How to Paint Fiberglass Shutters

Detach the shutters from the home's exterior. Most shutter hinges are held in place with screws for simple removal.

Place two sawhorses on top of a canvas drop cloth.

Set the shutters across the tops of the sawhorses.

Sand both sides of the shutters with 220-grit sandpaper. If you abrade the surface with sandpaper, it will accept primer and paint better.

Clean the shutters using soap and water. A quick washing will remove sandpaper dust, but it will also get rid of outdoor grime buildup on exterior shutters.

Prime one side of the fiberglass shutters with bonding primer and a paintbrush. Bonding primer adheres to slick fiberglass surfaces better than general purpose primers, but bonding primers are typically too thick to be used as a spray, and they take longer to dry. Consult the primer's packaging for instructions on how long the primer needs to cure before painting. Some bonding primers can take an entire day to dry. Don't proceed with the next step until the bonding primer is fully dry.

Flip the shutter over and prime the other side of the shutter with bonding primer and a paintbrush. Wait for this side to dry before proceeding.

Paint one side of the fiberglass shutters using an oil-base exterior spray paint. Since shutters typically contain grooves, slats or other decorative features, spray paint is a good choice for quick coverage. However, if you prefer to work with a regular paintbrush, you can use any synthetic paintbrush and an oil-base exterior paint.

Flip over the shutters and paint the back side after the front side has dried.

Reattach the fiberglass shutters once both sides are adequately covered with dry paint. If the first coat didn't provide enough coverage, you can apply a second coat any time after the first coat dries.