changing color of electrical outlet & switch plates

I have had good luck with just some good wall paint.

I have used ordinary wall paint. May take a couple of coats. I'd also look into the "Fusion" plastic paint from Krylon, if the color is acceptable.

What are the plates made of?

Scuff them with steel wool, or maybe a scotchbrite pad, degrease them well, and spray away with Krylon or similar. As cheap as the plastic plates are, no big loss if it doesn't stick or you hose up the spray job. Generic plates are usually less than a buck, maybe a little higher for gang plates.

aem sends...

snipped-for-privacy@att.net spake thus:

For that matter, you could probably even bake them a little to harden the paint, even if they're plastic: should be able to withstand, say,

But yes, if I couldn't find readymade plates in the color you want, enamel spray paint would be just the ticket.

Never tried it, but I have been told that you can throw them into a kitchen pot and use food dye. Certainly worth a try.

Ivan Vegvary

Krylon should work fine. If you really want to make them disappear, paint them with the same paint used on the wall; paint everything that shows. Or, if the walls are papered, you can cover them with the same wall paper. I've got a dentist that has a bathroom with the highly patterned wall paper, and one really has to hunt for the light switch.

Easter egg dye comes to mind. I wonder what some of those swill things and other Easter egg decoration things would do? It could make for some interesting light switches :-)

Me too. My house is full of plastic cover plates that were painted

IMHO:

Plastic paint, like krylon sounds liek a good idea.

tom @

give them a light sanding then you can use any kind of latex. or whatever you like.