Does acrylic paint stick to vinyl records?

Vinyl records are mainly called PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastic. Its surface is very plain. So there is a question: does acrylic paint stick to vinyl records on a plain surface?

Yes, acrylic paint will work great on vinyl records. After using an acrylic primer on the vinyl surface, you can paint on it. Acrylic paint will stick well and stay long-lasting.  

In this article, I will explain how to paint on vinyl records and then how to seal them properly. As well as describe how you can paint pouring and make your project more interesting. I also give you some tips for making paint long-lasting.

Will vinyl records work after painting?

Before answering this question, you need to understand how vinyl records work. The modern vinyl records are made with PVC plastic. The records have very small grooves. The grooves are divided into 2 channels. Those are the left channel and right channel. 

When the record play, the machine needle vibration with the channels. More processes later, we can hear songs or sounds. 

If you paint on the record, the grooves are covered by paint. So there is no chance of needle vibration with the channels. For these reasons, the record won’t work. 

So I always suggest using damaged or unnecessary records for painting. 

How to prepare a vinyl record for a painting

Before painting a vinyl record, you have to prepare it. For preparation, you should follow the tips below.

Wipe the record surface

You should not paint on a dirty surface. Because dust can create many issues with your painting.

Take a soft cloth and clean the dust properly. If the dust dries hardly on the surface, take 0.5% isopropyl to 99.5% distilled water on the soft cloth then apply it to the vinyl surface.

Don’t Sand

The vinyl record surface has grooves, and its surface is made of plastic. The grooves help to stick the paint properly. If you try to sand on it, it will be affected by scratches as well as there is a big chance for damaged grooves to the record. 

How to paint a vinyl record with acrylic paint?

Painting vinyl is an easy and creative project. Following some steps properly, you can complete your project. 

To complete this project, you need some basic material.

1. Gesso
2. Acrylic paint
3. Paint brush
4. Clear gloss varnish

Step 1. Priming the surface

For acrylic paint to stick properly, you need a prime surface. So take acrylic gesso in a paint brush. Then apply it all over the record surface. 

You can change your gesso color by mixing acrylic paint with gesso. The gesso layer will be the background of your painting. So you can try it.

After prime, give it some time to dry.

Step 2. Time to paint

Choose a design which you like. For a design idea, I found these designs Online. You can choose from it, or you can try your own design.

1. Paint brush, paint quantity, or other accessories will depend on your design. You should follow some common tips for making your project successful.
2. Always use paint more than two coats, it will make your paint more accurate.
3. Use a good paintbrush. If brush hair losing while painting, the artwork will be damaged.
4. Always use the best quality paint as you can. 
5. After completing your painting, dry it properly. And make it ready for seal.

Step 3. Seal paint and make it long-lasting

After drying your painting, it is time to seal it. Sealing paint is optional. But if you want something long-lasting painting, this part will be a lifesaver.

Like gesso, put the liquid gloss varnish on the painting, and with a paintbrush spread the varnish all over the surface. After it is complete, give it time to dry.

This transparent layer also makes your painting look premium. Your painting is now ready to showcase. 

Can acrylic paint pouring on vinyl record?

Yes, definitely you can acrylic paint pouring on vinyl record. And any type of records pouring project acrylic paint is the best option. The pouring adheres on the record surface properly and stays long-lasting. 

How to acrylic paint pouring on vinyl record

For this project, you need the following material.

1. Gesso
2. Plastic pot
3. Acrylic paint
4. Clear gloss varnish

Step 1. Clean the record surface

take a soft cloth and wipe the surface properly. If the dust dries hard, take 0.5% isopropyl to 99.5% distilled water and apply it with a soft cloth on the surface. I hope the surface will be clean.

Step 2. Use primer

Primer helps acrylic paint adhere properly to any surface. Take some gesso on the record and spread it with a paintbrush around every surface. Then wait for it to dry.

Step 3. Time to poring

Choose a design that you want pouring. I found those online. For your design, take different color paints in the pot. Be careful, don’t mix paint with each other. 

Pour the pot paint in the middle of the record and then spread it all over the surface. You have to move the record properly to spread paint on all surfaces. After finishing it, give it time to dry. 

Step 4. Sealing Time

To make paint long-lasting, you can seal the paint. Put clear gloss varnish On the pouring, then spread it with a paintbrush all over the area. After this, give it time to dry.

Now your poring is protracted. And your project is complete.  

What kind of paint do I use on vinyl records?

Mainly, you can use 2 types of paint for vinyl records.

1. Acrylic Paint
2. Spray Paint

Acrylic paint

This paint is commonly used for any type of paint project, as well as vinyl record paint projects. These paints are low-cost and easy to find in various colors. This paint provides a flexible option for creating a colorful painting.

This paints water-based paint so it washes easily. The paint lifetime is very low compared with other types of paint. But using a sealing method, you can boost up this painting life.

Spray paint

This paint can also be applied to a vinyl record. This paint is easy to use compared with other types of paint. The paint stays long-lasting. It costs a little bit high, and more color means more cans to buy. 

But It provides beginner-friendly support. A spray paint project can be completed in a very short time.

How to use spray paint on vinyl records

We know a vinyl record comes from PVC plastic. This type of surface is very good for spray paint projects. For this project, you need:

1. Spray paint (Try to use multicolor)

Step 1. Clean surface

Clean vinyl surface property. You need to use a soft cloth, in advance, you can use alcohol cleaner for a clear surface properly.

Step 2. Apply paint

You can apply to spray paint directly on vinyl. No need for a prime surface. Take different colors of spray paint. Spray with your own design. As a beginner, you can choose gradient or different color liner designs.  

After completing the painting, give it time to dry. 

Now your painting is complete. No need to seal the painting. The paint sticks properly.

How to remove paint from vinyl record

Sometimes vinyl record cleaning is a very sensitive task. Suppose, In the world, there are 40 popular vinyl record brands. Each brand produces a different type of vinyl record, and each type of recipe and material is different. So as a recipe there have different reactions for chemical cleaning. 

Below, I will discuss how you can clean your record with basic to advanced methods.

Water and soap

This is a very basic but effective method. Take the vinyl and soak it in water properly. Then take a soft cloth, soak with soap water and wipe the record surface. This is a very primary method.

Toothpick method

If the first method does not work well, you can use toothpick method. Take a toothpick and apply it to the painted area. I hope the paint comes off easily.

Water and rubbing alcohol

It is an advanced method. If the above methods do not work, you can try this method. Take 0.5% isopropyl alcohol in 99.5% water. Then give a bath of the record. After a bath, take a soft cloth and clear every surface very carefully. If it does not work properly then increase the alcohol rapidly by 1%, 2%, and 3% next time. 

After following those methods, I hope you can clean your record.

How long does acrylic paint stick to vinyl records

This question is very hard. Acrylic paint lifetime is low compared with other paint. But it can increase more with good protection.  

Acrylic painting can survive on a vinyl record without protection for around 5 years. If it has good protection, it can survive 100 years or more.

How to make painted vinyl records long-lasting

After painting, we should not stop, we have to be careful about the protection of the painting. Below, I describe how to make painted vinyl records long-lasting.

Seal the paint

We should apply a seal on the painting. Seal on a painting provides an extra transparent layer that protects it from basic wet weather, dust, fire, peel-off, and more. And this method boosts painting life more than 10X times.

Frame the painting

This is a very good and creative idea. This method not only protects your vinyl painting but also gives a fancy look to your paintwork. In the market there are a lot of different design frames, you can choose one which you like.

Avoid store record painting on the floor

If you store a painting on the floor, there is a very high chance it will damage the painting very soon. From the floor it is very easy to get wet, affected by dust or insects and more. Also, it is a big reason for mold and mildew to grow. So you should be careful about it and keep the record dry and cool place.

Conclusion

Acrylic paint renews vinyl records colorfully and creatively. Just need proper planning with a good design. You can showcase the painting for a long time.

Did you learn how to paint on a vinyl record? If you found this article helpful please share it with your friend or family. And stay connected to more articles about painting.