i want to paint my rims black. what is the best way to do that? powder coat? one of my friends uncles said he can do it for $100. please help! and how much should it cost?

 

The best finish would actually be to powder coat them. Most factory rims that look painted are powder coated. This is not cheap and you could plan on spending about $400 to do this. Paint is cheaper but it is much less durable. If you are set on painting them the best thing you can do is have the tires removed, media blast them and then primer and paint. To get them painted for $100 would be a steal if he does quality work.

 

$100 is a steal for a quality powdercoat job. He'll have 1/2 that in materials unless he does it regularly.

While powdercoating is more durable, I find paint to usually provide a better looking finish. A little trade off based on your goals.

 

You can use a rattle can. Make sure the suface has been prepped (cleaned, sanded, primered), and use a clear coat. They have glossy, satin, and matte finishes. The clear will help to keep the paint from chipping. Also, use several light coats rather than o e heavy coat.

 

You can paint them fairly nicely, with patience as aleways with paint. Search painting wheel on th einternet and you will find some great write up on how to do it. If your contact will really powder coat them for $100 then I would let him do it. Post pics when they are done.

 

I've painted 4 or 5 sets of wheels over the years. Easier with the tires off but it can be done with them on if you are a patient guy with masking tape. Sand the existinig paint/powder with 200 then 600 grit before the first paint coat, then clean with mineral spirits or a designated paint prep cleaner then wash with water.

As mentioned before, prep and cleaning is of utmost importance to avoid fisheye and orange peel in the paint. I like to go with 3 to 4 coats max, with a 1500 grit wetsand in between each coat, then 2 coats of clear, wetsand after the first but not after the final coat.

After the paint cures a nice coat of quality boat wax like Collonite helps protect them for a long time. With patience and attention to detail you can get a great looking finish that is strong and durable.

 

We did not ask, but are you going for a matte finish or a gloss?

 

i want to paint them glossy black to match my paint.
im blacking out my rover. black rims,black body paint, getting brush guard, rear tail lamp guards, and tinting the windows 35%! i think itll look awsome!

 

I have seen a couple that tried the murdered look but they did not spend the time needed to do it right. You are going to have to keep it clean all the time to pull it off. I am sure it will great when you are done.

 

I did my restored Jeep chrome rims using sherwin williams cut-in clear (the originals were clear-coated but it got milky after 25 years). I did mine with the tires on, you just need to take the wheels off, strip, tape, and spray. I would use a good 2-part automotive paint if you have a sprayer, otherwise your black paint will chip off. The cut-in clear is VERY thin, so if you did something like this, I would use many, many coats. It might not work over regular paint, it's designed to go over 2 part (hardened) paints.