Painting PM houses (split from Review of Grande Mansion 5302)

[playmogal]

Yes, very thin coats are the key, just like any other paint. If you start worrying about trying to get good coverage, you end up with bubbles and clumps. I've spray painted so much metal lawn furniture, I have the touch down. I've been trying to teach Chris how to do it, he always gets in a hurry and sprays on way too much in the first coat.

Krylon fusion works really well. It bonds to the plastic beautifully.

bb: That is exactly right! We used Krylon Fusion for the roofs in black metallic hammered for the Modern House 3695 and bronze metallic hammered for the Suburban House 4279. Both turned out great!

It helps if you stuff the red connector holes with rolled up tissue so they are free of spray paint. You can tape any areas you don't want painted with blue painter's tape that comes off easily after it dries. We spray paint on old cardboard boxes resting on a broken plastic lawn chair that is ready for the dump.

When you apply a new coat or turn the items over, move to an area of the cardboard that is not newly painted if you can. A hot outside temp is a plus, but try to keep the parts out of the direct sunlight for more than 15 minutes or the bottoms will stick to the cardboard and you have to repaint them because the paint will peel off when you lift them. If there is lots of dust or stuff blowing out of your trees, find a calmer area away from them as it will stick to your wet surfaces.

My favorite spray paint color is Valspar's satin in summer leaf 65082, the green in my 3695 photos. We have painted two cars this color, and they look fabulous, too. It takes about 10 light coats of a white primer, like Rust-Olean Plastic Primer, to cover the blue and white police cruiser, which is a bear to dismantle. Then about 4 coats of summer leaf green does the job.

Will stop by Lowe's today with some of my 5302 parts of each color in hand and see what colors might look good together. This spray paint is inexpensive and comes in many colors.

If you are really uptight about spraying some of your lovely PM, start with an older used set that is ready for a major renovation. The first house I bought was a used 3965 off Craigslist, and it was less painful than spraying a new one. Then I moved on to a 4279, feeling a bit more apprehensive because it was new. We all have damaged parts lying around that are good for spray painting tests.

Next I will test the spray paints on some damaged System X white wall panels that came in a batch of used parts off eBay. Anyone know how to paint these parts?

happy painting, Pgal

[Emma.J]

  Hi Playmogal,
as your painting a 5302 I thought you might like to see what I did with mine.



I repainted both floors and all the windows. What did you think about the door frame on the middle floor I thought is was a bit low so I swapped it for the larger one.

You don't need a dividing wall for the lights if you don't want one I hid my battery pack on the top floor behind a wine rack. I added an extra switch unit and wired all three floors from the top downwards, adding on a couple of extra lights as well.

They do look good lit up, I look forward to seeing yours.

......
Krylon fusion works really well. It bonds to the plastic beautifully.

Ooooh I shall have to find that sort of paint have you tried it on a couch yet? I use plasticote spray paint for my buildings.

[bonniebeth]

No, I haven't... in fact I don't have a couch. I've painted my zoo fencing (there's a topic about that somewhere) and bronzed an elephant (there's one about that, too) using this type of paint, and the results were beautiful. I will say one thing though, the other day I took down the elephant to look at it, and you know how the tail is made of a softer, flexible plastic? Well, I noticed a big chunk of paint was scraped off of that part at some point, so I don't think it bonded very well to that type. But with the regular hard plastic, after you let it dry for a good long time, that paint isn't going anywhere.

[playmogal]

Hi Playmogal,
as your painting a 5302 I thought you might like to see what I did with mine.



I repainted both floors and all the windows. What did you think about the door frame on the middle floor I thought is was a bit low so I swapped it for the larger one.

You don't need a dividing wall for the lights if you don't want one I hid my battery pack on the top floor behind a wine rack. I added an extra switch unit and wired all three floors from the top downwards, adding on a couple of extra lights as well.

They do look good lit up, I look forward to seeing yours.



Ooooh I shall have to find that sort of paint have you tried it on a couch yet? I use plasticote spray paint for my buildings.

Emma,
Love your Bistro!!! The colors are wonderful, and the full size door mantel is perfect on the floor above the ground floor. 
Your lighting looks exquisite and adds so much character!
Have not painted the walls yet, but the roof, window inserts and curtains painted just fine. Should have my last two lighting kits in a day or two from US DS.
Congrats on a fine custom! If you want to post some more details of the interior, that would be fun to see.
Mine will be a house first. Then I can decide what to do with it.
This is a wonderful set for customization with so many color options and such nice trim.
Keep up the great work!!!

TTFN, Pgal

[bonniebeth]

Here you go, Pgal! http://www.playmofriends.com/forum/index.php?topic=6200.0

[playmogal]

BB: Thanks!
WOW WOW WOW! WOW is all that comes to my mind viewing all of the photos of your lovely bistro.
Emma, thanks for posting this. Cheers, Pgal

[playmogal]

Painting Your 5302 mansion.....Color Choices

This is a very tough decision because you are defacing an expensive, new toy (unless a very thoughtful person gave you this as a gift and you did not have to pay for it like the rest of us!) We took a few 5302 pieces to the home improvement store (Lowe's) and cruised the spray paint section.

This is our favorite "date" place because it is the store we go to most often, especially now that both of the nearby Borders bookstores have closed. On our first date ever, hubby closed the rear door of his van loaded with 2x4 pieces of lumber and broke out the front and back windows at the same time. I was quite impressed, and it was a very romantic date!

The first thing we paint is the red roof, which is our least favorite part of any model house. We selected Krylon Fusion Brown Metallic Hammered, 2534, to bring out the orange and yellows in the walls and window shutters. Hubby went outside and primed and then sprayed 2 coats of the Krylon on the all surfaces of the roof pieces. Then we let it cure for a week.

Next we selected Valspar Satin 65047 in cappuccino for the window inserts. This took a coat of primer and two coats of the Valspar, and a week to cure.

The lighting is now in the first three floors (not the attic), and the painted roof and window inserts are installed. So far the colors look fine. Will wait until we have natural light in the morning to see how it looks before deciding whether we like these colors and if we want the flower boxes to match the window inserts.

Photos (below) of the roof, curtains, window inserts and lighting show progress to date.

Note: Relaxing music to paint, build and decorate with: Antonio Pinto's score to the film, Love in the Time of Cholera.

Enjoy, Pgal

[Wolf Knight]

you painted it already? Nice colour!!!

[playmo1989]

oh great !! you didn't paint the windows? can you post more pictures please with the lighting etc etc... it seems to have a lot of light 

[tonguello]

I reaaaaaally like the color of the roof! very good choice.
But I wonder what kind of paint is that that needs 2 coats plus prime and a week to cure.... 

I couldn't wait that long  I use Umbrol enamel and it dries in a couple of hours on dry days. Some colors even in less than an hour, depending on how shiny they are. I recomend them 

Anyway, the house is looking good! you already have the sets that go with it?