How to Spray Paint Rims Black in 4 Easy Steps

A type of paint widely used today is spray paint, which can cover the original color of a car or truck. It is a temporary solution that allows you to change the color of the paint without replacing the whole part.

You can use it to either change the color of your wheels or rims or protect them from rust and corrosion.

Spray rims black by following the steps below:

Wash your car’s rim with soap and water to remove dirt and debris.
Remove loose or caked paint from the rim with a wire brush or putty knife.
Thoroughly dry your vehicle’s rim with a towel to remove any moisture before spraying paint on it.
Spray a thin coat of primer, making sure to evenly cover all parts of the rim before proceeding to the next step (this will prevent drips).

How to paint rims black on the cheap!

Here’s a simple and cheap way to change the look of your car for less than $10!

Step 1: Prepare the rims.

Remove any flaked, rusted, or chipped areas with a wire brush or sandpaper.
Roughen the surface with 150 grit sandpaper.
Use steel wool to dull the shine.
Remove dust and debris with a rag and mineral spirits/paint thinner.

Step 2: Tape the tire

Tear the tape into 3-4 inch pieces.
Tape them into the groove with a 1/2 inch overlap.
Tape off the valve stem

Step 3: Apply primer

Apply self-etch primer to the wheel surface.
Apply the primer in thin coats
Allow the primer to cure and dry completely before painting.
Clean the surface of the vehicle with a wax and grease remover.
Shake the primer well and apply it in a thin layer over the entire surface.
Allow the primer to dry for about 30 minutes before applying the paint.

Step 4: Paint.

Apply thin coats of paint and wait 20 minutes between coats.
Paint the last coat thickly for good coverage.
The paint can be left to dry overnight if it is warm outside.
To remove rust from the lug nuts, scrub them with a wire brush.

How does spray paint for wheels and rims work?

Spray paint for wheels and rims works by applying a coat of paint to the wheel and rim. The paint is sprayed on to dry within a minute or two.

The paint penetrates the surface of the metal and fills in scratches and imperfections. Once dry, it forms a hard shell that protects the metal from corrosion and weathering.

How to paint rims black – preparation

If you are painting your rims black, you need to follow these steps:

Remove the tires and rims from your car.
Clean the rims with an alcohol-based cleaner.
Remove the old paint from the rims.
Apply a primer to the rims.
Apply the paint you want to use to paint the rims.
Allow the paint to dry.
Reassemble your tires and rims.

Remove the rims from the car to paint them evenly.
Clean them with a quality cleaner and rinse them well.
Sand the rims with 220-320 grit sandpaper, then 400-600.
Clean the rim with a degreaser and a wire brush.
Sand the trim with 220 grit sandpaper.
Wet sand the rim with 400 grit sandpaper.
Apply primer (if necessary)

Painting wheels black – primer and paint

Priming and painting rims is a great way to give your rims a great look and grip. Here are the procedures you could follow to prepare and paint your rims.

Not only is it a relatively easy job, but it’s also an inexpensive way to improve the look of your vehicle.

Also, we will provide tips on how to get the job done smoothly and achieve a professional result.

Let us get started!

Spray Paint Method

Clean the wheels
Tape the wheel
Apply primer to the wheel
Apply paint to the wheel
Clean the surface to be sprayed with isopropyl alcohol or a degreasing agent.
Shake the Plasti Dip can well and hold it about 8-10 inches from the surface to be sprayed.
Apply even, consistent coats to achieve desired coverage and thickness.
Allow each coat to dry completely (usually 30 minutes) before applying the next coat.

Plasti Dip Method

With this method, the product flows faster when you spray it on.

Allow a first coat of lighter paint to dry for 5 minutes.

Follow with a thicker third coat after applying a second light coat. You can also apply multiple coats, but the trick is to start with a light coat and gradually apply thicker coats.

Let the plasti-dip dry for at least an hour.
Dip the entire car.
Use a spray gun for even coverage.
Clean the car before dipping it.
Use a sealer to protect the surface.
Wash and dry the car thoroughly.
Shake the Plasti Dip can well and hold it about 18 inches from the car’s surface.
Apply even coats to the car, careful not to drip or run.
To apply the next coat, let the previous one dry completely (this usually takes 30 minutes).
Once you have applied enough coats, allow the finish to cure for 48 hours before using or washing your car.

How do you paint alloy wheels black?

There are several methods to paint alloy wheels black. By far, the best method is to use a rotary tumbler. This method is the safest, the most effective, the fastest, and the least expensive.

There are a few things you need to do to paint your alloy wheels black:

Clean the surface of the rims thoroughly with soap and water, and be sure to remove any dirt, grease, and wax.

Sand the surface of the rims until it is completely smooth.

Prime the surface of the rims with a high-quality primer.

Paint the surface of the rims with high-quality black paint.

What are the different types of spray paint for wheels and rims?

There are many types of spray paint available for wheels and rims. The most popular types of spray paint for wheels and rims include:

The most common is an aerosol can with a wide nozzle that you hold about 12-18 inches from the surface. This type of paint is easy to use, but it’s also easy to make mistakes. If you are not careful, paint can end up on your tires or brake calipers.

This type of paint is harder to use but gives a more even finish. There is also a gel form of rim paint that is even more difficult to apply but does not run as much as the liquid form.

Oil-based/Precious Metal Specific Paint

When painting your rims, choose a paint that is specifically for metal.

Rust-Oleum is a great example of metal-specific paint for painting your rims.

Rubber Coatings

When cleaning your car, make sure you do not use a pressure washer to strip the rubber coating.

Epoxy/Texture Coatings/Truck Loading Surface Coating.

Rhino Liner is a spray-on epoxy coating for your wheels, truck bed, or any part of the vehicle to give it extra protection from the weather.

Another option is to use a truck bed coating to give it a stronger, textured finish.

A 32-ounce can costs far less than Plasti Dip, so you’ll save money all around.

So if you opt for two cans of Rust-Oleum Truck bed Coating at $30 each, you can cover 35 square feet with it, which is more than enough.

Several kits are available that include virtually everything you need to coat your wheels/rims. Buy kits like the Performix Plasti Dip Rim Kit for everything you need to get started.

Rubber coatings like this Plasti Dip Rim Kit are another way to change the color of your rims and give them an added shine.

Polyurethane

Polyurethane is a strong, glossy coating that stands up to the weather.

Many surfaces can be cleaned with it, including rims.

It provides a high gloss level and a beautiful finish.

Sprayable Vinyl Wrap

Super wrap Vinyl Wrap comes in more than 20 color options to help achieve the expected look of the rims.

It is recommended that this paint only be used on metal surfaces or clear-coated OEM surfaces.

Vinyl Wrap is a high gloss, durable paint that is available in various colors.

It protects your car from stone French fries, chemicals, road grime, and UV rays.

It is designed to last more than 1 year.

You can save 40% on the purchase of a single kit.

Coating kit

There are coating kits that include everything you need to get started.

One of these kits is the Performix Plasti Dip Rim Kit.

The paint is a rubber-based coating that can be peeled off if you mistake.

The paint is durable and stays in place even under extreme conditions.

The paint is slip-resistant and a gloss agent that provides a glossy appearance.

Provides extra protection

Durable

Good for beginners

A few things can make a car look bad

If you are not a car painter, you may think painting rims black is tedious. But think about it: Your car is a complicated vehicle with many moving parts and components. You do not want to tinker with one part of the car; you want to make sure everything is working properly.

Alternatively, if you are a painter and want to make your car look new, you need to do something with the rims.

There are several ways to paint rims black: Plastering – which permanently fixes the color of the rim; Casting – which changes the color of the rim based on temperature; Curing and Coating – which fixes damage from normal wear and rust; Emulsions (like spray painting) – which changes the color without permanently fixing anything.

How you do it right depends on what you want to accomplish and what materials you have available. And if there are too many choices of materials or tools, it will be more expensive to do something wrong than to do it right! So choose wisely!

Why is that?

You can not just paint the rims black, and you must also paint the wheels black.

Why is that? If I take a picture of your car with black painted wheels and you take a picture of it with black-painted wheels, you can not tell which is the real car. What kind of painting technique do you use to make sure your car looks new again?

Do you paint the entire car or just the rims?

I prefer the second option. That is, if you paint more than half of the surface of your car – all four sides, for example – I can not tell if your car is plastic or not, and I can only assume that it is a plastic car and leave it at that.

Or would you rather have a color photo of each side to tell which side I am looking at? If so, by all means, have it done in color! But please do not ignore this little detail, because otherwise, no matter how much research I do on the various manufacturers, I will not be able to figure out which cars are real with which paint jobs!

Ghosting (sometimes called ‘blacking out’) is when someone paints over an image or photo without specifically intending. For example, someone deletes a photo from their gallery without their permission or takes a photo with their phone camera instead of using an external app like Instagram. In some cases, these may be intentional acts; however, in most cases, they are unintentional vandalism attempts rather than intentional theft attempts. The dangers associated with ghosting are well known: Thieves can steal your identity, just as this person (or that person) did by taking your photos, even if they did not intend to. And if they do not show up in court, they can still escape punishment because they will not be charged with a crime – as long as they do not leave evidence (like a printout) behind.

But there’s another important reason why people generally do not want to write down instructions for painting their rims black: because painting rims without permission could get them sued (and why would anyone want new rims after messing them up?).

Here is why…

Paint your rims black because it looks cool. Paint your rims black because it makes them look new. Paint your rims black because it’s a cool technique that makes you look like a rock star.

It looks bad because the paint is the cheapest material to make the most expensive car part in the world black.

It’s cheaper to paint than to buy new rims, and everyone knows that, so why would anyone bother?

Whenever you want your car to get a quick facelift and make it look new again, you need to paint the rims black.

Do not waste money on paint to look more sophisticated and attract more attention with this simple trick.

Best spray paint brands for rims and wheels

The most important thing, of course, is to find a color that matches the color of your car. Additionally, you need to think about the surface you are painting, the climate you live in, and the durability of the paint.

Try it out:

Krylon Fusion for Plastics
Dupli-Color rim coating
VHT Nightshade
Rust-Oleum American Accents Ultra Cover 2x
Dupli-Color Perfect Match
POR-15 Metal preparation

Sherwin-Williams

Sherwin-Williams is a company that manufactures paints and varnishes.

The company has subsidiaries that manufacture various brands of paints.

Some of the brands are suitable for high temperatures or resist scratches.

Rust-Oleum

Rust-Oleum is a manufacturer of high-performance paints.

The founder, Robert Fergusson, was a ship’s captain who developed the high-quality rust-proofing spray paint.

Rust-Oleum offers three color options for steel wheels, aluminum wheels, and plastic hubcaps.

One popular product is Rust-Oleum 248927 Wheel Spray Paint.

If you have an old car and have rust protection problems, Rust-Oleum Automotive High-Performance Wheel Spray Paint is for you!

High gloss shine may bother some people

Works great on aluminum and metal rims

It can be applied to plastic hubcaps

Rust-Oleum is a brand that makes paints, primers, and coatings.

Their products are designed to prevent rust and provide a high gloss finish.

Rust-Oleum products are easy to use and can be applied with a brush, roller, or spray.

Rust-Oleum coatings are durable and can withstand extreme weather conditions.

Plastidip Spray Paint

Plastidip is known for its long-lasting results and glossy finish.

The brand offers first-class products at an affordable price.

It is ideal for painting black chrome rims, alloy wheels, rims, etc.

Painting car rims only look better when done right.

This is one of the many similarities between Plasti Dip and sprays paint.

Of course, spray painting requires thorough preparation.

If you spray, paint the wheels while on the car, you will either get spray paint on the car paint or not get the spray paint behind the wheels.

The wheels need to be thoroughly cleaned and rust removed.

Wheels should be in good working condition and any damage should be repaired.

This is made possible by using superfine sandpaper, preferably 500 or 600 grit.

Paint thinner should be used before spray painting. You can also use rubbing alcohol instead.

Another important thing to know about spray painting rims is that the final finish depends greatly on the type of paint you use.

In order to spray paint rims properly, the paint needs to be formulated specifically for rims.

Your rims are exposed to many harsh conditions that ordinary paint cannot withstand.

You will, of course, need a primer and a clear coat

Plastidip is a spray paint that allows you to paint objects in various colors.

It is durable and long-lasting and can be applied by professionals or amateurs.

It is popular with car enthusiasts who want to change the color of their car without painting it completely.

Conclusion

Transforming your rims with a sleek black finish is a straightforward process that can be achieved in four easy steps. Beginning with thorough preparation, including cleaning and masking, ensures a smooth and even application. The use of high-quality spray paint specifically designed for rims enhances durability and provides a professional look. Applying multiple thin coats and allowing sufficient drying time between each layer is crucial for achieving a lasting and flawless black finish. By following these simple steps, you can easily revamp the appearance of your rims and give your vehicle a stylish and customized look with minimal effort.