5 Best Paint Options for Vinyl Shutters: A Quick Guide [2022]

Not only is this paint specifically designed to be used on exterior vinyl siding and shutters, but it’s also self-priming and requires minimal prep-time. This makes it an excellent option for DIYers looking to add some curb appeal to their home by freshening up their shutters and changing their original color.

This paint is a water-based paint that can be sprayed, rolled, or brushed on. A great characteristic of this paint is that it is a zero-VOC formula, meaning it doesn’t have the same harsh chemicals and odors of other exterior paints while still offering notable durability and washability. Each 1-gallon can of paint is self-priming and covers approximately 500 square feet of surface area.

The main reason this high quality shutter paint option stands out is its unwavering durability, versatility, and availability. Acrylic paints are known for being highly weather resistant and long-wearing. Unsurprisingly, they make for excellent exterior paint choices and this particular formulation is no different and is readily available at your local Lowe’s. Being a high-hiding formulation, this paint can cover darker colors (perhaps you currently have black shutters, for example) without the need for endless coats of paint and without the need for a latex primer.

And if that weren’t enough to sell you on this vinyl shutter paint option, this product is also mildew resistant and can be applied in a wide range of temperatures (from 35 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit). The fact that this can be used on vinyl materials as well as wood, aluminum, masonry, cement, concrete, and even metal makes this paint option a win for anyone with a variety of exterior paint projects to tackle, such as painting your front door to match your new, beautiful exterior shutters.

Because our readers may prefer one big-box store over another, we figured it was important to provide the best paint option available at Home Depot, also. The PPG PERMANIZER line of paints is as steadfast in durability and color as it sounds with better coverage than other options. Just like our #2 pick, this exterior paint is 100% acrylic and covers with superior adhesion, weather resistance, and UV protection. This paint is an excellent choice for regions with high humidity due to the fact that it offers both mildew protection as well as a preservative that prevents paint discoloration due to algae.

This product can be applied in a wide range of temperatures (from 35 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit) and can be used on vinyl materials, aluminum, masonry, cement, concrete, and metal. Its single-coat color-hide promise makes it quick and easy to apply and offers excellent coverage for that pop of color you hope to add to your vinyl shutters.

Because so many DIYers swear by spray paint for their weekend warrior painting needs, we’ve chosen the best spray paint option for vinyl shutters to include in our review. If you were to ask professional painters, they would probably say that spray painting your plastic vinyl shutters may not be the best way to get the results you’re hoping for and that you’re much more likely to get better (and less expensive) results using one of the other options on our list with something like an airless paint sprayer, but Krylon Fusion All-In-One is a fair choice if you are adamant about using a canned spray paint option. If nothing else, it’s an easy way to change the current look of your shutters.

What makes this particular kind of paint a good option is that it can be used on interior or exterior projects and it bonds to a variety of typically difficult-to-paint surfaces without sanding or priming. This includes wood, metal, wicker, plastic, glass, plaster/ceramic, PVC, tile, wrought iron, masonry, laminate, and, of course, hard vinyl (including vinyl shutters). Plus, you can’t beat the ease of application. It also comes in a huge variety of color options, both muted and bright. Overall, if spray paint is your go-to for painting your vinyl shutters, this one is a good option.

By “off-label”, we mean that our #5 choice was not necessarily designed to be used on vinyl surfaces, but that it is still an effective choice, albeit unconventional. Acrylic urethane resin paint is ideal for use on vinyl shutters for a variety of reasons. The first is that it is designed for high traffic exterior floor use like you’d find on porches or decks. In other words – it is virtually the definition of “durable”. Secondly, it is designed to expand/contract with weather changes, resulting in longer wear and less cracking or peeling than other paints. Thirdly, because it was designed to be used as a flooring material, it is also easy to clean materials that have been painted with this option.

So even though a Urethane Fortified Porch and Floor paint may not be typically used on exterior shutters, that doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea to try out this product.