WANT TO CHANGE THE LOOK OF YOUR CAR WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK? WELL, NOW YOU CAN!

Rubber paints are a relatively new product on the market, but have completely changed the way some people modify their vehicles — products such as Plasti Dip provide a spray-on synthetic rubber coating that can be applied to nearly any surface, and can be easily removed without leaving any residue or damaging the existing surface. We thought we’d try it out on a set of wheels, to see if it is as good as it’s made out to be. For this job, we used aerosol cans, although some brands are available in tins for use with a highvolume, low-pressure (HVLP) spray gun. The size and dish of the 22-inch wheels meant we grabbed four cans to ensure thorough coverage — the job ended up taking three-and-a-half hours. One of the benefits of this product is the lack of preparation required — just give the wheels a wipedown with wax and grease remover to remove any contaminants. We propped the wheels up against a wall, with a drop cloth to avoid overspray. Overspray is pretty minimal, anyway, as the atomized spray is heavier than normal aerosol paint. With this product, there is no need to remove the tyres. Any overspray can be wiped off after it cures. A trick with the tyres is to apply silicone spray to a rag and give the sidewalls a wipe — then any overspray won’t adhere, making it extra easy to wipe off. Before spraying, make sure you’ve shaken the can — properly; one to two minutes, to ensure a proper mix. Give a test spray; if it comes out blotchy, it needs more shaking. The first coat should be just a light dusting to get a good adhesion base. Don’t worry about coverage, as the following coats will achieve that. You should hold the can around 20cm from the surface. As with any sort of spray painting, try to spray at right angles to the surface, and, after every coat, give the spray nozzle a quick wipe with a rag dosed in general-purpose thinner. This will keep the spray nozzle free from build-up, ensuring a nice, atomized spray pattern. Once the first coat has flashed off, it will turn matte and be dry to the touch. Shake the can, then apply the second coat, ensuring you pay special attention to the edges, as these are the weak points. It’s a good idea to give these areas an extra pass, trying to make the coat wet and even. Don’t worry if the surface texture looks rough — it will smooth as it dries. After the second coat, it pays to rotate the wheels to ensure even coverage. Again, wait for the previous coat to flash off. Repeat this procedure for another two or three coats, each time ensuring that you spray out a nice wet coat. Don’t forget to shake the can thoroughly in between coats; this will help you get the most out of each can. This can be the fourth or fifth coat. In this case, painting satin on chrome, four coats were sufficient to give the desired coverage. Roll the wheels around to make sure you have a good coverage of 360 degrees. We laid the final layer on extra thickly to give a good even coat. Once the final coat has flashed off, you can remove the overspray from the tyres. Thanks to the silicone you applied in step two — you did apply it, right? — it’s a breeze; simply work at it with your fingertips until you get an edge, and, if it’s thick enough, you will be able to pull it off in one piece. Don’t worry about running a knife around it, as the edge between the tyre and the rim will be enough to separate it without affecting the wheels. All done — although it is recommended that you wait up to four hours before driving, so that the surface doesn’t pick up dust and other road grime. So, now your rims are looking cool, but what if you kerb them, or get a stone chip, or the guy at the tyre shop is a little rough with the machine? It’s no drama — just put a small amount of thinner on your finger and rub the edge of the damage to smooth it out. Then, simply give it a spray, building up coverage as you did before, and the new surface will blend into the old coat.