How to paint wheels yourself

Painting stamped discs with your own hands: what color and with what, instructions + video

The main problem with steel car wheels made by stamping is their not very attractive appearance, especially after a year or two of use on winter roads sprinkled with salt.

It provokes the rapid appearance of rust, which occurs in places where the paintwork is damaged. Because of this, buying new rims is not the best option, because you can get by with “little expense” - painting the stamped wheels yourself.

In this way you will return the wheels to a presentable appearance.

Existing dyeing methods

Gone are the days when car enthusiasts who wanted to do the painting themselves could only use nitro enamel, and, as a last resort, used oil and pentaphthalic paints. Now new chemical compositions have appeared, thanks to which it is possible to paint rims in several ways:

using acrylic paints sold in aerosol cans;
application of polymer coatings;
the old method is painting with automotive nitro enamel;
laying a layer of so-called liquid rubber;
chrome plating

This is what a newly painted wheel on a car looks like

Not all of the options listed are suitable for implementation at home. Take a polymer (powder) coating that is very resistant to environmental influences and mechanical damage. It is applied using a certain technology, consisting of the following stages:

Surface preparation, including degreasing.
Priming with a special composition.
Application of powder enamel.
Curing the paintwork in an oven.

Since not every home has an oven for heat treatment of painted products, this method is not suitable for the average car owner. Unless you go to a specialized auto repair shop, where they will apply the polymer with high quality and charge a decent price.

For the same reasons, it is almost impossible to perform chrome plating at home.

This is a complex technological process that includes the sequential application of various components with several intermediate rinses with distilled water.

Moreover, the time for placing chemicals on the surface is strictly regulated. Therefore, to give the wheels the effect of a chrome surface, you will again have to turn to professionals.

Wheel rim with chrome finish

Options for painting stamped discs with your own hands

Most motorists who personally restore the appearance of stamped wheels use three types of paints:

acrylic;
automotive nitro enamels;
liquid rubber.

Acrylic paints in aerosol cans

Acrylic coatings are quite strong and durable, and when applied they emit virtually no odor and dry quickly. The choice of such paints is very wide, so choosing a color is not a problem.

If desired, you can paint the wheels with acrylic in 2 colors using masking tape or a special contour tape 6 mm wide.

Two-tone wheels look impressive, which is why this option is becoming increasingly popular.

Stamped rims, painted in two colors

Nitroenamel is suitable for budget painting of wheels. It is quite durable and dries even faster than acrylic. One problem is that when painted, it emits a very unpleasant odor and emits harmful fumes, so you need to provide good ventilation of the room and use respiratory protection (a respirator).

The main advantage of liquid rubber over other types of coatings is to level out small potholes on the surface, which is facilitated by the filler of the composition - crushed rubber.

In addition, the layer of liquid rubber is thick and elastic, which helps it withstand impacts from pebbles and other mechanical impacts.

The composition dries quickly, and after hardening it does not require additional protection with varnish.

Liquid rubber is also sold in cylinders

Preparation of equipment and materials

The technology for applying any paint to car rims involves spraying from a can or with a spray gun; brushes are not applicable here. To operate a spray gun, you need a compressor or an oxygen cylinder, and a small number of country house owners have such equipment.

A set of tools and materials for restoring rims

Hence the conclusion: it is best to buy coloring compounds and primer in aerosol cans, fortunately, there is a wide selection of enamels on sale in such containers. In addition, to complete the work you will need the following tools and materials:

an electric drill or an angle grinder with a steel wire attachment (the so-called brush);
coarse and fine sandpaper, 400 and 200 grits are suitable;
rust converter or its analogue - phosphoric acid;
degreasing agent - white spirit, nefras (otherwise - Galosha gasoline), organic solvent;
masking tape, contour tape;
paint is calculated as 1 450 ml bottle for 2 discs, more liquid rubber may be needed;
primer (1 bottle for 4 discs);
rags, rubber gloves, respirator or gauze bandage.

Set of chemicals for painting

Important point. The primer must be selected so that it matches the base on which the paint is made. For example, acrylic-based compositions require acrylic primer, and so on. The application technology itself differs little from the type of enamel; the operations are performed the same.

Car wheel rim painting technology

The entire dyeing process is divided into the following stages:

Removing the wheels, disassembling them and removing dirt.
Preparing for painting.
Application of primer.
Coloring and drying.

The rims must be thoroughly washed to remove dirt and dried.

At the first stage, it is important to thoroughly wash the discs using degreasing detergents (kitchen detergents are suitable). If you decide to paint them without removing the tires, you will have to thoroughly wash the rubber as well. After washing, dry the wheels in the fresh air or in a ventilated area.

The process of preparing to paint stampings in color

At this stage it is necessary to perform the following operations:

Removing rust and old paintwork.
Degreasing.
Pasting with a painting plaster (if necessary).

Initial cleaning of the disk with a brush

When performing the first operation, you need to achieve two goals: completely remove the rust and clean the applied varnish and paint as much as possible.

Ideally, the old coating should be completely removed, which is quite difficult to achieve with manual processing. But the varnish should be completely cleaned, and the paint should be cleaned whenever possible.

Where it holds firmly, sanding down to metal is not necessary. First you need to use coarse sandpaper, and then finer sandpaper to rub out scratches.

Pouring rust converter into disc slots

There is one weak point in the design of stamped steel wheels, where dirt is constantly packed and where rust occurs first. This is a gap located in a circle between two elements - the rim and the middle part with holes for mounting bolts. To clean and sand it, the following methods are used:

treatment with a rust converter or phosphoric acid, followed by cleaning and sanding;
use of sandblasting machines.

This is what a sandblasting nozzle with a sand tank looks like

After cleaning, degrease the wheel rim on both sides with a rag moistened with white spirit and let it dry. After degreasing, do not touch the metal with your hands or wet it with water.

If you left the tires on the rims, then they need to be deflated to the maximum and covered with masking tape, trying to get it as far as possible under the edge of the rim.

Another option is to frame the part to be painted from cardboard, cutting it into a semicircle and sliding it under the edge of the rim.

Wheel with rubber, ready for painting

Priming and painting

The first step is to create convenient conditions for performing these operations. In order to paint the wheels efficiently, it is worth coming up with podiums for them, for example, from upside-down old buckets. The ideal option is to hang the rim to provide access from all sides. When everything is ready to paint, proceed in this order:

Shake the can of acrylic primer for 3-5 minutes, then carefully apply the first coat, holding the sprayer at least 20 cm from the surface.
Dry the first layer for the time indicated on the package (up to 20 minutes).
Apply a second layer of primer evenly and let it dry.
After shaking the can of acrylic paint thoroughly, apply it in 3-4 layers with 10-minute breaks to dry. While staining, shake the contents of the container periodically and do not stop in one place, otherwise drips will form.

Painting is much more convenient when the disk is suspended on a wire

If the surface of the rim is dotted with defects from impacts, then the indentations should first be puttied and cleaned with fine sandpaper.

But due to the direct interaction of the rims with the road surface, which in our conditions is rarely smooth, the putty can break off over time, exposing bare metal, where corrosion will quickly occur.

Therefore, for such wheels, it is appropriate to paint them with liquid rubber, whose layer will cover all defects. The technology for applying such a coating is no different from painting with acrylic, only the number of layers can be from 3 to 7.

Using pasting you can create your own design

To paint in 2 colors, after the first paint has completely dried, cover the disc in the right places with masking tape. Then take enamel of a different color and apply it in 3-5 layers with breaks for drying. The drying process is accelerated when using a hair dryer. After the coating has completely hardened, the tape can be removed.

The result of painting in 2 colors

To ensure that the paintwork lasts as long as possible, it is recommended to protect it with a layer of clear automotive varnish. Then, when exposed to abrasive particles and impacts with pebbles, the main coloring layer of the disc will not be damaged. The varnish can be applied 1 hour after painting using the same technology: at least 3 layers with breaks for hardening.

When you begin to remove the wheels from your car, pay attention to the appearance of the front brake calipers and rear drums. They are probably peeling off and will show through unsightly through the technological openings in the steel disk. To bring it to full beauty, it’s worth painting the calipers and drums in some color that harmonizes with the new coating of the rims.

With a painted caliper and hub the car will look even more attractive

Video about applying paint to stamped car wheels

About security measures

Painting work using sprayers (cans or spray guns) poses a health hazard, no matter what kind of paint you use.

Tiny droplets of chemical compounds form an aerosol (a suspension of liquid in the air) that enters the respiratory tract and eyes. Harmful substances, especially carcinogens, take a long time to be eliminated from the body.

When using nitro paints, harmful acetone vapors are added to this set.

To paint wheels without harm to health, follow basic safety rules:

carry out work in a well-ventilated area (for example, a garage with an open gate);
do not paint in your own apartment, where small children live with you;
wear a respirator or protective gauze bandage and goggles;
Put rubber gloves on your hands.

Set for safe painting of wheels

The most difficult and time-consuming part of the wheel painting process is the preparation. Washing, sanding and degreasing will take up the lion's share of your time allotted for this event.

In general, you should expect that the procedure will take 1 day plus another day for the paint to dry. But professional painting in a car repair shop is also not done quickly, and it will not be cheap.

Hence the conclusion: painting steel wheels yourself makes sense, provided that you have free time.

Source: http://autoclub.su/instrukciya-po-pokraske-shtampovannyx-avtomobilnyx-diskov-svoimi-rukami/

Do-it-yourself painting of alloy wheels

Painting alloy wheels will help not only give the car an external shine, but also protect the wheels from the negative influence of an aggressive external environment. After all, everything in a car should be perfect - this applies to the body, the interior, the power unit, and the rims. Alloy wheels require special attention and care, so over time they will have to be repainted.

In addition, painting alloy wheels with your own hands will allow you to save on expensive work and time in queues to see a specialist, as well as perform all operations more carefully and scrupulously.

Alloy wheels have to be painted for several reasons. Here are just the main ones:

In winter, neither paint nor varnish can withstand the aggressive effects of salt. Penetrating under the paintwork, the saline solution corrodes the base of the disc.
Also, for various reasons, chips, scratches and peeling appear on wheel rims. They must be eliminated to extend the life of the disk.
When buying a used car, the new owner may receive alloy wheels in very poor condition. In this case, they will also need restoration.

By the way, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the material on methods for repairing alloy wheels.

Equipment and materials for painting alloy wheels with your own hands

First of all, it is worthwhile to dwell in detail on the choice of paint. For painting alloy wheels, three types of paints are most often used: powder, acrylic and liquid rubber.

Powder paints are the most durable. They are created on the basis of dry polymer material. Typically, powder coating is used by manufacturers of alloy wheels in industrial production conditions. At home, such paints are used relatively rarely by ordinary car enthusiasts, due to the complexity of their use and the need for special, expensive equipment.
Acrylic paints are more common among car enthusiasts. They are available in liquid form, so they are easy to apply either with a spray gun or from an aerosol can. And thanks to their high adhesive properties, acrylic paints adhere well to the surface of wheel rims and reliably protect them from the negative effects of external factors.
Liquid rubber is one of the increasingly popular materials for car painting. We talked in more detail about what it is and how to paint a car with liquid rubber here.

For high-quality painting of alloy wheels, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the technological process. Accordingly, you first need to stock up on the following materials:

paint for painting wheels;
primer;
varnish;
sandpaper with different grain sizes;
solvent;
putty;
rags;
gloves;
respirator.

When choosing paints and varnishes for painting alloy wheels, it is very advisable to purchase primer, paint and varnish from ONE manufacturer.

Each car owner has his own requirements for the appearance of the car. Some people are quite happy with tinting their wheels from an aerosol can, while others require perfect treatment, in which no difference from the factory coating is visible. Therefore, the set of tools and equipment for painting alloy wheels will largely depend on this factor.

A compressor and a spray gun will be needed by those car enthusiasts who will strive for perfect painting.
An electric drill with attachments will help you quickly remove the old coating and remove pockets of corrosion. It’s even better to use sandblasting, which removes 100% of all excess from the surface.
A construction or household hair dryer will help speed up the drying process. Even better is a heat gun.
You can easily make a wire pendant with your own hands: the disc will be painted on it and then dried.

Procedure for painting discs with acrylic paint

Do-it-yourself painting of alloy wheels, like painting the entire car, consists of several important stages. Therefore, the process of painting wheels, from preparation to final drying, can take several days.

Preparing alloy wheels for painting

The first operation will be to remove the tires from the rims. If you don’t want to do this, then you can cover the tire with polyethylene and apply masking tape along the edge of the rim (see the video below).
Now the discs must be thoroughly cleaned of dirt, dust and traces of bitumen. Car shampoo or other household detergent is suitable for this.
After cleaning, alloy wheels are inspected. The marker highlights problem areas (chips, blistering paint, scratches).
Using a sandblaster or a drill with a brush, old paintwork and traces of corrosion are removed.
After mechanical treatment, chemical degreasing of the surface is performed. To do this, a rag is moistened with a solvent and the disc is wiped.
Deep scratches and pits must be repaired with putty. After the material has dried, sanding is done with sandpaper. Sometimes several layers are required to level the surface.
After all defects have been leveled, it is necessary to degrease the entire disk and hang it on a wire.

Applying paint and varnish to alloy wheels

The application of paint and varnish during the painting process of alloy wheels consists of three operations.

Padding. The primer is applied in 2-3 even layers. Each layer must dry completely. To speed up drying, you can use a hair dryer or heat gun.
Applying paint. It is performed in the same way as priming. The paint is sprayed from a distance of 40-50 cm, number of layers: 2-3 layers. When performing this operation, special attention is paid to hard-to-reach areas and corner edges. Each coat of paint must be completely dry.
Varnishing. This is the final treatment during the wheel painting process. Applying varnish is no different from previous painting operations. In order for the cast disc to acquire the necessary shine, only two layers of varnish will be enough.

The final hardening of the varnish will occur in 2-3 days, after which the alloy wheels will be ready for use.

Features of high-quality painting of alloy wheels

Each work has nuances that are reflected in the final result. Painting alloy wheels will be no exception.

To ensure that the car owner’s efforts are not in vain, the following recommendations must be followed.

Some motorists do not pay enough attention to preparatory operations. As a result, the painted surface of the disc may peel off or bulges and bubbles may appear. You'll have to start all the work over again.
Blistering of the surface can also occur due to incomplete drying of the previous layer of primer or paint. It is better to spend more time drying than to subsequently remove the paint layer.
When painting a disc on the street or in an open garage, you need to monitor the vagaries of the weather. Dry and windy weather is good for completely drying painted parts, but is not suitable for applying paints. Traces of dust and sand will spoil the appearance of the alloy wheel.
Before painting discs, the room must be cleared of sand, dust, abrasive, etc. Then a powerful air flow from the compressor will not lift small particles from the floor that fall on the painted surface.
In the warm season, annoying insects can add unpleasant troubles. If they come into contact with fresh paint, no action should be taken. It may be possible to remove the defect by polishing the surface after drying.
When painting, there is no need to rush and try to cover the surface with one layer. From such a desire, streaks most often appear that spoil the appearance. The drip can be removed only after the material has completely dried and hardened.

To summarize, we note that putting the appearance of alloy wheels in order is possible for every car owner who loves his vehicle. To do this, you need to carve out a few days for work and carry out all the described activities step by step. Then the logical result of the work will be alloy wheels sparkling in the sun, and your deep moral satisfaction.

Video instructions for painting alloy wheels from a spray can with your own hands

Source: https://unit-car.com/tuning/127-pokraska-lityh-diskov.html

We paint stamped wheels ourselves: we save money and do it beautifully

Steel wheels of passenger cars are quite durable parts. A steel disk made by stamping cannot become unusable over time.

The only thing is that with prolonged use the paint gradually scratches. To prevent rust from forming, the discs are replaced or repainted.

We talk about how to paint stamped wheels in the next chapter. Enjoy reading.

All stages of preparation

It is clear that it is best to clean the disc “to the metal” before painting. In this case, only sandpaper (ISO P400-P1500) and, perhaps, a drill with a metal brush are used.

This is how you remove a layer of old paint

The problem is that such cleaning will take more than one day. But the result will please you with its appearance:

Fully cleaned steel disc

In order not to waste time, the surface is only cleaned of rust, then sanded and degreased. The “old paint” remains. This option is also considered acceptable. Let us list the stages of preparation “step by step”:

Thoroughly rinse the disc with water. To simplify the task, use a brush;
Mechanical rust removal;
If necessary, you can use a rust converter: apply the product, leave it for 2 hours, then grind the surface and clean it. You cannot use water!
Degreasing (white spirit or solvent 646 is suitable);
Applying putty if the wheel has obvious defects.
Apply two layers of primer with an interval of 20 minutes.

The last step is to use a universal acrylic primer. These products are sold in aerosol packaging.

Application of primer

Note that phosphoric acid can act as a rust converter. And if the finishing layer is applied, it takes a day to dry the soil.

The priming itself is a dress rehearsal for the painting process. To simplify these “processes”, the disk can be installed on an inverted bucket. The rim is then painted by turning the disc with the desired side facing you. As you can see, everything is simple.

Painting process

So we got to the most important thing. Let's look at how to properly paint stamped wheels so that you don't have to redo everything from scratch later. In principle, there is nothing complicated in this process:

Applying paint to the rim

Of course, not everyone has a spray gun, nor does everyone have special equipment. Therefore, an upside down bucket, unnecessary tires, etc. will help again. The main thing is to be smart, as the author of this photo did:

Homemade equipment for disks

Also, it is advisable to follow these tips:

When using an aerosol, the can must be shaken periodically;
The temperature of the aerosol package should not be too low: 30-35 degrees is the norm;
Keep the aerosol at a distance of 20 cm from the surface (no less);
When painting, you should not stay in one place for a long time, otherwise streaks will form.

The paint is applied in two or three layers, maintaining an interval of 10 minutes. An hour after painting, the surface is treated with varnish. You can use the finished product within a day. But it’s better to wait 60-80 hours – during this time the varnish gains maximum strength.

Selection of materials, tips

Typically, acrylic paint, glossy or matte, is used to paint metal. The primer for this paint is also acrylic (universal). There are also nitro paints.

All of the above materials are packaged in an aerosol. But, as is easy to understand, not every primer is suitable for nitro enamels.

Be aware that nitrogen based primers and paints are prohibited for use in most countries.

Here are some tips that are known even to beginners:

The higher the air temperature, the faster drying occurs;
The color of the primer should approximately match the color of the paint;
The aerosol must be shaken before use. The packaging temperature, moreover, should not be lower than 25 degrees. This advice applies to any aerosol: with paint, primer or varnish.

It was said how to paint stamped wheels if you know that the work will be done with your own hands. And therefore, such an option as using powder paints was not considered. Good luck.

Unfolding is not necessary

Sometimes, in order to complete painting faster, rims are painted without removing the tires. First, the pressure is reduced to the maximum, and then, as can be seen from the photo, masking tape is used:

Scotch tape pasted under the edge of the rim

Probably, comments are unnecessary here. Do the same to save time.

Hub like a lathe

There is a method that allows you to quickly paint the rim:

Let's say there is rust on the surface of the rim. To find out about this, you will have to disassemble the disk (Fig. 1);
Next, the disk is mounted on the hub, the engine is started and the gear is engaged (Fig. 2);
If you are using a left-hand hub, turn the steering wheel to the left, and vice versa;
Using cloth-based sandpaper, sanding is carried out (Fig. 3). It is better to fix the sandpaper on a block;
Just as “preparation” was done in step 4, painting can be done (Fig. 4).

All steps are illustrated in the photo:

Using the hub like a lathe

Use this method at your own risk.

How to make a border

You can buy contour tape to paint it in two colors. The standard two-tone color option is the border near the rim. The result of all work will look like this:

Stamped discs with border

The border color is the first layer of paint. Or rather, two or three layers. When doing two-tone painting, keep the following in mind:

Allow the paint to dry before applying the tape. Which takes 15-20 minutes;
Do not use regular tape with contour tape. It will come off along with the paint;
In the example shown above, painting could be done like this: 2-3 layers of red enamel, drying, one “outer” layer.

The last layer must be dried finally. Then varnish treatment is performed. Know that the width of the contour tape is always 6 mm. But this is not a problem, since polyethylene can be glued under the tape.

Express painting: four discs in 15 minutes, example in video

Source: http://LifanoVod.ru/kak-pokrasit-shtampovannye-diski-avtomobilya-svoimi-rukami/

How to paint car rims with your own hands? | Motorist's benefit

Of course, painting car rims at a specialized station using special equipment is perhaps the best option; it will allow you to achieve excellent results.

Moreover, one way or another, it will differ from painting wheels with your own hands at home. However, one should not assume that the second option is so hopeless and unacceptable.

As a rule, the main difference between painting wheels yourself is your personal labor costs.

Although, this is only the first time, and then look, it will be possible to perform a similar procedure several times a month.

I suggest, first of all, to go through the materials and necessary equipment. An ordinary electric drill with a set of various attachments will act as a sandblaster. By the way, a set of attachments can later be used for polishing a car body, as well as for polishing glass, so don’t skimp, buy the right equipment.

Dye

Before painting, you will need a primer in cans. The paint should be acrylic, try to buy varnish and paint from the same manufacturer.

Why acrylic paint and not powder paint? I won’t argue that powder paint has no equal, it’s an ideal option, but there is one caveat: the technology for applying this type of painting requires special, expensive equipment.

I doubt, however, that any of you have a miniature sandblaster or heat chamber in your garage. But who knows? If available, you should give preference to powder coating. Buy paint only from trusted authorized sales points, pay attention to the expiration date, as well as the amount of paint. Don't buy it back to back, it's better to stay.

Materials

The sandpaper should be of different grain sizes, from fine to coarse; it will be useful for preparatory work. Be sure to buy a solvent; you will need it to degrease the prepared surface. An old shirt or T-shirt will do as a rag - it doesn’t matter.

Now, you can, and as they say, from words to action... Let's start painting car rims with our own hands.

Surface preparation

The first step, of course, is to remove the old paintwork. Try to wash the disc as thoroughly as possible using a brush and washing powder.

I think your wife won’t mind if you borrow a handful of the miracle remedy called “Ariel” or “Tide”, it doesn’t matter.

It would be best, of course, if you use drill attachments and perform a “total” cleaning of the disk.

In order to paint discs with your own hands , you should treat the entire surface of the disc without exception. Therefore, do not hide the drill with attachments far away, we need it again. In hard-to-reach places, crevices and bends of the disc, work with your hands. While removing the old coating with sandpaper, occasionally rinse the disc with water.

The procedure for using sandpaper should be as follows: No. 200-400-600. After you finish sanding the disc, if necessary, you can use automotive finishing putty to eliminate minor defects on the surface of the disc. There will be defects in any way, since I doubt that you are going to paint the new disk, so minor “side effects” will be 100%.

Let's start priming the surface

Primer work is one of the most important stages when painting car rims. As soon as the “stripping” and sanding of the disc is finished, treat it with a degreaser, solvent No. 646 will help you with this. After this, you can proceed directly to the priming process itself.

Correctly, the primer should be applied in three layers. Make sure to allow each layer to dry properly for some time. As soon as the third layer is applied, I strongly recommend forcing it to dry.

Since painting car rims takes place, roughly speaking, “on your knees” in the garage, you certainly won’t have a heat-heating oven, so as an alternative, you can use an industrial hair dryer or, in extreme cases, your beloved wife’s hair dryer.

How to take it from her - steal it, beg it, earn it - is your problem.

Do-it-yourself painting of car wheels and coating with protective varnish

The procedure for painting car rims is not fundamentally different from the priming procedure, so I see no point in repeating it.

Do each of the stages sequentially, only now using paint. Remember safety precautions when using acrylic paint.

Follow all the measures necessary to protect the skin of your hands, as well as other areas of the skin, take care of your eyes - use glasses.

You need to coat the discs with varnish in one or two layers, as I said earlier, it is advisable that the varnish and paint be from the same manufacturer. Apply the varnish according to the instructions on the package.

Related publications:

Source: https://sanekua.ru/kak-pokrasit-avtomobilnye-diski-svoimi-rukami/

How to paint car rims yourself

Car wheels painted by yourself will look no worse than after taking them to a specialized workshop. In addition, self-restoration will bring no less pleasure than the attractive appearance of the wheels. Before you paint your car's rims, let's look at what paints are used for the job.

Paints

Powder . They are applied by sandblasting, with preliminary removal of old paint residues under pressure, and careful leveling of the surface to be painted. This method is considered expensive due to the need to use special equipment and a heat chamber, so it is not suitable for painting discs yourself.

Acrylic . Paints are easily applied to any surface using a spray gun or special cylinders. After drying, the painted surface is varnished. It is recommended to use paints and varnishes from the same manufacturer.

Materials and necessary tools

Painting wheels will require the use of the following tools and equipment:

sandpaper (abrasive);
brushes with plastic and metal bristles;
household detergents, white spirit (solvent);
finishing auto putty, primer, varnish, acrylic paint;
protective equipment - gloves, respirator, plastic glasses.

Preparing the disc surface before painting

You need to dilute a small amount of washing powder or detergent in warm water, and then, using a brush with plastic bristles, you need to thoroughly wash the wheel rim from dirt.

The dried metal disk surface is treated with a brush with steel bristles and abrasive paper.
The prepared surface should be smooth, free of old paint and rust. After cleaning, it is necessary to blow off the disk surface using a compressor.

The final treatment will be degreasing, for which a rag soaked in white spirit (solvent) is used. Before painting car wheels, their metal surface needs careful putty, which will hide visible defects: chips, cracks and large scratches.

For this purpose, automotive putty (finishing) is used. After complete drying, it must be thoroughly sanded with fine sandpaper.

When all visible defects have disappeared, the prepared surface is sanded (using zero abrasive paper and water), and it is brought to perfect condition.

How to properly prime a disc

The next stage of preparatory work will be priming the disc. To do this, the dried, sanded surface must be carefully treated with white spirit.

After a few minutes, you can begin priming work, which must begin by covering the inner surface of the rim.

It is necessary to apply the primer (using a spray bottle or a can) in an even layer, and do not allow drips or poorly treated areas.

Having finished applying the first layer, you need to leave the surface to dry. After which the priming procedure will need to be repeated. To speed up drying, you can use a hair dryer.

Care should be taken to ensure that there is ventilation in the room where painting work will be carried out. It is best to carry out work outside in dry, windless weather.

After some time, it will be possible to paint the rims, since by then the primer will have time to dry completely, and the acrylic paint will lie perfectly on the treated surface.

We paint the disk. Final stage

To achieve compatibility of varnish and acrylic paint, as well as the ideal appearance of the painted surface, it is recommended to purchase paints and varnishes from the same manufacturer. The technology for applying acrylic paint is the same as when applying a primer.

To avoid damaging the skin of your hands and getting paint into your eyes, do not forget to use personal protective equipment. It would be a good idea to purchase a respirator that will protect the respiratory system from toxic fumes entering the body.

Using a spray gun or a can of acrylic paint, we begin to paint the disc. Before starting work, do not forget to place a cloth or paper under it to prevent dirt from getting onto the surface to be painted.

After applying the 1st layer, you must let the paint dry, after which the procedure must be repeated. It is advisable to paint the disc three times, and then you can start varnishing it. Varnish (colorless) is applied twice with a break of 15 minutes.

It is recommended to let the wheel dry for 1-2 days before using it. To avoid an annoying surprise, do not forget to paint the spare tire. To give the disk surface a more attractive appearance, it can be polished after drying.

Source: http://AutoLirika.ru/pokraska/chem-kachestvenno-pokrasit-starye-diski.html

How to inexpensively paint wheels yourself

Home » Tuning » How to inexpensively paint wheels yourself

If you decide to sell your car, it is advisable to carry out its cosmetic pre-sale preparation on your own. Today we’re talking about how to quickly and inexpensively paint and restore your wheels to their former attractiveness.

Gloss above all

The proposed painting technology is especially relevant if your car has cast alloy wheels.

If there is significant damage, it is better to replace ordinary stamped wheels with a new set, especially since steel wheels are relatively inexpensive.

But changing alloy wheels will be hard on your wallet, and it’s just a shame, because even scratched alloy wheels with peeling paint in places are still quite functional.

No matter how carefully you operate your car, it is impossible to avoid damage to the wheel rims. Sooner or later, they become covered with scratches; temperature changes, precipitation and other realities of daily use of a car leave their traces in the form of abrasions, peeling and other defects that make the car’s wheels completely unattractive in appearance.

Do-it-yourself painting will help correct the situation and update otherwise normal rims. In this case, it is not at all necessary to disassemble the wheel and remove the rubber from the disk.

Carrying out all these manipulations on your own will be very labor-intensive and time-consuming, and if you turn to a tire repair shop, you will have to part with a fair amount of money.

In addition to everything, you need to have another set of wheels, which you will have to go to the tire shop on.

Car life hacking

Oddly enough, the process of painting car wheels can be greatly simplified by using an ordinary deck of playing cards. If the size of the wheel does not exceed the 16th radius, a deck of 36 cards is suitable; for larger sizes, it is worth purchasing a deck of 54 cards.

The wheel must be removed from the car and washed thoroughly. After this, you first need to carefully rub off large scratches with waterproof sandpaper dipped in water, and then with finer-grain paper, you need to completely process the front side of the disc.

It is worth keeping in mind that the lower the number indicated on the back of the sandpaper, the greater the grit it has and vice versa. Ultimately, the car wheel is processed with very fine sandpaper (grit number 1000 is suitable).

A prerequisite for grinding is the use of water.

After the surface of the disc has been cleaned and polished, it must be washed again with water and thoroughly degreased. Traditional solvent 647 or brake cleaner spray will work for this. One wheel will require no more than half a liter of solvent.

Now unpack the deck of cards and arrange them along the entire radius of the disk rim, so that the cards slightly overlap each other. The resulting unique fan will reliably protect the tires of the wheel and surrounding surfaces from spray paint. To protect the tire bolts or nipples from paint, they must be carefully covered with masking paper tape.

For those who are completely economical, we can suggest not using a primer, since in the vast majority of cases, a painted disc retains the appearance of a new product for some time after the car is sold.

Consumables for painting wheels

For painting, it is recommended to purchase high-quality paint. One aerosol can of a standard volume of 400 ml is enough to paint a set of four wheels.

The best option in terms of quality and price ratio may be, for example, the German paint “DUPLI - COLOR Metallic Enamel Paint”. You should not use paint made in China.

Even with proper and careful painting, the wheels will look like low-quality Chinese consumer goods.

Apply paint to the disc evenly with intensity and from the distance indicated on the can. After applying the first layer, you need to let it dry for 10-15 minutes, after which you need to apply a second coat of paint.

After another 15 minutes of drying, a layer of varnish is applied. When choosing a varnish, you can safely focus on price. Varnish when painting wheels is not the most important thing.

The main thing is that it is exclusively colorless, although, of course, a good branded varnish protects the paint much better than products from unknown manufacturers.

Even if you discover a mistake made when painting the disc, there is nothing to worry about. You just need to wait for the paint or varnish to dry completely and use the finest-grained sandpaper, always using water, to clean the damaged area, and then repeat the painting.

This is a fairly well-known “cheap and cheerful” method. It is often used by resellers who need to quickly bring their car into salable condition. The asking price is only a few hundred rubles.

Another thing is that for an ordinary car enthusiast who does not intend to sell the car in the near future, there is no point in painting the wheels. Such beauty will be too short-lived.

However, if you urgently need to spruce up your ceremonial appearance, for example, to participate in a wedding procession or other special event, this method is quite suitable.

Source: http://remontpeugeot.ru/tuning/kak-nedorogo-pokrasit-diski-svoimi-rukami.html