Spraypaint keeps coming off after it dries?? (help!!!)

Hi I'm working on a build, making my armor from plastic garbage cans (my build thread is here if anyone wants to see it: http://www.therpf.com/f24/wow-lich-king-wip-original-no-pep-sort-budget-build-187095/)

Anyway I'm trying to paint one of my pieces (which was cut from a garbage can that is made from a very glossy plastic) with some regular Krylon metallic silver spraypaint.

It goes on fine and dries fine, but after it dries, the paint comes off really easily; like if I just accidentally lightly scratch it with my fingernail it scratches the paint completely off.

I was wondering, do I need to use a different type of spraypaint or should I get some kind of chemical stuff to remove the glossy finish off of the plastic and then re-paint? Or is there something else I should do? How can I correct this problem?
 
Krylon only makes one line of paint that is specifically designed for plastic. Its called Krylon Fusion. They don't have a metallic in Fusion unfortunately. But Krylon did just come out with a Plastic Primer in spray cans that works awesome for promoting adhesion to slick plastics. You should be able to use the regular silver over that.

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Scuff the surface with 0000 steel wool, or a very light grit sand paper first.



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It's not just the gloss but the kind of plastic that could be the problem. Polyethelene/polyprop? Anyway it resists paint. So yeah scuff the surface and you'll at least have a head start :)

Also the kind of paint used is going to have an effect. I only use acrylic or lacquer paint in a can as it will adhere to nearly all plastics :) It's more prone to gumming up than enamel (which is the most common base paint in a can) so is trickier to work with.
 
Hi, thanks for the suggestions everyone. Well turns out I'm not having much luck, nothing is sticking to this thing. The sword I'm making is made mostly from a plastic garbage can, but I used PVC pipe and Friendly Plastic for the hilt and skull detail, respectively. The spraypaint did stick on the PVC but it was the other areas I was having trouble with.

So I got the paint off and scuffed it a little here and there, and then tried a Valspar plastic primer (cause if I remember correctly I didn't see any of the Krylon primer), which behaved just like the spraypaint, going on fine but coming off easily with the slightest brush of a fingernail, only this stuff comes off the PVC as well. Of course this made me more frustrated because I thought at least the primer would stick, but I guess I'm wrong...

Then I thought that maybe I could flip the sword over to the side I haven't touched yet and just use some black Krylon Fusion, which worked alot better; it sticks very well to the PVC, and sticks better to the other plastic parts than the spraypaint or Valspar primer, but still comes off of those areas.

Should I try automotive primers instead? Or should I go with the acrylic lacquer paint suggestion that mdb had?
Also, does heat or humidity play a role in this problem?
 
Most auto body suppliers will stock plastic primer/adhesion promoter. Comes in a tin for spray gun application or in aerosol cans. It's usually clear with a metallic hint so you can see which areas you've coated.one light even coat, allow it to flash off as per instructions then prime or paint over the top as normal. I've used this stuff on car interior and exteriors on a whole range of plastics for years.
 
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