Stamped wheels are considered the most durable, since all that can deteriorate over time is the paint coating. The steel from which such models are made can withstand all the tests of modern roads. But the paint on a car disc gradually gets scratched and corrosion appears over time. To avoid serious damage, it is replaced with a new one, or simply repainted.
The wheel does not need to be beaded before painting. The tire pressure is reduced as much as possible and simply sealed along the edges with masking tape. This prevents paint from getting on them. But if the car disk has been severely damaged by corrosion, then it will still have to be beaded to remove the rust on the rim.
Painting of stampings
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.
It is important to know: once a mark has been made on the metal with sandpaper, water should not touch the surface in principle. Use organic solvents for cleaning.
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.
You may have to work with sandpaper after applying the primer. Sanding with P1500 sandpaper is carried out before painting, which is mandatory.
Pros and cons of painting castings and spray stamping
The use of paint in aerosol cans is attractive due to its simplicity. You don’t need a paint gun, which few people know how to use correctly, prepared and dehydrated air under strictly required pressure, and bringing the paint to the desired consistency. It is enough to shake an inexpensively purchased can.
This is precisely the first drawback. Not all cans are the same. You won't be able to paint a disc well on the cheap.
The correct aerosol should be from a reputable manufacturer, and not only contain good acrylic paint inside, but also provide an effective spray with a limited spot, within which the paint should lie evenly. This is the only way to get rid of unevenness and smudges.
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.
What you need to paint stamped wheels
To paint stamps you will need the following tools and materials:
- Drill (attachments required) or sander.
- Paint in a can or can and a spray gun.
- Solvent.
- Ground coating.
- Overalls and respirator.
- Construction hair dryer.
- Sandpaper.
- Rags.
Tools and materials for painting wheels
There are the following options for painting stamped wheels yourself:
- Powder composition. The most reliable option, but requires certain skills and equipment.
- Liquid rubber. The process is simple. The coating protects against scratches and can be removed if desired.
- Acrylic enamel. The most common method is to paint stamps. Aerosol cans will be required.
- Alkyd-melamine paint. A spray gun is required. The surface is resistant to external influences.
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.
According to reviews, 4 discs require: 2 cans of dye (450 ml), one can of primer (450 ml), one can of varnish.
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
You might be interested in this: Wheels for Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 120
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.
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:
Looking at the edge of the rim
Using the hub like a lathe
Rust removal
Painting procedure
Use this method at your own risk.
Let's sum it up
Simple stamped wheels can be freshened up with a high-quality paint job, or you can completely change their style. Car owners often perform tasks using bright colors that highlight the appearance of these vehicle parts. It may not be so easy to carry out all the procedures with your own hands. The reason for this is the complexity of selecting materials and directly using them. But you can easily get expert advice or watch professional videos describing the procedure.
There is a lot of freely available information that will help you do everything correctly and quickly, paint your wheels without involving specialists. If you don't have a compressor, choose expensive spray paint. We immediately recommend taking the material with a reserve so that you learn how to apply it normally before painting work. Stamped discs will take on a completely different appearance and will delight you with their design if all procedures are performed with the proper quality. It is not necessary to contact specialists to get good results.
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.
What paint to paint car stamping wheels in two colors
It is better to use spray paint or a spray gun for such purposes. Coloring usually occurs in two shades, and this process does not require any special skills. The rim of a stamped disc is painted in one tone, and the middle in another. All manipulations are carried out using masking tape and oilcloth.
Painting in several colors
The area required for painting is left uncovered, and everything else must be covered with film and secured with masking tape. After the paint has dried, you should cover the painted area and paint where there is no paint yet. Even in the case of double paint, you can use special stencils with a pattern. The main thing is to carefully cover the places where the paint should not get.
How to paint the steel wheels of a car yourself and how is fully described in the article. An important point in this matter is its quality preparation. You should also pay special attention to your own safety. Gloves, a mask and a respirator must be present when working with paints and varnishes.
Pasting
If you want to paint the “stamps” quickly, without removing the rubber, you need to properly glue its sides. You can do this in several ways:
- Masking tape. It’s trivial to paste it over all the places where the presence of paint is undesirable.
- With cards. We install them vertically in the groove between the sidewall of the tire and the disk shelf.
- Large A3 paper (the thicker the better). We arrange the sheets in a circle. We secure them with pieces of tape. You will get a kind of “drum” that will prevent paint from getting onto the sidewall of the tires.
- Old tires. We cut out the sidewall from an unnecessary tire of the same diameter and simply apply it to our wheel. This way we will prevent pollen from getting onto the surface.
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
Advice. The respiratory tract must be protected, starting with the process of stripping the metal of rust, since fine abrasive dust also rises in the air. Another option is to periodically moisten the sandpaper, which will prevent dust from appearing and will make rubbing easier.
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.
