Painting Over Vinyl Shakes

Wipe down the vinyl with acetone to remove grease and grime. Since acetone evaporates quickly, leave the compound in the can and pour it onto the cloth rag in small amounts. Wrap the rag around a sharp object such as a pencil to reach small, tight crevices.

Wear safety goggles and a dust mask. Sandblast the vinyl surface to create a bonding surface. Since vinyl is glossy, it is not ideal for painting over without some amount of preparation. Use a portable sandblaster, which is roughly the size of a 5-gallon bucket. Place a plastic tarp below the vinyl shakes prior to blasting.

Blast from the top to the bottom to prevent sand and debris from falling down onto already blasted vinyl. Work along the vinyl shakes at a slow pace, moving about 24 inches in two to three minutes. Pay close attention to the crevices in the shakes.

Wipe down the vinyl with acetone to remove sand and dust from the surface. Poke the rag into the crevices with a pencil to ensure that all debris has been removed. Blow compressed air onto the vinyl to further remove sand and debris.

Spray on two coats of oil-based bonding primer, allowing one hour of drying time between coats. Add the primer to an electric sprayer and spray from the top down to prevent overspray onto already coated vinyl.

Spray on three coats of oil-based exterior enamel paint with the electric sprayer. Allow one hour of drying time between coats. Just as with the primer, spray from the top down to prevent overspray of the coated vinyl.