freshen up a canopy

May 4, 2009 8:09 AM

How to paint polyester fabric canopy?

I have a white canopy I'd like to give a little color. The manual says it is made with heavy duty 500 denier reinforced polyester fabric, which is water resistant, fire retardant, & UV treated. This canopy will be spending a lot of time outside this Summer under sun and rain, so it's important the paint job be strong.

I'd like to use paint I already have to save $$$. Would acrylic house paint (or would oil be better?) and a protective coat of 2-part polyurethane work?

posted by LC to media & arts (7 comments total)

For fabric you want to be looking at dyes or stains, not paint. House paint is going to crack and flake off the canopy every time it flexes in the wind; you'll be spending the summer covered in tiny chips of paint.
posted by ook at 8:45 AM on May 4

The fact that the canopy is water-resistant is a major problem. Water-resistant fabric cannot be dyed or painted. It will resist not only water, but also any paint, dye, or stain that you apply.

If it weren't for the water-resistant coating, you could use a fabric paint whose manufacturer says it will work on polyester, or make your own fabric paint by adding fabric medium to an acrylic paint, or you could use disperse dye to make iron-on transfers to dye the polyester, but none of these is likely to work for a fabric with the coatings that yours has.
posted by Ery at 9:00 AM on May 4 [1 favorite has favorites]

I'm afraid you're asking too much of your canopy and of any existing fabric paint (at least any I'm aware of). A better idea would be to have a new canopy made for the existing frame, preferably out of another weather-resistant fabric like Sunbrella.
posted by boomchicka at 9:08 AM on May 4

Is this a canopy you're using for vending at an event? Many shows required that canopies be fire retardant and painting it may affect that.

How about finding a funky bedsheet at an estate sale/thrift store/back of mom's closet and putting that over the top? You'll still have the sun protection, and prettiness too. It's easy enough to wash and cheap enough to toss if it gets too gross.
posted by vespabelle at 9:37 AM on May 4

Please don't do this. You can't paint outdoor polyester in any way that will either (a) look like you want it to, (b) be durable, or (c) won't compromise the integrity of the material.

You can screen print it though. Having said that, polyester fabric is notoriously hard to imprint, and requires a high degree of skill (compared with other substrates) even when done by professionals with the proper equipment and ink.

Also, any application would have to be on new material.
posted by mrmojoflying at 9:44 AM on May 4

Polyester is basically a form of woven plastic - It's naturally water resistant (Not water-proof, mind you) without special repellants, AFAIK.

Given that it's plastic, and dosen't absorb liquids easily, it is also very difficult to dye, involving really caustic/unpleasant/expensive dyes, high temps and long soak periods. Do not go to the store and buy a bottle of RIT. It will fall right out of the polyester with the first rain, and stain your deck.

Here's the general idea., the Dye carrier(You're dying a tent. You need it.) and the dye. You're also going to need facilities with good ventilation where you can boil the entire thing for about an hour, and multiple vats.
posted by Orb2069 at 10:02 AM on May 4

Is there any way you can test a corner of it?
I'm thinking plain old spray paint, perhaps the new ones formulated for plastic might do the trick.
posted by sarajane at 11:10 AM on May 5