Painting uPVC?

[Ketzele]

My aspiration is elegant crittal windows, but that's for the next life: right now I'm stuck with chunky white plastic uPVC, including a gloriously ugly front porch.

Several people have warned me off painting it, saying it will flake. Others say it's fine. Does anybody have the definitive answer on this? Is internal safer than external?

Sorry I don't have advice on painting yourself but I do know there are companies that professionally spray paint upvc (interior and exterior). There's colourmywindows.com or if you google upvc painting and your area you may find a local company.

Ps; I'm with you on the Crittal - swoon!

Great, huge thanks - I didn't know there were specialists for the job; I asked a handywoman if she would do it and she said no way. It would be lovely to get even just the front porch disguised a little.

Crittal: before I lived here I was in a small flat in a 1930s block. Beautiful proportions (except for the tiny kitchen - but that was because before the war there used to be a kitchen downstairs and they would send meals up in a little lift!). The crittal windows were old but lovely - until the managing agents and the residents association agreed that they all had to be replaced with white uPVC. I nearly cried (not least because of the cost).

I have been looking at painting my conservatory and found special primers for preparing the surface of UPVC.

I think Zinsser was one of them.

I have yet to take the step but I will try on a UPVC board first.

Report back! I'm thinking may be worth getting a professional to do my front porch, but perhaps I could do interior frames myself.