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Painting plastic white moulded accessories?

whjohnson
Applying paint to white moulded accessories? Sockets, switches and the like.

Been asked by an interior designer (cushion-thrower) if it would be safe to paint electrical accessories a different colour.

I said I didn't know and would guess that it depended upon the type of paint.

Oil-based enamel? Lacquer solvent-based? Water-based acrylics?

I mentioned that any solvent-based paints may damage the plastic and even undermine any flame-retardant ingredients within.


Comments welcome.
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  • 0
    Polishing and applying lacquer to the copper electrical accessories would prevent them from being naturally antimicrobial, they need to be bare copper. 


    You don't have to look far to see what happens to "copper" in its natural state if people handle it regularly touching it with their fingers and the palms of their hands. 

    bf2708a6a50f745282711a1fed14fd81-huge-20191027_130132.jpg


    I say "copper" however if you hold a magnet of your loose change you will find out that most of the copper coins are magnetic. The ones that are not have a higher scrap value than face value. 


    The natural shine can easily be brought back by smothering them in brown sauce,  as you may do to a bacon sandwich.  The sauce is acidic enough to remove the patina and crud without doing any particular damage to the embossed copper.


    So the electrical accessories may need the copper finish cleaning in a similar manner periodically to maintain their decorative appeal and antimicrobial function.


    Keeping electrical accessories clean keep them looking fresh and hygienic may destroy many paint finishes applied over plastic. 


    Andy Betteridge 


Reply
  • 0
    Polishing and applying lacquer to the copper electrical accessories would prevent them from being naturally antimicrobial, they need to be bare copper. 


    You don't have to look far to see what happens to "copper" in its natural state if people handle it regularly touching it with their fingers and the palms of their hands. 

    bf2708a6a50f745282711a1fed14fd81-huge-20191027_130132.jpg


    I say "copper" however if you hold a magnet of your loose change you will find out that most of the copper coins are magnetic. The ones that are not have a higher scrap value than face value. 


    The natural shine can easily be brought back by smothering them in brown sauce,  as you may do to a bacon sandwich.  The sauce is acidic enough to remove the patina and crud without doing any particular damage to the embossed copper.


    So the electrical accessories may need the copper finish cleaning in a similar manner periodically to maintain their decorative appeal and antimicrobial function.


    Keeping electrical accessories clean keep them looking fresh and hygienic may destroy many paint finishes applied over plastic. 


    Andy Betteridge 


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