How to Paint the Perfect Playhouse for your Little One! | FEATURING @rennovation_44

How to Paint the Perfect Playhouse for your Little One! | FEATURING @rennovation_44

Playhouses are such a wonderful way of not only giving your child their own space to play, but also a great way of bringing them outside to play too.

Whether you have bought a playhouse quite some time ago and they have slowly become degraded over time, or whether your playhouse simply isn’t the right colour or pattern for your kid, painting your playhouses can be a fantastic way of revamping the house in a quick, cheap and very effective way too.

Below is a brilliant step-by-step guide on how to paint your child’s playhouse- whether it is wooden or plastic- as well as a quick guide on what different colour schemes and/or patterns could be possibly painted onto your child’s playhouse too!

Decorating Centre Online- Zinsser's AllCoat Colour Match Paint from £20.99

How to Paint Plastic Playhouses

What you will need:

Zinsser's AllCoat Colour Match Paint from £20.99
Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Interior & Exterior Primer-Sealer Stain Killer 500ml from £8.25
Water and detergent (from local store)
Sponge
Paint brush- Ice Fusion Paint Brush 1.5" from £8.35
Cutting in Paint Brush- Harris Artisan 1" Angled Sash Brush from £2.25
Small mohair roller (or lint-free)- Ice fusion Lint Free Rollers 4" from £1.70
Zinsser Universal Degreaser & Cleaner from £6.49

Step 1: Make sure the Plastic Playhouse isn’t cracked or broken in any way & fix the bits which are

Step 2: Clean away any dirt, debris and spider webs from the Plastic Playhouse using Zinsser’s Degreaser

Step 3: Prime the whole Plastic Playhouse with Zinsser’s Bulls Eye 123

Step 4: Wait for the Zinsser’s Bulls Eye 123 to Dry

Step 5: Paint the first coat of your Colour Match Zinsser’s AllCoat Paint on top

Step 6: Leave the first coat of AllCoat to dry

Step 7: Paint on a second coat of Colour Match Zinsser’s AllCoat Paint

Decorating Centre Online- Zinsser's AllCoat Colour Match Paint from £20.99

The Detailed Guide is below:

Step 1: Make sure the Plastic Playhouse isn’t cracked or broken in any way & fix the bits which are

Give the plastic playhouse a good look over before you even begin to paint your playhouse. This is because if you can fix the bits which need fixing before you paint your playhouse, it will give a better finish and make the plastic playhouse look so much better.

If the cracks are small, they can be easily fixed with some plastic-safe glue and some clips to keep the house together while the glue fully sets.

If the cracks are too large to fix, it might be best to consider purchasing a new plastic playhouse for you child as it could become hazardous or dangerous to your child whilst they are playing with the plastic playhouse.

Decorating Centre Online- Zinsser Universal Degreaser & Cleaner from £6.49

Step 2: Clean away any dirt, debris and spider webs from the Plastic Playhouse using Zinsser’s Degreaser

Before you even begin prepping or painting your playhouse, make sure that you clean away any debris, spider webs or dirt from the outside (and inside!).

The easiest way to do this is to firstly clean down the playhouse with a mixture of warm water and a detergent of your choice. This will make it easier to get most of the dirt and grim off the playhouse before moving onto the next step.

The best way to ensure that all the grime is off the playhouse is to finally clean it down with Zinsser’s Degreaser spray which removes not only hard dirt and grime but also works to remove grease and other debris too.

After using this greaser, the playhouse will be clean enough to apply a smooth layer of primer and then paint on as detailed below!

Step 3: Prime the whole Plastic Playhouse with Zinsser’s Bulls Eye 123

As the playhouse is made out of smooth plastic, it is essential that you prime the surface before painting it to ensure that not only will you get the smoothest consistency of paint finish, but also so that the paint does not chip off of peel away from the plastic surface of the playhouse either with wear or just in general.

The best way to apply Zinsser’s Bulls Eye 123 is to use a brush and just spread the primer as evenly as you possibly can over every area of the playhouse which you are intending to paint.

If the layer looks patchy or uneven, that’s okay, this primer layer is just to ensure that the paint will adhere to the surface of the playhouse and has no indication of the final finish of the paint.

Decorating Centre Online- Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Interior & Exterior Primer-Sealer Stain Killer 500ml from £8.25

Step 4: Wait for the Zinsser’s Bulls Eye 123 to Dry

As Zinsser’s Bulls eye 123 is water-based, it has a very quick drying time- approximately 30 minutes to dry and 1 full hour until it is recoatable- however, it does take a full 7 days for the primer to fully cure, so some changes may occur during this time, however, they will settle down within a week or so.

Depending on the surface of the playhouse, one coat may be enough, but you may have to apply two coats to err on the side of caution and ensure that your final paint finish full adheres to the surface of the playhouse.

Decorating Centre Online- Colour Match Paint from £13.99

Step 5: Paint the first coat of your Colour Match Zinsser’s AllCoat Paint on top

So, now you’re ready to do the fun part of painting your playhouse!

The easiest way to complete this step is to cut into any areas of the playhouse that you may not be able to roll first- ensuring that you keep a wet line at all times- and then fill in the rest of the playhouse by rollering the paint on to get the most smooth and even coat that you possibly can get.

This Zinsser’s AllCoat paint can also be applied using an airless spray application too, so if you would prefer to spray it on, it has that option too.

Step 6: Leave the first coat of AllCoat to dry

As Zinsser’s AllCoat is a self-primer, the first coat works as a primer and undercoat layer so you will most definitely have to apply a second coat to ensure the best finish of your playhouse.

This product is water-based so has a fast-drying time of 1 hour and can be recoated after this time too. However, it must be considered that the full curing time of Zinsser’s AllCoat is 7 days, which may leave some unevenness and patchiness, which should clear up after a week or so.

If this hasn’t cleared up after a week, please get in contact with us- links to our contact details are at the bottom of this blog post- and we will help find out what the problem is and help find a way in which to fix it too.

Decorating Centre Online- Pick Your Own Paint Tester Pot Bundle from £10.99

Step 7: Paint on a second coat of Colour Match Zinsser’s AllCoat Paint

After waiting for the appropriate time, apply the second coat of AllCoat in the same way as stated above- see step 5- in order to achieve the perfect smooth finish.

Step 8: Leave to dry

Leave to dry for one hour.

Step 9: Play Away!

Now you’re ready to let your littleuns play with their brand new-looking playhouse!

But how do you paint a playhouse if it’s made from wood? Well, the handy guide below will help you out every step of the way!

How to Paint Wooden Playhouses

What you will need:

Zinsser's AllCoat Colour Match Paint from £20.99
Water and detergent (from local store)
Sponge
Paint brush- Ice Fusion Paint Brush 1.5" from £8.35
Cutting in Paint Brush- Harris Artisan 1" Angled Sash Brush from £2.25
Small mohair roller (or lint-free)- Ice fusion Lint Free Rollers 4" from £1.70
Zinsser Universal Degreaser & Cleaner from £6.49
Sanding Pads- Sanding Pads Bundle of 3 from £1.99

Step 1: Make sure the Plastic Playhouse isn’t cracked or broken in any way & fix the bits which are

Step 2: Clean away any dirt, debris and spider webs from the Plastic Playhouse using Zinsser’s Degreaser

Step 3: Sand down any previous paint OR lightly sand the playhouse

Step 4: Paint the first coat of your Colour Match Zinsser’s AllCoat Paint on top

Step 5: Leave the first coat of AllCoat to dry

Step 6: Paint on a second coat of Colour Match Zinsser’s AllCoat Paint

Decorating Centre Online- Zinsser's AllCoat Colour Match Paint from £20.99

The Detailed Guide is below:

Step 1: Make sure the Wooden Playhouse isn’t cracked or broken in any way & fix the bits which are

Just like with the plastic playhouse, you must ensure that the wooden playhouse isn’t broken to the point that it will compromise the overall look of the playhouse even once it’s finished.

The easiest way to fix wooden playhouses is either to replace parts of the playhouse with new wooden bits, or you can use a heavy-duty wood glue- make sure that it is suitable for outdoor use too- and glue areas together.

Ensure that you have a smooth finish to your glue to make sure that the final finish of the paint is perfectly smooth and has no bumps as a result of rough glueing.

Decorating Centre Online- Osmo Wood Filler 250g from £7.49

Step 2: Clean away any dirt, debris and spider webs from the Plastic Playhouse using Zinsser’s Degreaser

Just like cleaning a plastic playhouse, removing dirt, debris and anything else from the surface which you are intending on painting is essential before you even begin prepping the area.

The best product to use is our Zinsser’s Degreaser & Cleaner as it removes a wide variety of dirt from a wide variety of surfaces. Ensure that you wash the surface down with water thoroughly after using the degreaser so that it doesn’t interfere with the paint layer.

Decorating Centre Online- Zinsser Universal Degreaser & Cleaner from £6.49

Step 3: Sand down any previous paint OR lightly sand the playhouse

Unlike the priming step which you need to do for a plastic playhouse, with a wooden playhouse, you will only have to sand it.

If your playhouse has been previously painted, you will need to thoroughly sand down any previous paint in order to make a smooth surface to paint on top of.

By doing this, you will also ensure that your playhouse has a perfect starting platform in which your paint can fully adhere to.

If your playhouse hasn’t been previously painted, a light sand over the surface of the playhouse will be perfectly fine!

Decorating Centre Online- Sanding Pads Bundle of 3 from £1.99

Step 4: Clean off any sanding dust

Using either a mild detergent and water solution or your Zinsser’s Degreaser & Cleaner, make sure that you clean any sanding dust off the playhouse so that it won’t get mixed with your paint and compromise the smoothness of the paint.

Step 5: Paint the first coat of your Colour Match Zinsser’s AllCoat Paint on top

Just like in step 6 of painting a plastic playhouse, paint your first layer of Zinsser’s AllCoat in your chosen colour on top of your wooden playhouse.

The easiest way to do this is to cut in with a paintbrush and then roller most of the paint on top.

This will not only make the whole process easier for you, but it will also ensure that the final finish of your playhouse is as smooth as it possibly can be.