Painting interior pieces?

[moronmountain]

So I was wondering if it's possible to paint old interior pieces like dash, door panels, etc? I mean I know they can be painted, but is there a way that works really well so it will look professional and not flake off etc?

 

[Stuart in MN]

Are you talking about vinyl covered pieces? Sure, there are several brands of vinyl dye out there you can buy (I think SEM is probably the best stuff you'll get in a spray can.) Make sure the pieces are cleaned really well - if there's any residual Armorall or anything like that on them the dye won't stick.

 

[moronmountain]

Are you talking about vinyl covered pieces? Sure, there are several brands of vinyl dye out there you can buy (I think SEM is probably the best stuff you'll get in a spray can.) Make sure the pieces are cleaned really well - if there's any residual Armorall or anything like that on them the dye won't stick.

Yeah vinyl/plastic. Clean with simple green or something else?

 

[Denominator]

I used somethink called vinyl dye. It's almost like paint, but it won't scrats as easy.


Not the same part on the before and after shot, but the result is the same on all parts before and after.
Cleaned the parts with some media blasting before applying the dye with a paint gun.

Before:

After:

 

[moronmountain]

Very nice! That's exactly what I want to do. What did you use for media when you blasted it?

 

[XtaC]

I have done a fair bit of interior painting in the past of both plastics and vinyl.

I have had, by far, the best results by first giving the parts a good general clean with detergent/soap and a pressure washer.

Once they are completely dry, I like to leave them in the hot sun to warm through.

I then use 2-pak paint thinners on the pieces, fairly carefully, just with rags.

If done correctly, they pieces will go tacky, without losing their shape, or any patterning/grain in the material.

Good quality interior dye type rattle can paint is all I use after that, while that parts are still tacky. Several light coats will probably be needed, but the initial coat is the most important.

The 2-pak thinners really seems to let the dye penetrate and bite, and is much better than general purpose thinners.

Hope this helps; its worked well for me in the past.

Lee.

 

[Denominator]

I don't remeber what mesh size, but I used Silicon carbide : http://www.kramerindustriesonline.com/blasting-media/silicon-carbide.htm

And wiped them down with paint thinners after the media blasting.

 

[porschedude996TT]

I used to do it all the time. I took the complete dash out of my 72 El Camino and sprayed it black along with door panels and other trim pieces. During the 70's it was not uncommon to get interior pieces that were spray dyed to another color from the factory. The spray dye holds up pretty well unless scratched. Taking it apart and cleaning each part with a good solvent. There is some newer stuff out that is used to prepare the parts by softening the surface that gives the spray dye something to hold on to. I have a can and will use it in the near future.

 

[nightrain00]

When I worked at Ford 12yrs ago most of the interior stuff came in black and we had to paint it to match. It actually works way better than you would think. Try warming up the part first seems to help with adhesion.

 

[OccupantRJ]

I used somethink called vinyl dye. It's almost like paint, but it won't scrats as easy.


Not the same part on the before and after shot, but the result is the same on all parts before and after.
Cleaned the parts with some media blasting before applying the dye with a paint gun.

Did you have any problem with static buildup during blasting, then discharging and knocking the sh*t out of you? I tried beadblasting some plastic parts trays last week, even using a grounding wire on the part to the cabinet frame. It reduced the effect about 75%, but it would still light me up, and it was not a light jolt.

 

[e-tek]

Did you have any problem with static buildup during blasting, then discharging and knocking the sh*t out of you? I tried beadblasting some plastic parts trays last week, even using a grounding wire on the part to the cabinet frame. It reduced the effect about 75%, but it would still light me up, and it was not a light jolt.

Never heard of that! Are you sure your "buddy" didn't have a battery hooked up to the blaster? Or - more likely - is the light or something is shorting?

Back to the topic: While all the info is above, I'll recap: CLEAN WELL (wash well SEM Soap and a bristle brush, then dry well. Warm (in sun or booth) before painting (85-100F). Wipe with Pre-Paint Cleaning solvent, then either a thinner (as above) or SEM Plastic Platic prep (either will soften the plastic to ensure adhesion), then the paint. First coat light to avoid runs, then 2+ medium coats to cover.

 

[OccupantRJ]

No, no one was screwing with me. The company glass blast cabinet is grounded electrically, and also has a seperate grounding jumper to the steel pipe compressor line. I used to sandblast with a commercial blast pot unit part time, and ain't nothing like blasting a large car hood, and when leaning over the sawhorses to get a better reach, POW!! your winkie gets jolted with a 2 inch bolt of static electricity from the corner of the hood. Static builds up in a unit due to the flow through the rubber sand hose, and on a blast cabinet, you just press your belly against the cabinet while blasting, and it won't shock you. If you forget and move back a little, it will help you remember. Blasting the plastic bins was a different ball game. They were building their own static charge. That's why I attached the secondary grounding jumper. It helped, but it still felt nasty when it did hit.

 

[OccupantRJ]

I have also used the vinyl dye on interior pieces with good results.