How to paint cast or stamped wheels yourself? Tips and examples. What is best to use for painting wheel rims and how to apply auto enamel to them? The most important questions for a motorist when carrying out this work are the following questions:

Many car owners sooner or later face a situation where appearance wheel rims are not the same as before. First, small chips appear, then corrosion, and then during the next seasonal “change of shoes” we notice that the disc has begun to look like a piece of recycled metal. This is not surprising, because the wheels have a hard time - temperature changes, snow and ice, abrasive dirt and gravel, as well as potholes and deicing agents. And there comes a time when a car on such wheels looks unattractive. In such a situation, you can contact specialists at a service center, who will put the wheels in order for a decent fee, or you can paint the wheels on the car yourself.

• primer;
• enamel;
• sandpaper of varying abrasiveness;
• “grinder” with a cup-shaped brush;
• degreaser (anti-silicone);
• rust converter;

What materials to choose and how to apply

First, a little about the materials. The enamel and primer must have the same base - either alkyd or acrylic. The first gives a good shine, but takes a long time to dry, the second has a worse shine, but dries in 2 hours.

Choose the application method yourself, but keep in mind that working with a spray gun requires equipment and experience. Therefore for independent work It’s better to follow the path of least resistance and purchase ready-made materials in aerosol cans. Moreover, now there are special acrylic enamels for discs that have proven themselves very well, the coating is very strong and durable. Accordingly, you also need to use an acrylic primer.

How does the process of painting car wheels work?

Maximum results can only be achieved with the tires removed, since the surface of the landing shelves (humps) may also require cleaning and painting. The development of corrosion on them causes loss of tightness, and the tire constantly bleeds air. Therefore, you first need to go to a tire repair shop. We disassemble the wheels and thoroughly wash the rims. It is better to do this at a car wash using chemicals. Further work should be carried out in a well-ventilated area or outdoors, avoiding dust.

The process of painting car rims takes place according to the following scenario:

After completing all the steps described above, leave the discs to dry. Tires can be installed no earlier than after 12 hours.

How to paint alloy wheels

Although wheels made of aluminum alloys do not rust like steel ones, they are no less susceptible to chips and scratches. The painting of alloy wheels is different in that they can initially be painted in two colors, sometimes with enamel with a “metallic” effect, and this necessarily requires an additional layer of clear varnish.

In addition to this, they often have a complex surface.

Preparation already requires greater accuracy and there is nothing to do with a grinder here. Hand sanding only. In this way, you need to smooth out all the defects, and then make the entire surface matte. Next, degrease and prime the bare areas. Just a regular primer will not work in this case; you need a special one for aluminum.

Instructions If you decide to paint, then the first thing you should consider is purchasing the required materials. Primer, paint and varnish should be chosen special for wheels: acrylic for wheels, acrylic clear varnish, anti-corrosion acrylic primer - they have wear resistance to mechanical stress. To paint small elements, use paint in aerosol cans. Any solvent will do, the sandpaper should be fine - suitable for rubbing scratches, and not for creating them. As detergent Shampoo for washing a car is suitable, in extreme cases a regular one.

washing powder Before priming, the discs must be cleaned and washed from dirt and corrosion products using a brush with plastic bristles, for washing in hard to reach places A toothbrush works great. Discs are washed and cleaned both externally and internally. inside

. It is better if the rims are without tires, it is much more convenient when painting, and simply because they are much lighter this way, but if the tires can still be used, then there is no need to disassemble them, the rims can be painted just like that. When the discs are washed, they should be sanded until smooth. When the required effect is achieved, degrease the surface with a solvent and allow the discs to dry thoroughly. Now you need to separate the surface to be painted from the tire; for this you will need thin cardboard and masking tape; we also wrap the wheel nipple with tape so as not to paint it all in one. You can start priming the disc. Apply 2-3 coats of primer with 15-20 minutes between coats to allow them to dry. Wait for the primer to dry completely.

When the primer is completely dry, you can begin painting the disc. Apply also 2-3 layers of paint at intervals of 15-20 minutes. Apply the paint evenly, avoiding the formation of smudges. After the paint has dried, you can apply varnish; it is also applied in 2-3 layers with an interval of 25-30 minutes. Wait for the varnish to dry completely, you may have to leave the discs to dry overnight, then turn the disc over and repeat the painting procedure for the reverse side of the disc. Leave the discs for a day for the paint to dry completely. Now you can surprise your friends with the original color of your car's wheel rims. Believe me, there will be no indifferent people.

Wheels are a very vulnerable spot on any car. They are the ones who take the maximum impact: impacts from oncoming stones, curbs, tree branches. Alloy wheels are especially susceptible to wear; when hitting an obstacle, they can not only bend, but also crack or scratch in some places, and their appearance becomes unsightly. However, the situation can be corrected; special paint for discs is used for this.

Wheel rims are painted for two main reasons:

• if the discs have lost their original appearance and require restoration;
• painting in decorative purposes– for example, luminous paint for wheels will give the car originality and make it stand out from the crowd.

In the second case, special colors are often used that attract attention; chrome effect paint is often used for wheels.

Types of car paints

Painting wheels is not only a decorative move, but also protection. Modern coatings can reliably protect metal from corrosion.

There are several types of such paints, they all differ in composition and purpose.

Powder Powder paints for painting wheels are popular among car enthusiasts due to their durability and high resistance to various kinds influences.

The disadvantage of powder paints is the need for special equipment - the dye in powder form, according to the technology, must melt at a temperature of about 200 degrees. This is why powder technology is not suitable for aluminum - aluminum wheels can become deformed.

The painting technology involves cleaning the stamp from the old coating using sandblasting. Then the surface is thoroughly degreased, covered with primer and dye is applied in a special painting booth.

It will take at least a day for the paint to dry completely. It is possible to do such work in a garage with your own hands, but it is not profitable.

Acrylic

Acrylic paint works well for painting wheels. This option is the best choice. Using acrylic is very convenient, and you can apply it yourself - the dye is sold in an aerosol, but you can also work with a spray gun. You can paint discs with aerosol acrylic paint quickly and efficiently, and at the same time inexpensively.

Among the main advantages are complete protection of the surface from the effects of precipitation. Road reagents also cannot harm the painted surface in any way. But it must be borne in mind that acrylic has average durability.

Spray paint for wheels is chosen in most cases because of its affordable price and ease of use - the spray allows you to get high-quality results in the fastest possible time.

Before applying spray paint, be sure to treat the disc with abrasive materials. Next, the contents of the container are thoroughly mixed (the container must be shaken for three minutes) - this way, color uniformity is achieved. Then, without fail, do a test spraying on any other area; if the paint is sprayed well and evenly, you can apply it to the discs.

Compared to powder dyes, the advantage here is the ability to dry quickly - the painted surface dries in just 10 minutes. Choice color range also extensive, spray paint is available in any shade, but silver paint (chrome-look) is popular.

If you add a little phosphor to acrylic, you can get luminous paint - the wheels will glow in the dark, which will attract prying eyes. The brightness of the glow depends on how much the phosphor is “saturated” with light.

Rubber

Rubber paints are in great demand among those who like to highlight their car and tune it in every possible way. The reason for the great popularity of such coatings is their versatility. They can be used not only on metal, but also on plastic and glass. The coating can be either matte or glossy, this gives buyers the opportunity to choose what they want.

There is also rubber luminescent paint on sale that glows. The composition contains a special pigment - a phosphor, which accumulates light during the day and begins to emit it at night. This creates an interesting glowing effect.

Applying dye to cast wheels is very convenient. Spray rim aerosol paint in two or three thin layers. The surface will be smooth and even. The process may take an hour or more. In this case, the primer of the discs is as preparatory stage you can skip it.

In the video: painting wheels with Plasti Dip liquid rubber.

Popular products

Body

Body paints are a one-component alkyd composition produced in aerosols. The product has increased strength and wear resistance, and has good adhesion.

Body paint has an affordable price and low consumption (the optimal number of layers applied is two or three). Ideal as a paint for stamped wheels, as well as cast versions. Should be applied with a spray gun. How much material is needed to paint one wheel is usually indicated on the can, but the consumption is small.

Motip

Unlike Body, Motip disc enamels are acrylic-based compositions designed to give an attractive appearance. Products from Motip have all the advantages acrylic paints, the compositions protect the surface from various influences and are characterized by high adhesion.

The palette includes black, white, and golden colors. The texture can be matte or glossy. All products are supplied exclusively in cans.

How to paint: enamel is sprayed onto a cleaned and degreased surface, holding the can at a distance of 30-40 cm. The material is ideal as paint for alloy wheels.

As an analogue, you can use Kudo products - these are paints in spray cans based on liquid rubber good quality.

What paint to use depends on the purpose - if you need to give the surface gloss and shine, and not just protect it from corrosion, then it is better to use acrylic and rubber coatings. Painting the wheels with glowing paint will make the car doubly original.

How to paint wheels yourself (2 videos)

Paints of different brands (25 photos)

The car owner needs to constantly monitor the condition of his car and, in particular, the appearance of the rims on the car. Even if the body is clean and new, scratched, chipped or dented wheel rims will spoil the entire appearance of the vehicle.

In addition, the paint for wheels can simply fade due to the influence of aggressive substances or temperature changes. You may also want to change its color. The wisest and relatively inexpensive solution would be to paint the rims on the car yourself, and not buy new components for the car at all (except for situations where the alloy rims in the wheels are dented).

Also, painting wheel rims with your own hands will help you save on buying used products, which even with good operational characteristics may have an unpresentable appearance. To know how to paint alloy wheels with your own hands, you need to know that the painting process is preceded by treatment and application of a primer - this will prevent the development of corrosion.

The most important questions for a motorist when carrying out this work are the following:

• What do you need to paint a wheel?
• How much paint should I apply to the surface to paint the wheels well?

Consumables

To update wheels at home, you need to try as much as possible to adhere to the technology of painting them in a car service center and use quality materials for painting wheels.

To paint your wheels you will need:

• specialized paint for wheels. It can be rubber, acrylic or powder based. You can buy it in bottles with a dispenser - then it is ready for application. It is also possible to use a spray gun or other similar professional equipment;
• primer and varnish. The first remedy serves as a starter, and the second - finishing coat, ensuring the durability of paint for car wheels;
• sheets of sandpaper with different grits;
• electric drill with brush attachment;
• solvent and degreaser;
• putty (if there are traces of corrosion, chips or dents);
• rags with wire that will help hang car wheels;
• powerful hair dryer;
• skin and face protection products.

Preparatory stage

After the materials for painting the rims have been purchased, it is necessary to remove the number of rims for which processing and painting will be done from the tires, and also dismantle the plastic plugs.

After this, preparing alloy wheels for painting includes the following steps:

• Washing components from dirt, dust and other substances. This is possible at home using car shampoo or ordinary dishwashing detergent.
• Removing corrosion, scratches and chips on the surface of automotive components. This is possible using a drill with a metal brush or sandpaper.
• Puttying, which is carried out after the editing of the surface of the products is completed.
• Degreasing the surface outside and inside. After this, you can paint the alloy wheels yourself.

Dyeing technology

Painting a car and, in particular, its local painting involves the following stages:

• Applying primer. The primer composition should be applied in 2-3 layers. If required, after applying a layer of primer, you need to go over it with fine-grained sandpaper, ensuring perfect smoothness. Typically, a complete set of products takes about a liter of composition.
• Applying paint. How to paint alloy wheels with your own hands depends on the type of enamel. If we paint rims with acrylic or rubber paint, we need to hold the can or spray gun at a distance of 20-30 cm. If you want to use a powder composition, then painting the rims should preferably be done using special equipment for this enamel, heating it to a temperature of +200 degrees. Both priming and painting disks involve drying each applied layer, and only then applying the next one. On average, painting 4 products requires up to 4 liters of paint.

• Applying varnish. This procedure completes the painting of alloy wheels with your own hands. This stage provides additional stability of the composition to mechanical and chemical influences. The varnish creates a film on the alloy, protecting it from oxygen, which can oxidize the metal. If you have not found a specialized composition, you can cover the components polyurethane varnish. Before application, for better adhesion, it is recommended to coat the surface with a primer for non-ferrous metals. But if the paint becomes cloudy, you can do without primer.

Painting alloy wheels yourself, although it takes time, is much cheaper, providing high-quality coating service for many years.

Care of components

To protect products from road abrasives, dirt, temperature changes and precipitation, the car market has such effective means as:

• sprays and various liquid mixtures that dissolve dirt;
• polishing compounds that create additional protective layer and repelling road dust (this is especially true when the car is slowing down). They also reduce the influence of mixtures with salts, as they are characterized by almost zero adhesion;
• brushes and sponges that will help clean products from dirt.

To keep your wheels intact for a long time, you should adhere to the following rules:

• When parking, minimize contact between the wheels and the curb so as not to expose painted components to the risk of dents;
• immediately after the paint has dried, apply a protective varnish on the products, and then polish. If you do not apply varnish, then be sure to at least apply polish - it contains tiny particles of wax that create a protective layer and provide shine. This composition will have to be applied every 2-3 weeks (it all depends on the intensity of contact with road abrasives, as well as the quality of the polishing composition itself). Polished components should be wiped only after preliminary washing with a clean cloth;
• when cleaning products under high pressure check whether special brushes are used during this procedure that do not violate the integrity of the coating;
• Do not treat wheels with solvent or gasoline.

One of the most simple ways to make the car more attractive - install high-quality alloy wheels, since their range allows you to satisfy the needs of even the most demanding car owners. However, during operation, they may lose their former luster, as scratches, chips, peeling and abrasions appear on them, which negatively affects the external perception of the machine, and also reduces the service life of the discs. Painting, which is easy to do with your own hands, can correct the situation.

Painting options for alloy wheels

In order to paint car rims, you need special paint. The most popular types of paint for them:

• powder,
• acrylic,
• so-called liquid rubber.

Powder paint is considered the most wear-resistant and durable. It is created on the basis of special polymer materials. Often this paint is used by the manufacturer himself during industrial production. At home, powder paint is used extremely rarely, since its use requires specialized and very expensive equipment, as well as the complexity of the application process.

Acrylic paint is the most common among car owners. It is available in liquid form, so it can be applied from a spray can or spray gun. This paint has excellent adhesive properties, due to which it adheres well to the surface and reliably protects the disc from negative environmental factors.

Liquid rubber - the new kind painting material that is rapidly gaining popularity. It is a rubber-based paint that can be used both on the body of a vehicle and on individual elements of the car, including rims.

Each of the presented types has its own advantages, however, in everyday conditions, car owners opt for painting with acrylic paints.

Equipment and materials needed for painting

For quality work The following materials are needed:

• specialized paint for rims;
• primer;
• special varnish;
• sandpaper with different grain sizes;
• acetone or solvent;
• putty;
• gloves and respirator.

Important: when choosing paint, primer and varnish, it is preferable to use products from the same manufacturer.

In addition to the right materials, you also need to acquire the necessary tools:

1. A compressor and a spray gun, which allow you to make painting better (in fairness, it is worth noting that paint in cans also allows you to achieve good painting results).
2. A grinder or electric drill with a grinding attachment, with which you can quickly and easily get rid of old coating and remove traces of corrosion.
3. A heat gun, a hair dryer or a regular hair dryer - they are necessary to speed up the drying process of the paint.

With everything necessary equipment and materials, the work will not take much time and effort.

Dyeing process

Before you start preparing for painting, you need to remove the tires, as well as the plastic plugs, otherwise it will be impossible to paint the wheels properly.

Preparing for work

How to paint: description step by step

1. We proceed to the primer, which is carried out in 2-3 layers. It is important to remember that before starting a new layer you must wait until the previous one has completely dried. Depending on the situation, it may also be necessary to sand with sandpaper before applying the final primer coat.
2. We apply paint, holding the spray gun at a distance of at least 35–45 cm from the surface of the disc. Like the primer mixture, the paint is applied in 2-3 layers, and each new layer is sprayed only after the previously applied layer has completely dried.
3. Applying varnish. The specifics of applying varnish are similar to the same process for primer and paint.

How to paint car wheels with your own hands

It is important to note: the varnish acquires peak protective properties only 6–7 days after application.

Security measures

In the process of painting work, you must adhere to certain safety rules:

1. It is necessary to use special safety glasses to prevent contact with harmful substances in the eyes.
2. It is recommended to carry out all work wearing special protective gloves.
3. Alloy wheels should be painted in a well-ventilated area, otherwise there is a high risk of chemical poisoning.

It’s easy to paint alloy wheels yourself, without going to specialized auto repair shops, which will save you quite a lot of money. The only thing the car owner needs is time and strict adherence to the steps described above.