Many business owners install FRP (fiberglass reinforced panel) in an effort to get a durable and cleanable protective panel for their wall in high traffic areas and wet walls in janitors closets and restrooms.  Unfortunately, these panels have a few drawbacks.  The first is that they will yellow over time.  The second is that while they are very durable, they are not stain proof. If you get automotive grease, cooking oils, skin oils, or other contaminants, they are very susceptible to staining.  The good news is that they are also very each to paint!  Use the guide below if you will be attempting to paint FRP yourself or to gain an understanding of how we would go about painting it were you to hire us.

Prep

Our first step is to thoroughly clean the panel.  How we would approach this step depends on what is on the panel.  If it is in a restaurant or mechanic shop, we would start with a heavy degreaser and scrub brush to remove any trace of oils.  If it is in a janitors closet or restroom, we would begin with a light cleaning.  We would follow this up with a denatured alcohol wipe down.  Once this final wipe down is complete, we would sand the panel either manually with a sanding block if the area is small or with an electric sander if the area is larger.  This is to ensure that the paint has a profiled surface to adhere to. Any silicone caulking will either need to be removed or covered up so you can paint it.  Now you are ready to paint the paneling.

Priming

We always recommend a high quality primer. If you are using a high quality waterborne acrylic coating like PPG Ultralast or SWP Emerald, you can normally skip this step.  If you hire use, we will always plan to apply a bonding primer to ensure you get the best paint job possible and to ensure the panel will minimize scratching for years to come.  We use PPG SealGrip or SWP Xtreme Bond as our go to primers of choice for more challenging surfaces.  Always apply this primer at the recommended thickness.  Also, take care that you let the primer cure for at least 24 hours so that you get a good bond before you introduce a topcoat.  Topcoats have the tendency to put stress on the paint coating underneath it as it cures.

Painting

Once the primer is dry, you can put just about any topcoat over the primer.  Our favorite product for FRP is PPG Aquapon semi-gloss so that you will have both a durable and very cleanable surface.  Aways use a good quality brush to reduce brush marks and a good 3/8 nap microfiber rolls to ensure you get a smooth, factory like finish.  If you don’t need a super durable finish, we would use PPG Ultralast semi-gloss finish to create a good, functional finish that you will be able to repaint as frequently as needed.

Caution

As with all painted surfaces, this will create a surface that will be more difficult to scratch, but all painted surface will be susceptible to scratching.  Just like an automobile paint finish, it may be scratch resistant, but any sharp metal, like a key or stock cart can scratch the paint.  You need to have the correct understanding so your expectations will be realistic.