Anyone know what to paint a plastic mantel piece?

[omletta]

Just bought a 1960?s house, which I would say has been ?modernised? at some point in the 80?s. We are on a very tight budget and so trying to do somethings on the cheap to make it bearable whilst dealing with the big things (hideous carpets)

The fire surround (gas fire ? marble ledge and back - not particularly to my style but ok) seems to be a sort of laminated, wood effect plastic and I would really like to paint it out ? would a gloss paint work (have had a go, but it went very patchy ? possibly needs multiple coats) or should I use a plastic paint? And if so will this make it look like a plastic mantel piece??

All ideas appreciated.

You can buy special paints for painting kitchen cabinets. They come with a special primer that you have to use first. I wonder if that will work as the materials sound similar.

I found a better solution, try this

a plastic mantelpiece? is it second cousin to the chocolate fire guard?

Oops, that link doesn't work properly. Go to the paints section and choose melamine paint.

I don't know if it would work but you could spray paint it with a stone effect spray paint. I know someone who did this to a fireplace and it looked quite good. [http://www.plasti-kote.co.uk/Product/pcode---4651/pccode---3620 here]

sorry link didn't workhere

Thanks everyone. I am going to try the melamine paint as although the stone effect looks lovely it is such a monstrosity I don?t want to draw attention to it ? it really is the most hideous thing ever ? I keep on looking at it an thinking ? what were they thinking off?