Switch Plate Covers

[Pat in Atlanta]

Had some rooms painted and would like to paint switch plate covers the same color. Any way to do that so that the paint doesn't chip off? Thanks.

[RBM]

[Patrick Cleburne]

Pick up some plain mill finish metal covers in the electrical supply section of your favorite hardware store. They're cheap and paint will stick to them unlike the plastic ones.

[Jeff Wisnia]

Don't paint them with wall paint.

Take a color sample down to an auto parts store like Pep Boys or Auto Zone and see if you can find a close enough match among the zillions of little spray cans of paint they stock for auto body touchup. If you find color you like, get a spray can of clear overcoat too, to put a protective coating over the paint.

Clean any finger grease off the existing wallplates with alcohol to maximize the paint adhesion.

HTH,

Jeff

[Jmagerl]

[Roger Taylor]

I have found just painting the plastic ones works great, if you prep the surface. We remove the plate, clean with detergent, dry, then sand vertically with fine paper. Prime with any spray prime, or soft brush using zinzzer or bullseye alcohol based fast dry white primer. Then finish with acrylic or latex. Use the semigloss that matches your walls, as it is easier to clean. They seem to last a long time.

[Mark Lloyd]

I have been in some houses where the switch plates have been painted with the same paint as the walls. That paint was OK for walls, but it gave the switches an unpleasant texture.

[Ross Mac]

I would buy the unfinished wood covers and paint them with enamel paint the same color as the walls. This way you have a shot at keeping them clean and paint does stick well to unfinished wood....Ross