How to Paint an Acrylic Shower

You can paint an acrylic shower.

Most acrylic shower stalls are easy to remove and replace, but the process is laborious and expensive. To change the look of your bathroom, you can paint the shower stall a different color. Sanding the surface before you begin painting will give you an even finish, and using a paint sprayer instead of paintbrushes will prevent unsightly brush strokes.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic bags
• Tarp -- optional
• Painter's tape
• Palm sander
• 320-grit sandpaper
• Tack cloth
• Clean towel
• Epoxy primer
• Paint spray gun
• Respirator
• Glossy acrylic polymer paint

Instructions

1. Cover the faucet and shower head with plastic grocery bags. Secure the bags with painter's tape. Cover the drain and any additional fixtures in the shower with painter's tape. Tape the edges of adjoining walls with painter's tape. If you have a shower and bathtub in one unit and do not wish to paint the bathtub, cover it with a plastic tarp.

2. Sand the entire surface of the acrylic shower, using a palm sander and 320-grit sandpaper. The palm sander vibrates while it sands, providing a smooth finish. Continue sanding until the shiny finish is gone.

3. Wipe the shower with a tack cloth to remove the dust from sanding. Turn on the shower and rotate the head so that the water hits all the surfaces of the shower. This will rinse off any dust you missed. Towel dry the shower with a clean towel, and then let it air dry for two hours.

4. Fill the reservoir of a high-pressure paint sprayer with epoxy primer, and screw the reservoir back onto the sprayer. Put on a respirator.

5. Aim the nozzle at the top of shower, starting at either edge. Pull the trigger and slowly move the paint sprayer in a back and forth motion across the shower stall. Release the trigger when you reach the edge of the shower, then depress it again as you sweep back in the other direction. This prevents drips.

6. Let the primer dry for 30 minutes after you cover the entire shower. Apply another coat of primer in the same fashion, and let that dry overnight.

7. Rinse out the reservoir of the sprayer and refill it with the glossy acrylic paint you selected. Apply the paint with the sprayer in the same way you applied the primer. Let each coat dry for 30 minutes before you do an additional coat. Apply at least two coats, and then do a third if you want a darker color. Let the last coat dry overnight.

8. Remove the plastic bags and painter's tape from the fixtures, along with the tarp, if you used one.

References

• Repair Home: How To Refinish Your Bathtub And Countertops