters, make sure they are clean. After years on a home, the shutters will be covered with grime, pollutants and dirt, so they will need some aggressive cleaning. Put some detergent in a bucket of water and scrub the shutters with a brush. A strong detergent such as trisodium phosphate (TSP) can really cut through the layers of dirt. Make sure you remove damage caused by the sun's ultraviolet rays; it appears as a chalky substance. UV damage and fading are not the same; all items with color will fade over time when exposed to sunlight, but that fading will not leave a white substance on your fingers when you run them over the dry surface. After cleaning is done, thoroughly rinse the shutters using a garden hose and spray nozzle to wash away the loosened dirt, grime, UV residue and soap.

Painting

Once the shutters are dry, prep the shutters for painting. Mask the area around the shutters with painter's tape, which has specially formulated adhesive that won't leave a residue or pull up paint. Masking protects the exterior surface of the building and the windows from painting mistakes. Stir the paint well, making sure to mix the color so it's consistent. Move paint upward from the bottom of the can with a deep stirring action. If there is an oily film on the top of the paint surface, the paint is not mixed well enough. Stir some more. Do not paint the shutters in direct sunlight. You may have to schedule your painting to match the time of day when there is no sun on the shutters. Paint when the temperatures are 60 to 75 degrees. Paint the shutters using consistent pressure on the brush so the paint flows on evenly. Try not to overload the brush with paint to keep drips and runs to a minimum. Clean up any mistakes promptly with rags. Finally, let paint dry thoroughly before removing the painter's tape.

Source:

Ask the Builder: Painting Vinyl Shutters

Renovation Headquarters: Painting Vinyl Shutters