SEM Color Coat Tips and Techniques
- Thread starter Mr onetwo
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TimeWarpF100
Well-known member
Hey all, has anyone here used this dye to change the color of an interior?Just looking for advice and tips on it's use.I know SEM products are top notch, any comments are welcome...thanks.
SEM does make great products. I have done many interior re-colors but mostly used PPG Vinyl paints on upholstery. Plastic paint by SEM or PPG for plastic parts. and RIT dye for carpet pieces.
It just all needs to be prepped properly and will work well.
I have a pair of MINT bucket seats here now I am going to re-do/color but these ones are leather.
TimeWarpF100
Well-known member
This Bronco interior was pretty toast from nearly 30yrs in AZ sun but looked brand new after a re-dye
gahrajmahal
Well-known member
So Timewarp, if you have experience dyeing leather, would you tackle dyeing a leather club chair and ottoman in the house? If so, what product and process would you use to do it with? Is it the same as doing a car interior?
spazzer
Well-known member
I just painted this a pillar for my oldsmobile this afternoon, the 2 holes close together are for a tachometer.
Wearing gloves, I started by washing the part with dish soap and water, and drying it off with a detailing towel. Once dry, I propped the part with a coat hanger and put it where I can get equal coverage on all sides.
The duplicolor primer sprays clear, I used three light coats and waited 3 minutes inbetween coats. Per Duplicolor's instructions, they state to spray the paint within 10 minutes of the last primer coat.
The SEM color I'm using is Firethorn red to match the interior of my car. It sprays thin as you can see, this was the 1st coat. I sprayed about 6 coats, waiting 5 minutes inbetween each coat except the last coat I waited 10 minutes. I let it dry in the sun for an hour, then I'll install it tomorrow morning. I sprayed some door trim parts in my other car about 10 years ago using the same technique and its held up great.
Wearing gloves, I started by washing the part with dish soap and water, and drying it off with a detailing towel. Once dry, I propped the part with a coat hanger and put it where I can get equal coverage on all sides.
The duplicolor primer sprays clear, I used three light coats and waited 3 minutes inbetween coats. Per Duplicolor's instructions, they state to spray the paint within 10 minutes of the last primer coat.
The SEM color I'm using is Firethorn red to match the interior of my car. It sprays thin as you can see, this was the 1st coat. I sprayed about 6 coats, waiting 5 minutes inbetween each coat except the last coat I waited 10 minutes. I let it dry in the sun for an hour, then I'll install it tomorrow morning. I sprayed some door trim parts in my other car about 10 years ago using the same technique and its held up great.
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mikester
Well-known member
Ive been using SEM products for quite a while now and I wouldnt use anything else.
Preparation is the most important part of the job. Some people say I overdo it but since most of the parts I spray are old and brittle and a pain in the **** to take off and put back on without breaking them I only want to do it once.
I start out by washing everything with hot water and Dawn dish soap. I scrub everything with a small scrub brush and a gray scotchbrite pad. After I rinse it all off I repeat the whole process with SEM Soap. Great stuff. Then I blow everything dry. After that I wipe everything down with SEM Plastic Prep and a new microfiber cloth. I use a new cloth since I dont want any contamination from a used cloth. After everythings cleaned off I blow it all off with air. Then I spray on two light coats of adhesion promoter. Ive been using Bulldog brand since the local body shop supplier has that in stock. I spray it out of a gun instead of getting it in an aerosol can. The aerosol sprays out thicker. The gun atomizes it really well and it lays out smoother.
I have two Devilbiss Starting Line detail guns that I use for SEM. One for the adhesion promoter, the other for the color. Its much easier than trying to clean a single gun between spraying the two different products.
FYI, SEM also offers a free color matching service. The woman that does it (Ann Zoelle) is amazing. Ann has mixed a few colors for me over the past two years and shes gotten them to match 100000%. She really is talented.
These are a few things that Ive sprayed. The dash was tan when I bought it. Ann matched the gray to the inside of a glove box door from an 85 Buick Regal that I sent her.
The top of the rear door panel was another custom match to a swatch of vinyl that I sent her. Its the color of the vinyl that was used on the trim of my seats.
The interior of my wagon was a greenish gray. Now its a stock SEM color called Presedio Gray. Its very close to the medium gray GM used though the 80s. It was so close I didnt bother having a custom match done but I did buy that gallon right from SEM. Ann matched it to the color in their aerosol cans so if I ever have to spray another piece down the road the color will match.
The blue interior is from a friends 79 Camaro. Hes owned the car since 1980. The interior had faded to all different colors from blue to a washed out gray. I sprayed close to 25 pieces for him. Kick panels, rear plastic panels, headliner trim, shoulder belt covers, all the seat trim. He was very happy with the outcome. He picked it all up the same day he dropped it off.
Preparation is the most important part of the job. Some people say I overdo it but since most of the parts I spray are old and brittle and a pain in the **** to take off and put back on without breaking them I only want to do it once.
I start out by washing everything with hot water and Dawn dish soap. I scrub everything with a small scrub brush and a gray scotchbrite pad. After I rinse it all off I repeat the whole process with SEM Soap. Great stuff. Then I blow everything dry. After that I wipe everything down with SEM Plastic Prep and a new microfiber cloth. I use a new cloth since I dont want any contamination from a used cloth. After everythings cleaned off I blow it all off with air. Then I spray on two light coats of adhesion promoter. Ive been using Bulldog brand since the local body shop supplier has that in stock. I spray it out of a gun instead of getting it in an aerosol can. The aerosol sprays out thicker. The gun atomizes it really well and it lays out smoother.
I have two Devilbiss Starting Line detail guns that I use for SEM. One for the adhesion promoter, the other for the color. Its much easier than trying to clean a single gun between spraying the two different products.
FYI, SEM also offers a free color matching service. The woman that does it (Ann Zoelle) is amazing. Ann has mixed a few colors for me over the past two years and shes gotten them to match 100000%. She really is talented.
These are a few things that Ive sprayed. The dash was tan when I bought it. Ann matched the gray to the inside of a glove box door from an 85 Buick Regal that I sent her.
The top of the rear door panel was another custom match to a swatch of vinyl that I sent her. Its the color of the vinyl that was used on the trim of my seats.
The interior of my wagon was a greenish gray. Now its a stock SEM color called Presedio Gray. Its very close to the medium gray GM used though the 80s. It was so close I didnt bother having a custom match done but I did buy that gallon right from SEM. Ann matched it to the color in their aerosol cans so if I ever have to spray another piece down the road the color will match.
The blue interior is from a friends 79 Camaro. Hes owned the car since 1980. The interior had faded to all different colors from blue to a washed out gray. I sprayed close to 25 pieces for him. Kick panels, rear plastic panels, headliner trim, shoulder belt covers, all the seat trim. He was very happy with the outcome. He picked it all up the same day he dropped it off.
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mikester
Well-known member
Thanks. I hope the info I gave you helps. You didnt mention what youre working on. Are you using aerosol cans or are you using a spray gun ?
SEMs very easy to spray and dries VERY quickly. Ive never used a primer on anything Ive sprayed and it all looks uniform.
Its also UV resistant so you dont have to clear it if you dont want to. I kinda like the low gloss that it comes in right out of the can.
One important word of advice, use a respirator when you spray it. Especially with the adhesion promoter. Thats real bad stuff to breathe in. I left the top off of the Bulldog can in my garage one day and I didnt have my respirator on. I got pretty sick. So bad I had to go inside and sit in the AC for an hour. Then I had to go back into the garage with a wet rag over my nose and mouth to get the bag with the respirator out of my cabinet. Now I use it even if Im spraying something outside.
check out post #100 in my thread about my 1978 Ramcharger. https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=348307 I will be using spray cans. I found what I think are good prices at this site...
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TimeWarpF100
Well-known member
Before: sitting in AZ sun for nearly 30 yrs looked like only fix was the local dump ..
After: It was unreal how well they looked. The chrome trim, carpet and other material was removed prior. The carpet and cloth type material was re-dyed using RIT dye.
After: It was unreal how well they looked. The chrome trim, carpet and other material was removed prior. The carpet and cloth type material was re-dyed using RIT dye.
TimeWarpF100
Well-known member
This was after 1 or maybe 2 coats
TimeWarpF100
Well-known member
Does everything you touch turn to gold Randy?!
Only when it belongs to someone else! I sure taught the daughter how to make a buck!
When I do one for myself they do not turn into GOLD until the buyer gets them for resale. I simply never learned how to market a vehicle after I spent what was usually a minimum of 1000 hours.
So yes I could not count the $$ lost after they turned into gold AFTER I sold them! LOL
I learned how to do a lot for cheap but never learned how to make a $$ doing it.
I also learned how to do them not so cheap. Much too thorough on every single nut n bolt to make a $$. Now the body and mind are toast with not much to show for it . .
mikester
Well-known member
I did a quick look at your thread. It looks like you have the skills. Why not just spray it with a gun ?