I’m a wheels guy. In my opinion, any car, no matter its age or condition, looks better with a great set of wheels. You can take any basic economy car, bolt on a set of nice rims, tint the glass, and transform it into a respectable ride. If you’re looking for a particularly special shade – say, if you’re color coding or contrasting with your bodywork – you can still use a traditional paint, but it may not be as durable. Very often you’ll have to apply more coats to build up a sufficient layer. You may also need to prime first, and often lacquer (clear coat) after. For this reason, some prefer to use a wheel paint first, then a color paint over the top.

When the wheels are ready for a new finish, grab the painter’s tape and whatever material you’ve decided to use to cover your tire to protect the rubber from paint overspray. Tape the material around the entire circumference of the wheel rim, applying the tape under the lip of the rim. Be sure to cover the valve stem with painter’s tape, too, so that it doesn’t get clogged up during the paint application process. Leaving aside being a faster and more efficient process, allowing a professional to repair your alloy is also likely to be more convenient for you. Unlike traditional with bodyshops, most ChipsAway specialists are mobile. What this means is that they can complete the repair at a time and place most suitable for you. Giving you time to carry on with your day. SMART alloy wheel repairs are incredibly efficient and result in an amazing finish. Through using the SMART process, and specialist technology, professional alloy wheel repair specialists (like ChipsAway) can make sure that the colour perfectly matches your wheel. This means that only the damaged area needs to be repaired and repainted, and the whole wheel doesn’t need repainting to ensure the new paint blends in.

Next, apply the paint. Follow the directions on the can with regard to spray distance, method, and number of recommended coats, otherwise the paint may run, which won’t look good. Be sure to get the paint between all of the wheel spokes, and also allow the paint to fully dry between coats. So there are two primary reasons you may want to consider applying paint to your alloy wheels yourself. The first is because you like the idea of a challenge and just want to be hands on with your car. If that is the case then may want to apply the alloy wheel paint yourself. Alloy wheels are something to be proud of. Well maintained alloys can make or break a car’s appearance, helping increase the value of your vehicle as well as looking fantastic on the road. That said, alloy wheels are not indestructible. Kerb scuffs and scratches on your alloys may take away the striking look of the rest of your car. But, when it comes to repairing them, is it worth paying a professional, or can you paint your alloys at home? As for any repair work – curb marks and such – light repairs can often be sanded, but heavy curbing and gouges will need filling. Most body fillers will do the job nicely, but I’d always recommend using a tough ‘liquid metal’ type filler if you can. This is where a detail sander can come in very handy as the tougher the filler, the harder it is to sand down. In our case, there’s only damage on the face of this convex wheel and this can be sanded out. Surface Prep

Next, wash the wheels again, dry them, and apply the rubbing alcohol, paint thinner, or mineral spirits. Inspect the surface. It should be completely clean and smooth. If not, you’ll need to repeat the wire brushing, sanding, and steel wooling process. An excellent way to enhance your vehicle is to have the alloy wheels painted. In fact, painting your alloys not only looks great but can also increase the value of your car. With so many alloy painting options available, it is easy to create a unique finish that expresses your style. To achieve a flawless finish, we would recommend hiring a professional. To find a local, reputable, tradesperson in your area and get a personalised alloy wheel painting quote use our free search feature. FAQs How long will an alloy wheel colour change take?There’s also the age-old question of chemical paint strippers. These can be useful for corroded or severely damaged paint. Basically, you spray or brush them on, they’ll eat down to the metal, and you can scrape all the paint off (please wear gloves, a mask and goggles if you’re taking that route; it’s nasty stuff). It’s also true that professional wheel refurb peeps will acid dip the wheel to remove any trace of the old paint. But, bear in mind that the pros usually powdercoat wheels for a tough finish, rather than paint them. And, even if they do use paint, they’ll use a few coats of tough primer to protect the metal. There are two common problems that often face people who wish to paint their alloy wheels themselves. Firstly, applying alloy wheel paint is not as simple as it sounds. Where doing the job yourself is likely to cost less than it would be to call in the professionals, due to the complexity of applying alloy wheel paint, it doesn’t necessarily have the same guarantee of ending up with a quality finish. This means that it is unlikely that you will be able to get the same quality finish as a trained professional.