What paint do you use to camouflage plastic?

[+maureensk]

We just bought some large Lock and Locks after being very impressed with their seal. We would like to hide them in places where they would stand out if we don't camouflage them. The only camo that I have seen used on Lock and Locks has been black tape, which really wouldn't be appropriate for the location we're looking at. I'd like to paint them, but the paint on plastic caches that I have found always seems to be peeling off. Does anyone know of a type of paint that really adheres to plastic? Thanks for any advice you can give!

[Iwuzere]

I'm glad you asked that, I'm after the same advice too.

In "Duck tape? Any UK suppliers?" http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=144352 there's talk of preparing the surface with a wave of a blowtorch, or sanding it first, and possibly putting it through the dishwasher before the first coat to remove all traces of grease.

A friend of mine who's into motorsport recommends a proper primer first, designed for plastic (spray on type from auto supplies shops), and then car paints like bumper/fender paints are designed to be flexible enough, moreso than gloss house paints. Maybe they're too shiny though? Don't we want a flat matt finish, although we want it to be hardwearing? It doesn't matter if dirt sticks to it, that helps with the camo.

I await other replies with interest..

[+DeRock & The Psychic Cacher]

First the paint issue:

 

In the last six months we have started using a paint manufactured by Krylon. They call it Fusion and claim it bonds to all different kinds of plastic. They recommend you prep new surfaces by quickly wiping it with paint thinner. For weathered surfaces wipe it with an ammonia based cleaning product. Dries in 15 minutes and handle within an hour. Recoat before 24 hrs or after 7 days. Comes in a 12 oz spray can and in a bunch of different colors at our regional superstore (Meijers). We buy it for $4.49/can. Can't tell any difference from regular spray paint in how it handles.

 

We use it as a primer and then coat with our regular flat camo colors but I've also used it straight up on a magnetic key holder with success.

 

I will temper all these comments that none of these caches has been subject to a Michigan winter yet. With summer highs in the mid 90's and potential winter lows well below zero .... we will see how they survive the extremes.

 

The lock-n-lock:

 

We like em but they don't fair well with the above mentioned temp extremes. Have seen the platic container crack, especially the big ones. We still use them though.

 

Any way you do it, keep placing those caches.

 

Deane

AKA: DeRock & the Psychic Cacher - Grattan MI

[+briansnat]

I couldn't find the Krylon Fusion paint anywhere, but I did find Valispar plastic primer and I tried that on a Lock 'n Lock, then added a coat of regular spraypaint. It seems to be holding up well so far. I did prep the surface first using acetone.

 

Normally though, I just use camo duct tape for my plastic containers. It looks pretty good (see below) and seems to last.

 

[nauticalwheeler]

Surfaces that are to be painted need a profile for the paint to adhere to. Light sanding gives the paint something to "hook" into. As for light plastics, I would use paint suitable for plastics (Krylon, Testors model paint) as I assume they do a chemical bonding to the substrate instead of a physical bonding with profile. Good Luck!

 

Nauticalwheeler..

[+sbell111]

I use Rustoleum plastic primer and camo paints.

[+wavector]

Clear Lock n Lock plastic paints very easily and most paint will adhere well. I have used every type of paint including Krylon (with primer and without) Tremclad and Rustoleum. I have also used the cheap finishes sold by Walmart and other price conscious retailers. After your cache gets knocked around a bit the paint finish will not be pretty but wholesale peeling should not be an issue.

The clear plastic Lock n Locks I have out have last through winter and summer without peeling. Containers which use an opaque white plastic for the lid (Rubbermaid) have not been very durable when painted. I have one cache container that had to be swapped out without ever being found because the peeling paint was just making a huge mess.

I have had the best results using Tremclad paint on clear plastic. Small flecks get knocked off but it doesn't peel.

I paint the insides of many containers as well and the flecking isn't a problem there, the weather and UV seem to weaken the adhering ability of the paint and if it is protected it really holds up well.

I have never sanded a Lock n Lock but I have tried that with Rubbermaids, didn't work. I have primed a few Lock n Locks but after the can of primer ran out I never bought another can and the paint continues to stick well.

I have about 40 cans of paint in shades ranging from tan to black with just about every natural shade represented and every brand and type of paint. My experience leads me to think that just about any paint will work well. Any paint will be weakened by UV and weather and no finish will prevent the flecking caused by normal traffic. I have never used acetone or paint thinner as I am painting new containers only. I have tried everything on the non-clear plastic and nothing works for any length of time, not even Krylon plastic primer with Krylon plastic paint.

I use a lot of camoflaged cache hiding spots that I make. If a cache is not an ammo can I tend to protect it by making a "hide". Just a burlap bag will go along way to protecting the cache from weather based wear and tear.

Good luck with your painting no matter what you use.

[+yogiabb]

I have had very good luck with the black paint used to repaint charcoal grills. It sticks tight, doesn't come off and has a nice matte finish. I've used it on everything from lock n lock containers to recycled plastic pickle jars with no problem.

 

My favorite for lock n lock is the camo tape shown in a previous post. Works great and stays on.

[+Stunod]

I always wipe down the plastic with denatured alcohol before painting to remove oils from the forming process.

 

I'll also recommend a chemical deglosser (found with the paint thinners in your hardware store's paint section) which will lightly etch the plastic giving a better surface for the paint or primer to adhere to.

[+Snoogans]

I use Rustoleum plastic primer and camo paints.

 

Yup. Works well. I held 2 events to paint and stuff 300 caches. I took about $250 worth of the primer to paint all the caches. Take a look at the event gallery.

 

 

[+sunrise searcher]

I would not recommend paint at all, but would use the camouflage tape available from most outdoor outfitting companies. It sticks like duct tape, actually strengthens the container and makes it much harder to locate.

 

I don't generally camoflauge my micro-caches because they are so small, but if I had a larger container such as a lock-n-lock or a rubbermaid, I would certainly want to camouflage it somehow -- unless I actually wanted to create an easy-find cache for more inexperienced geocachers.

[+maureensk]

Wow! Thanks for all of the replies. I've got tons of ideas to work with! I've never seen that type of duct tape, but will have to buy some. One of the cahes we're looking to hide will need to be painted though as the terrain is more of a sandy dirt type and the duct tape would actually stand out. I'll print out all the recommendations and see what our hardware store has to offer and experiment some. Thanks again to everyone who replied!

Edited September 27, 2006 by maureensk

[+WalruZ]

What you're looking for, specifically, is Duck brand cammo duct tape. In my neck of the woods it's easiest to find at WalMart. I find it in the duct tape section (near paint) in with all the other duct tape, not the outdoor section. It really can make a container disappear into most foilage, and does protect the container from the effects of sunlight.

 

Another cammo approach I take for difficult areas is to make a rock shell for my container. Purchase a tub of quick dry cement. Wrap your container in multiple layers of plastic grocery bags. Cover that with cement, not too thin or the result will be prone to cracking. When dry, invert and strip off all the grocery bags (they won't stick to the cement.) You now have a rock shell that you can spray-paint or whatever. They container just slides under this. I've found this approach works better than a container embedded in cement - those experience more handling by cachers and end up cracking.

[+maureensk]

Another cammo approach I take for difficult areas is to make a rock shell for my container. Purchase a tub of quick dry cement. Wrap your container in multiple layers of plastic grocery bags. Cover that with cement, not too thin or the result will be prone to cracking. When dry, invert and strip off all the grocery bags (they won't stick to the cement.) You now have a rock shell that you can spray-paint or whatever. They container just slides under this. I've found this approach works better than a container embedded in cement - those experience more handling by cachers and end up cracking.

 

So do people actually lift the cement to get to the cache or does it slide out? Do you by any chance have a picture of this that you could post? I could see where this approach might provide better camo in some terrains than paint or tape would. Have you ever added rocks, sand, twigs, etc. to the cement?