Car rims have less protection compared to the body, and the quality of the paint sometimes leaves much to be desired, so over time, water, dirt, and snow do their job and over time, they don’t look their best. However, painting wheels with your own hands is not such a fantastic task and anyone can do it.
Of course, painting wheels, both stamped and cast, using special equipment will ultimately result in a better-quality coating, but in a garage you can achieve the same if you approach the matter responsibly.
The quality of the work performed will entirely depend on you, the time spent on painting and the materials used.
What you need to know before painting car rims
A scratch or corrosion of a car disk is actually a small fraction of faults; it can even be expressed as minor defects that may arise after some use of the car.
Moreover, both an experienced owner and a beginner can encounter this problem. But both need to know all the nuances of painting to give your favorite vehicle an attractive look.
And, if you paint the wheels yourself, you can not only save your family budget. But also acquire some skills for painting discs in the future.
Before this work, it is worth deciding what kind of discs the car is equipped with. And only after that start taking action.
Types of disks and their features
Vehicle products are manufactured in the following types:
- Stamped steel wheels;
- Cast forged wheels.
All cars are manufactured with the first type of wheels, regardless of the brand. In the future, they can be replaced with a higher quality product. Stamped steel wheels are made from cheap and low-quality alloys.
- Initially, their appearance does not raise suspicions. But literally after a short period of time the disks take on an unpresentable appearance.
- Highlighting any scratch on the product, even the smallest one. As for the wheel covers, they also lose their attractive appearance and break quickly.
- Alloy wheels are made from quality materials. Made with cast craftsmanship. Usually having a silver or silver-black tint.
They are less susceptible to corrosion, which gives them the right to greater use. And without causing unnecessary trouble to the car owner. Accordingly, only stamped steel products need to be painted.
Methods
There are several methods for restoring the appearance of these wheels:
- With rubber removed.
- No removal.
The first method involves a trip to a tire shop, after which paint is applied to bare rims. Yes, it is much easier to apply enamel to such a surface. But there are also some problems. If you rush to change shoes and take such wheels to a tire shop ahead of time, there is a risk that the enamel will be damaged when installing the tire. You need to wait until the surface is completely dry.
In addition, not every motorist has a set of spare wheels. And the cost of tire fitting itself can be up to a thousand rubles. If we are talking about painting stamped wheels from a spray can on a budget with your own hands, then this method will not work.
Painting products
The market offers many solutions for painting wheels. The most popular of them:
- Powder composition;
- Acrylic paint;
- Aerosol;
- Liquid rubber.
Peculiarity
Each of the above compositions differs in its individual characteristics. If we consider acrylic, aerosol cans and liquid rubber. These products are the most popular among analogues.
For example, acrylic paint comes in a huge range of colors. Covers scratches on car rims well. At the same time, you need very little of it. The only drawback of this composition is that after the slightest rough impact on the disc, the defect will again be visible. And you will have to do the same work again.
- Powder paint has a longer service life compared to the previous version. When the disc is painted, it acquires a more well-groomed appearance and shine.
- This composition protects the surface of the disc well from external influences. The only thing that needs to be noted is that the powder is used mainly in professional repair shops.
- But it can also be used for home use if you carefully study the instructions for use. And purchase the appropriate unit for the work.
With due effort, the result will not take long to arrive; the owner will receive a disc similar to the new product. But you will have to paint the entire surface of the product. Therefore, for minor defects, it is better to give preference to an acrylic composition.
Liquid rubber is a fairly new product for painting car rims. But, it managed to earn sufficient popularity not only among professionals, but also among amateur motorists.
After applying this composition, the product acquires a matte surface. Which ideally resists small chips from stones, as well as abrasions and scratches.
Rim wrap
This is the most important stage of the work. The quality of painting will depend on it. And this is where opinions differ. Some people recommend covering it the old fashioned way - using masking tape to cover the sidewall of the tire. Others insert a deck of cards along the outline.
But there are other methods:
- Installing the sidewall of an old wheel. You just need to find an unnecessary tire of the same diameter (width does not matter) and cut out the sidewall. It will serve as a kind of stencil. The method is quite fast and does not require accuracy. We install the sidewall evenly on the wheel and simply apply paint.
- Use of A3 paper. It is quite hard and does not blow away with air like A4. Place the paper horizontally in the gap between the wheel rim and the tire. Additionally, you can secure it all with masking tape. This stencil is reusable. When applying paint it does not get wet.
How to paint car rims
From the examples above, you can understand that there are many products for painting wheels. Which can be used without going to a car repair shop. Replacing these establishments with your own garage or space in your summer cottage.
Applying paint
Of course, a spray can is not the best way to paint stamped wheels. It is better to apply the enamel with your own hands using a spray bottle. But since we are painting on a budget, it’s worth using this method. So, we glue the sidewall so that the enamel does not get on part of the wheel. Next, shake the can and produce the so-called developing layer. It should be the thinnest. If the factory enamel remains on the metal, you can paint it without a primer. The second layer will be thicker. Try to avoid drips - apply the composition evenly at a distance of about 30-40 centimeters.
Apply the third layer in the same way. If you need to achieve a shiny effect, use a clear varnish. It also needs to be applied in several layers using a similar algorithm. The varnish will not only add shine, but will protect the base enamel from damage.
How to spray paint
To paint with this composition you need to stock up on the following items:
- Rag for removing defects;
- Car soap;
- Masking tape;
- Sandpaper number 120 or 800;
- Solvent;
- Primer a couple of cans;
- Aerosol paint of the desired shade.
How does painting work?
The first step is to remove the wheels. This is necessary so as not to stain the car body. The discs are kept clean using car shampoo, sponges or rags.
Everything is optional. Sand irregularities on the surface of the disc. Remove the remains of this work. Degrease the surface of the product. Don't forget to seal the rubber base with tape. Before using the can, shake it well. And apply the composition from a distance of at least 25 cm.
After this, the work is evaluated, if there are any irregularities, they are sanded. And they carry out the painting operation again.
Materials
It’s not worth it to overpay when choosing paint or take something cheap. For five wheels you will need 2 cans of paint, 1 primer and one varnish. What else is needed:
- metal brush;
- sandpaper;
- degreaser;
- masking tape.
Additional tools, such as a drill with brushes or a grinder, can significantly speed up the cleaning process.
How to paint with acrylic
This work is not particularly difficult. Therefore, acrylic is considered the most popular among all the means used for painting disk products.
What you need for work:
- Spray gun;
- Primer;
- Grinding product;
- Device "Ruff";
- Hairdryer;
- Solvent;
- Gloves to protect hands.
Completing of the work
Before painting, perform the same steps as when using an aerosol. The only thing is that the deep openings of the disks can be closed with putty.
Then the surface is primed. But before this, the disc is thoroughly dried to avoid defects during future painting. Apply a degreasing solution. And they start working with the spray gun.
Applying the composition from a distance of 25 cm. Craftsmen advise doing the work in three passes, applying a thin layer of paint each time. And keeping the time between actions for 30 minutes.
Car rim tuning
Tuning is one of the ways that makes a car stand out from all other vehicles. And there are many types of such tuning, for example:
- installation of new plugs;
- unusual painting of car wheels;
- chrome plating;
- inlay;
- backlight;
- unwelding
Installing plugs is replacing old ones with new, more original ones. You can simply buy a new kit and paint it the color you want, or make it yourself. The main thing in this matter is skillful hands and imagination.
The most common way of improvement can be considered unusual painting. This means that you don’t just have to repaint the disc metallic, but choose bright, catchy colors, or maybe even several.
Chrome plating is also quite popular among car enthusiasts, as it gives the wheels an incredibly stylish look. In this case, a metal coating with a mirror effect is created. Inlay is a decoration of the rim with Swarovski crystals. This procedure is painstaking and quite expensive. But the wheels end up looking amazing.
The backlight looks very effective at night.
For this method, neon tubes or neon tape are used. Installing them on disk will not be difficult even for a beginner.
And the last improvement method is welding. It involves expanding the disk by sawing parts and adding more metal to the structure. But this method has more disadvantages than advantages.
How to paint with liquid rubber
This is the highest quality product for painting car products. Even the high price of liquid rubber is compensated over time by the long service life of the discs.
What is needed to complete the actions:
- Acetone;
- Work clothes and footwear;
- Cylinder of raw rubber.
Performing Actions
To paint with rubber, you do not need to remove the old layer from the disc. It will be enough to make it clean by using plain water. And degrease with a special solution. If you carry out work without removing the wheels, then protect all places from rubber.
The composition is applied at intervals of 10 minutes. In this case, there can be up to 7 layers. To add shine to the disc, the spray can is kept at the maximum distance from the product. And if there is a need for a matte coating, then the can is kept away from the disc.
Important! Before starting work, it is recommended to conduct a test on an inconspicuous surface of the disk to understand what the result will look like.
Preparation
First, you need to carefully check the condition of the disc being painted. Agree, it will be extremely disappointing if it turns out that a disk that looks like a brand new one does not hold its geometry. That is, we go to the service station and roll stampings if they need it. Any small holes found (if the discs are in a disgusting condition) are welded. But it’s better not to let this happen, and not to restore a leaky disk at all (only if absolutely necessary).
That the wheels are removed from the car is not a question. Whether to remove the tires is up to everyone to decide for themselves. There are enthusiasts of complete dismantling, but most amateur car painters agree that this is unnecessary, unless you suspect rust under the slope - then the rubber will have to be removed without fail. If the ramp cannot be dismantled, it needs to be lowered a little to make it easier to work. The rubber is covered on all sides with polyethylene, its edges are hidden along the disk and secured with masking tape. You can completely cover it with pieces of masking tape.
Photos of wheels before and after painting
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.
Security measures
Painting wheels requires compliance with certain measures to avoid injuries during the work process. To prevent substances from getting into your eyes, it is recommended to use special glasses. It is also necessary to use skin protection products.
It is best to use aerosols either in an open area or in a well-ventilated room so that painting discs does not result in trouble. But in general, this is a fairly safe process that anyone, with the right approach, can do with their own hands.
