How to Change the Paint Color on a Vinyl Awning

Use a tape measure to measure the total area of the vinyl in the awning. Measure the length and width of one side. Multiply the two together and then double the results to get the area of both sides. Add 10 percent to the result, and buy enough soft vinyl paint to cover the modified figure. If you stop during mid-coverage because of running out of paint, you’ll end up with an unwanted line where the paint applied dries while getting new paint to continue. For example, a piece of vinyl awning 5 feet in width by 8 feet in length would have an area of 40 square feet per side. Double this, and you have a total fabric area of 80 square feet to cover. Add 10 percent to the total, or 8 square feet, and you should purchase enough paint to cover at least 88 square feet of fabric.

Place a drop cloth large enough to contain the awning in the center of your work area. Remove the awning from its current hanging place, and move it to the center of the drop cloth.

Clean the vinyl with a mild soap and warm water mix contained in a medium-sized bucket. Add soap to the water until it grows sudsy, and then wash down the vinyl with a sponge or scrub brush for difficult areas. Rinse with clean water. Allow the vinyl to dry, which can take up to four hours.

Use masking tape to cover the awning frame, holding the vinyl stretched out in order to avoid painting the frame as well while you paint the vinyl portion.

Hold the nozzle of the soft vinyl spray paint can six inches from the vinyl surface. Press down on the nozzle to begin the flow of paint. Spray the vinyl using long back and forth strokes, moving your arm rather than your wrist to direct the spray evenly across the vinyl surface. Use two to three light paint layers to build up a coat of color, spraying on the paint until you can no longer see the old color from beneath.

Allow each layer to dry for 60 minutes before applying the next. Wait 24 hours after the last layer for the paint to dry completely.

Flip over the awning, and repeat the process with the second side.

Cover the painted surface with a vinyl protectant to prevent the colors from fading. Spray the protectant over the newly painted awning before returning the awning to its place.