Hi all

I wanting to a bit of simple DIY and paint a few bits of plastic trim. Iv never really done this sort of thing before so just hoping someone can give a me abit of advice.

Im wanting to do the engine cover, the black textured plastic looks cheap and tacky. Will it be like painting anything else? rub down, 2x coats primer then how ever many coats of paint?

If so what grade sand paper will be best to use?

Eventually ill get round to doing the silver stripes on the door cards and radio surround but them bits of trim dont come off as easy as the engine cover so im going to start on that first

It's pretty easy.

Key the trim to be painted with something like 600 grit, needs to mark it up so the primer can stick.

Coat with plastic primer, flat that back with wet 1500 grit

Then paint with regular body paint, as many coats as required. Flat back with wet 2500 grit

Then lacquer to get the shine and polish with t cut when dry to make it really pop.

It's pretty easy.

Key the trim to be painted with something like 600 grit, needs to mark it up so the primer can stick.

Wash with a very dilute solution of washing up liquid, about 6 drips to a gallon of water, and allow to dry.

Coat with plastic primer, flat that back with wet 1500 grit

Then paint with regular body paint, as many coats as required. Flat back with wet 2500 grit

Then lacquer to get the shine and polish with t cut when dry to make it really pop.

Edit inline, bold.

Thanks

I had a basic idea but that's expanded on it

Coat with plastic primer,

This is IMO probably the most important bit to do on a piece flexible plastic, otherwise the paint can crack and flake off.

Make sure the temperature is right before, during and after the work. You can prepare as much as you like and use the best kit, but at this time of year it's difficult to achieve good results unless it's done indoors at the correct temp.

Personally I'd get any work like that done in a professional bodyshop.

Make sure the temperature is right before, during and after the work. You can prepare as much as you like and use the best kit, but at this time of year it's difficult to achieve good results unless it's done indoors at the correct temp.

Personally I'd get any work like that done in a professional bodyshop.

Well i wouldt do it when it sub minus temp outside but i dont think my mother would be too happy getting paint everywhere in the house.

Id feel abit daft just taking a plastic engine cover to a body shop to get it painted if im honest!

If it doesn't work out ill just pick up another one from a scrappy, theres no difference between non vRS and vRS engine covers.

I got a giant heated garage, you can do it at mine if you want ;-)

p.s. just thought, as you probs can't make it down to mine, spray it and get back in one day, so you may have to stay.... hehe :p

just being cheeky Ema-Jane

Edited 20 January, 201214 yr by Sonner

I got a giant heated garage, you can do it at mine if you want ;-)

p.s. just thought, as you probs can't make it down to mine, spray it and get back in one day, so you may have to stay.... hehe :p

just being cheeky Ema-Jane

You have a heated garage, god dam your good! You need to live closer, we could be skoda friends and geek over our skodas together!

You have a heated garage, god dam your good!

Loads of Fellas have heated garages.

Comes in handy when you get locked out

Loads of Fellas have heated garages.

Comes in handy when you get locked out

This is not fair, id kill for a heated garage :(

I wouldt need to be kicked out, id be in there every free minute iv got!

ok, heres a few tips to add to what tech1e has said.

1. Before you go anywhere near it with your wet and dry (sand paper) first remove all the plastic or rubber fittings and fixings plus pop the badges off is possible. Then you need to degrease it before attempting to key it up otherwise you will just push the grease and oils etc around, then you need to make sure it's properly rinsed off with water afterwards... Then if there are any surface imperfections or ridges left over from the injection moulding process you should file them down smooth with a needle file... 600 grit is ok but personally I would use a piece of red scotchbrite to key that up.. once you've keyed it clean it again using just water and make double sure it's absolutely bone dry before breaking out the can of primer!

2. Get the paint and primers warm! I guess you will be using aerosol cans here? If so, shake them up nice and good then put the cans in a deep bowl of hot water for 5 or 10 minutes before using them, obviously don't get the spray nozzle wet keep that above the water.. Plastic primer is notoriously difficult to spray without getting runs in it because it's a very thin paint so warming it up will reduce the risk of getting runs and will reduce the flash time (surface drying) time

3. as stated above, use the correct plastic primer, preferably White if you can get it... Light coats is the way to go, the first couple of layers need to be just a whisp, don't try to cover it it one go! Personally I wouldn't sand between coats of primer! On the can of primer it will tell you what the flash time is but it's probably about 10 minuites, but you can speed it up a little by helping it along using a hair dryer or it's hottest setting, don't hold it too close and don't dwell too long in one place.. Then when you are happy add another coat of primer and repeat till the whole thing is covered making sure to allow it to dry between each coat either with or without using your hair dryer... The next step I would do is put a very very light coat of satin black spray over the top just so it's a little spotty, this gives you a good way of knowing how far you need to flat it back with the sand paper, you use it as a guide so you know you've gone back to the top of the primer but not sanded so far you end up going through to the plastic underneath! Hope that makes sense? Before you do ANY sanding leave it to dry overnight to allow the primer to harden..

4. When you use the wet and dry sand paper to flat the primer use plenty of water with it to lubricate, and after you've finished it's vitally important that you wash the item clean to get rid of the dust created by sanding the primer, then make sure the item is again bone dry before attempting to paint it! Any residual water droplets will cause you a right royal pain in the hoop when you are painting! Also take care that most primers are fairly toxic so keep your hands clean and don't allow pets or children etc to sniff it out and drink the stuff!

5. painting again, warm the can as I described earlier... If you are working in your garage outside it's a good idea to wet the floor to prevent the wind blowing any dust about while you are painting... Don't underestimate how far paint overspray will travel! so cover up nearby objects, hang the item up too rather than crawling round and your hands and knees, a good way is to get a couple of old wire coat hangers and make a little hook on the ends to hook onto the thing... once the paint is going on don't be tempted to touch it or wipe any debris from it, use light coats of spray.. You haven't mentioned what sort of paint type you want metallic/pearl/solid etc you are after but bear in mind that met/pearl paints need to be applied with all the strokes in the same direction, say from left to right, ie spray one stroke on going left to right then stop, then go back and spray the second stroke on from left to right so that they overlap each other slightly and so on, this is done so that ll the metallic particles in the paint lay the same direction... Again use your hair dryer to help it dry between coats.. then when you are done let it dry overnight again before trying to flat it back for lacquer

6. When you flat the paint for laqeur, you aren't trying to rub it away, just go lightly with some 2500 paper with liberal amounts of water just to make it slightly dull, if you go to far you will need to repaint it... When you are done, wash and dry again, you can put the laqeur on in slightly thicker coats than the paint but it will sag or run if you go too far in one go so just be cautious with it.. DO NOT touch or sand it once the laqeur is on or you will ruin it.. Some laqeurs take a week to fully harden btw so allow it to dry for at least 24 hours.

Here endeth the essay for now

Wow thanks for the write up! ill be sure to rememeber what you said, ill get some pictures up when iv finished