Repainting your car wheels refreshes your vehicle's look.
Scuffed or scratched wheels make your car look older than its age. Paint also dulls with time or from harsh weather conditions, such as snow and ice or sun exposure. Repainting the wheels is an easy and inexpensive way to give your car a face lift. You can repaint the wheels in an afternoon in your yard. Be sure to check the weather conditions before embarking on your painting project, and postpone your project if the forecast calls for rain or high humidity.
Instructions
1. Remove your car's wheels and lay them on a flat surface outside. Clean the wheels with dish detergent and a scrub brush. Ensure that you remove all of the grease. Several cleaning cycles may be necessary.
2. Dry the wheels thoroughly with a cloth or allow them to dry for at least an hour in the sun.
3. Rub sandpaper over the wheels until they are smooth. Sand off as much old paint as possible and smooth any rough patches left by old paint. Wipe down the wheels to remove any sandpaper debris. Move the wheels onto a clean tarp.
4. Tape off the tires with painter's tape, which is less likely to stick to your wheels compared to masking or duct tape. Insert the tape between the wheel rim and tires. Use short pieces to fashion a rough circle around the rim.
5. Apply your desired color with specially made wheel paint, available at auto centers. Allow the first coat to dry thoroughly before applying additional coats. Check for dryness by lightly pressing on a section of the tire. If the paint does not smudge, it is dry. Apply paint coats, waiting for the wheel surface to dry between each application, until you are satisfied with the color.
6. Spray the wheels with clear coat paint, available in auto centers, to seal your paint job and add shine to the wheels. Allow the wheels to dry for an hour in the sun and reattach them to the car.
