Change colour – again and again

A new craze in car customising is about to sweep New Zealand.

It’s the DIY colour change that anyone can have a go at, with the added bonus of being able to go back to the original finish if desired.

A new spray paint from Plasti Dip – the people who invented the paint that can coat anything from toys to garden tools with a rubberised protective layer – now allows for cool customising of cars, wheels, accessories and even bikes, caravans, boats, skateboards, hobby/craft projects and anything else that requires a lift, hence the strapline that is being used to market the product here, “Plasti Dip – The only limitation is your imagination”.

Fed up with the colour of your car or want to change the look of the wheels? Spray a new colour from the extensive Plasti Dip range, then peel it off and reveal the original paintwork when you want to change back.

“It’s an amazing product, and the big appeal is that it is not permanent, you can change your mind and peel it off at a later date,” says Tim Paterson, national sales manager with Griffiths Equipment, which distributes Plasti Dip to retail outlets throughout New Zealand.

“We’ve seen it used on alloy wheels and car body panels, and it performs as promised. It works much like the vinyl wraps that can be applied to vehicles, except this is much cheaper and can be achieved by any DIY enthusiast.

There are 17 different matt colour choices available in spray cans, which are very much in vogue with the trend towards matt finish among some car owners. But for those who prefer a gloss finish, there’s also the Plasti Dip Glossifier, which can be sprayed over the top to increase the level of gloss shine – from just a low sheen, through to semi-gloss and full gloss, depending on the number of coats applied.

Tim Paterson says a metallic finish is now available through three new releases; Silver Metallizer, Gold Metallizer and Copper Metallizer, along with a Pearlizer finish, which is applied by spraying over the top of the base colours, thus adding a metallic sheen to the original Plasti Dip coating.

Also included in the range is a Smoke finish, which can be sprayed over tail lights and even windows, as well as the original paintwork or any of the Plasti Dip base colour coats, which gives a smoky effect to the colour or surface, but is still transparent.

He adds that the Plasti Dip sprays deliver a fine rubberised layer that builds up with each coating. The more coats that are applied, the easier it is to peel off when the owner wants to return to the original surface – just rub a corner and then peel back. A video of the process can be viewed at http://www.griffiths.co.nz/video-library-plastidip-removal/.

Tim says it is important that surfaces are thoroughly cleaned prior to painting, using soapy water – chemical cleaners are not required. Any signs of rust should be removed and the item to be sprayed must not be porous.

Surfaces coated with Plasti Dip will resist moisture, weathering, corrosion, abrasion and some acids. Plasti Dip can also withstand temperature extremes of up to 100-degrees Celsius.

Originally developed to apply rubber coatings to replace worn grips on hand tools, such as pliers, wrenches and cutters, Plasti Dip has become a household name around the world and was introduced to New Zealand in 2009.

The new Plasti Dip spray paint range is available from automotive accessory retailers throughout New Zealand. Plasti Dip can also be bought in bulk containers for use with high volume-low pressure spray units.

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