Powder coating of rims: features and stages of work

Wheels are subject to significant wear, so over time, during operation, they lose their original appearance. Bad weather in the autumn-winter period is especially detrimental to this element of the machine. Discs get scratches, corrosion, and all sorts of other damage. Therefore, this part quite often has to be changed or restored. Most often, experts advise to paint the rims with powder paint. In some cases, it is cheaper to buy new stamped wheels than to repair damaged ones. But cast ones are much more expensive, so, as a rule, drivers prefer to restore them: repair defects and paint.

Options for restoration materials

Enamel

Restoring discs with acrylic paint. The product dries for no more than 15 minutes, applied to the surface with an aerosol or spray gun. The painting technology is simple - it can be easily implemented with your own hands. However, although acrylic does protect against the effects of atmospheric precipitation, it is not considered a durable coating.

plastidip

An interesting surface of the discs can be obtained using Plasti Dip rubber paint. At the same time, it is possible to create a glossy, matte, fluorescent coating: colors can be very diverse (see photo below). Painting is carried out in two steps: after the first layer has dried, the product is sprayed onto the surface again. All manipulations take about an hour.

Powder paint

The most reliable way to restore discs is to cover them with a special powder paint. It adheres well to any metal and therefore protects it well. Reviews about the quality are the most positive. But to apply this product, a special technology is used, and special conditions are needed, which are most often not found in an ordinary garage. Although it is still possible to paint with your own hands.

Features of powder paint

This tool is used only for those materials that can subsequently be subjected to heat treatment. In short, the technology is simple: by spraying, the powder is applied to a dry surface, and after that the product is fired in an oven for 10 minutes or more at a temperature of 200 degrees Celsius.

There are several types of powder paints that have their own characteristics: silicone, polyurethane, polyester, epoxy. Powder paints do not have a very wide range of colors, the most popular colors are aluminum, gold metallic, copper, platinum, blue velvet (see photo).

Stages of painting rims

The painting technology consists of four main stages.

1. Preliminary surface preparation. The part should be thoroughly cleaned of old paint, rust and all kinds of contaminants. This can be done with an electric drill, tools or a sandblaster. Acid and alkaline compounds are also used for thorough cleaning.
2. Painting of rims. Work should be performed in a special suit and a protective mask. The paint is evenly sprayed with an electrostatic spray gun onto the disc.
3. Firing in a kiln. In a specially designed chamber, the product is heated at a temperature of about 200 degrees (see photo). If necessary, the discs are covered with a second layer, and cooling in the chamber lasts up to 8 hours.
4. On the disc coating formed after heating, varnish can be applied, which will perform the protective function of the coating.

Working with powder paint yourself

It is best to restore discs with powder paint in service centers. However, if there is no opportunity to contact a specialist, then you can do disk recovery with your own hands. At the same time, you should be prepared for the fact that this will be a laborious and time-consuming work.

At the first stage, you should select the necessary components for the painting process. It is best that the primer, powder color and varnish are from the same manufacturer.

You also need a degreasing fluid, a sandblaster, a drill with a set of nozzles, sandpaper with a grain size of 200 to 600.

Discs that are subject to restoration are washed using special detergents. After drying, the surface is polished using a drill and sandpaper (see photo), and deep scratches are puttied. A video about painting discs is presented at the end of the article.

Next, you should make a primer of the product, which can only be applied to a dry surface. First, the inner side of the disks is processed - then the outer. It is recommended to make at least three layers of primer, each of which is applied to the dried surface. You can speed up the drying process with a fan or heater.

The paint is sprayed with an airbrush or compressor, and it is imperative to wear overalls before work.

Painting discs should start from the inside, gradually moving to the outside. Each layer is dried with a building hair dryer or fan.

At the last stage, the disc is varnished: it is recommended to make 2 layers of varnish, as it significantly extends the life of the disc coating. Do-it-yourself discs should be dried for about three days. Below is a photo of the painted wheels.

Features of the restoration of disks in a garage

This “household” do-it-yourself technology for painting discs differs from the industrial one by the absence of heating the product in the oven. Therefore, a different type of paint is used here, and drying takes place in the fresh air using heating devices. The DIY painting process itself can take several days, and the weather outside plays a significant role in this. You should also pay attention to the quality of coloring materials and be careful when working with powder paint, which includes many toxic substances.

In conclusion, we offer you to watch a video about painting rims.