As you may notice, i masked up the openings to prevent overspray blow back onto the rims when i spray them. Material choice is up to you, i'm using 2K clear over base but the same process can be used with aerosols, acrylic, whatever suits your preference, skill etc. The results are almost identical, along with the basic procedure, the only real difference is the time frame. Anyhow, with all wheels ready for the paint process, i applied an etch primer followed by a 2K non-sand primer.
Because i'm not overly fussy with the finish, i've already been told by a well known auto magazine editor my car isn't good enough to be featured in a magazine, i decided to save time by using a paint procedure known in the trade as "wet on wet" where the colour is applied over the primer without sanding. Of course the final finsh will be slightly better if the conventional prime, sand, paint method is used but again, it comes down to personal preference. Anyhow, next step was to apply the main colour. I'm using a coarse metallic silver tinter with a dark charcoal as the second colour.
You don't have to follow my method to the letter, in some instances, applying the secondry colour & masking the center can be easier, whatever is easier or more comfortable for you. Be sure to cover the wheels with two to three light/medium coats rather than try to achieve coverage with heavy wet coats. Once you have finished applying the first colour, leave the paint time to flash off. I left my wheels for roughly an hour before starting the next step, masking off the first colour in preperation for applying the second. This is very time consuming & paitence is the key here. I used fineline tape for the outline/edges & conventional 3/4" & 2" masking tape for the rest.
After applying the second colour & allowing plenty of time for the paint to flash off, very carefully remove the masking. This is why it is advisable to allow enough time for both colours to flash off, if the paint is too soft, you can remove either the primary colour, secondry colour or both when removing the masking tape. Another reason why i usualy apply two to three light/medium coats rather than heavy or multipule coats. Hopefully the wheels should look like this.
This next step is optional, but for durability, i applied a clear coat over the wheels to seal the base colour. Because i performed all prep/paintwork in my home garage, i didn't have access to matting base to "dull" off the 2K clear i used, so my wheels are sort of shiny, but again it comes down to personal preference & i don't mind them like this.
After allowing a week for the paint to fully cure, i had tyres fitted to the wheels & here is the finished product.
And just to show that excellent results can be achieved with basic skills & aerosols, here is a fith rim i painted a few weeks ago for a spare. While i'm no expert, i am always open to sharing my skills with anyone & always happy to help in any way i can. Cheers Matt.
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