Chrome elements add elegance to any car. This applies to the radiator grille, door handles and, of course, wheels. The latter attract special attention. Therefore, their condition should be almost ideal. Painting the wheels in chrome will help with this. It will help give a special charm to any car.
What is chrome plating? In short, this is the application of a special coating with a mirror effect. This technique has been in fashion for quite some time and is still popular among car enthusiasts. But it's not just about aesthetics. The coating reliably protects the surface of the discs from corrosion, as well as chemical and mechanical influences.
It is generally accepted that chrome plating can only be carried out in specialized workshops. However, this can also be done in a garage. The main thing is to collect all the necessary equipment and materials, and also carefully study and follow all recommendations.
There are 2 ways to chrome rims:
Chrome paint in cans
- Applying chrome paint is the easiest and cheapest way;
- Galvanic chrome plating of wheels is an expensive and complex method that is practically impossible to use in garage conditions;
- Chrome plating using special equipment.
We will look at the first method in more detail.
Wash the product thoroughly
Wet the chrome piece with cool water from a faucet or hose, then wipe it with a microfiber cloth. Spray the surface with an all-purpose metal cleaner and wipe off with the same cloth, just a clean one. After removing dirt, allow the product to dry.
If you'll be painting your car rims, use a heavy-duty cleaner and a soft-bristled brush to remove all the dirt collected from the roads.
If you want to paint a small object (for example, an emblem), first unscrew it from the machine, and then wash and clean it thoroughly.
Galvanic chrome plating
It’s worth mentioning right away that chrome works best on iron. Magnesium, aluminum and other alloy wheels require a more complex multi-layer coating. Before being coated with a layer of chrome, the disc must go through several stages of preparation.
Firstly, it is a thorough grinding and polishing of the surface, because the mirror surface of chrome will highlight every flaw. Secondly, degreasing so that nothing interferes with the adhesion of the chrome and the disc. Thirdly, the disk mounting holes are tightly sealed so that the chrome coating does not reduce their diameter. And only after these steps begins painting the wheels in chrome using an electrolytic reaction in a galvanic bath.
Protect your work area and other parts of the product from paint.
To prevent paint from getting onto your work area, cover the table with oilcloth, scrap fabric or sheets of newspaper. The area you need to cover depends on the size of the piece you want to paint.
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Painting tape will help you hide from the paint those areas of the item that you did not plan to change the color of. This is especially true for painting wheels - just cover the entire inner edge of the wheel with pieces of tape and the paint will not get on it.
Apply a primer coat of black paint
First, you need to shake the aerosol can of primer for 10-20 seconds. Inside the can is a small metal ball that helps the paint mix.
Applying a primer helps the paint “stick” to the chrome. This also ensures that the applied color remains preserved, for example from being washed off in the event of heavy rain. To apply the primer, hold the can 7-10cm away from the item and cover the surface in an even layer.
Don't worry if you get uneven spots or smudges while applying the primer - you'll apply several coats of paint on top. When applied correctly, you will get a dark matte surface without shine or metallic gaps.
Leave the primed surface for at least 20 minutes. If you do not allow the primer to dry, subsequent coats of paint will dry unevenly, which will negatively affect the outcome of your efforts.
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Possible defects and their causes
- Chrome does not settle on the workpiece. The reason may be poor contact, a film of oxides, or a small distance between the electrodes. The process is disrupted due to incorrectly selected conductor cross-sections, excess sulfuric acid, low current density or too hot electrolyte.
- The surface shine is absent or uneven (with darkening and spots). The temperature regime of the electrolyte and the concentration of the reagents are not observed. The current has been exceeded.
- There are growths of metallic chromium on the corners of the object. Current density is higher than recommended.
- Defects (sinks) on chrome plating. Poor cleaning. Excess current, hydrogen retention.
- Peeling of coating. Poor degreasing, surges in voltage, current density or temperature.
Decorating plastic with a layer of chrome in a home workshop is no more difficult than metal. The key to a brilliant result will be thorough compliance with safety rules and attention to the details of the technological process.
Choose the right paint
If you are working on a chrome item, use plain black spray paint. However, there are specialized varieties, and you should opt for them. For example, if you are painting your rims, be sure to get automotive paint because it will have a strong formula that can withstand moisture, dirt, and extreme conditions. If we are talking about painting craft metal, you will need a paint that is safe for soft metal surfaces.
Materials and equipment for painting chrome wheels
In order to carry out all the work yourself, you need the following equipment and materials:
- Drill with attachment (for cleaning the surface);
- Special “chrome” paint in cans;
- Black backing;
- Sandpaper;
- Degreaser;
- Rags.
In principle, painting using this method is practically no different from conventional painting. The only caveat is a special black backing that must be placed before applying paint to the disc.
Add color to the product
When spraying paint, shake the can periodically. This will allow you to achieve an even application of color without smudges or unevenness. Hold the paint can 7-10cm away from the item and press down on the spray nozzle to release the paint. Move the jet slowly back and forth to completely cover the object.
For the next coat, again let it sit for at least 20 minutes, as with the primer. This will need to be done for each subsequent layer, so if you are limited in time, set a timer so as not to miss the next moment of painting.
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Even if time has passed, it is necessary to check whether the previous layer has dried before applying a new one. Don't be afraid and just touch the surface with your fingertip. If there is a mark (even a small one), wait another 5-10 minutes, then repeat.
The number of layers depends on how dark the color you want to get in the end.
For a shade close to gray, two or three layers of paint, in addition to the primer, will be sufficient. However, if you want to make your chrome piece look bright black, it may take five to ten coats. Keep this in mind when purchasing the required amount of paint. Remember that each layer will lighten slightly as it dries. So if immediately after painting you realize that you have got the desired color, after the layer has dried you will need another one.
Chrome plating and maintenance technologies
There are 2 methods of applying chrome to parts:
- diffusion;
- galvanic.
The electroplating method is more durable and of higher quality. However, it is more technically complex. It is the introduction of chromium into the molecular lattice of the metal that makes up the car's wheels. This allows them to be moisture and heat resistant. This technique for chrome-plated cast wheels is considered more reliable due to the passivation properties of chromium - the formation of an oxide film that slows down the occurrence of corrosion. Chrome plating is especially useful for those who love high speed and use their vehicle frequently. It reduces the likelihood of premature failure of chrome wheels.
Chrome plated disc
The diffuse method is, in fact, the usual painting of cast parts with powder paints. It costs less than electroplating, provides a thinner layer of paint and a mirror effect. However, with diffuse painting, the discs are not protected from corrosion and mechanical damage.
Diffuse chrome plating method
Despite the properties of chrome wheels described above, the chrome coating requires special care to avoid scratches and other damage. The rules of care are:
- Regular cleaning using products that do not contain ammonia or acetone. It is carried out using soft tissues. After applying detergents, you need to wash them off with water (under low pressure to avoid damage), and then wipe the discs dry (especially important in frosty weather). To maintain a mirror-like shine, experts recommend using polishing;
- If the discs are damaged, first treat the damaged area with chalk and then wipe with a dry cloth. It is also necessary to apply a clear varnish to the surface to prevent the destruction of the oxide film around the scratch;
- If dirt appears, do not try to remove it under any circumstances when it is dry. Remember that scraping and scrubbing away grains of sand will invariably damage the chrome. You must first wet the dirt, wait until it gets wet, and then carefully remove it;
- You should clean not only the discs, but also the surfaces adjacent to them.
Don't forget about the protective transparent coating
Once the last coat of black paint has dried, you will need to apply the clear coat. This also needs to be done correctly.
Shake the spray can for about 20 seconds and then apply a light, even coat over your painted item. As before, keep the can 7-10cm away from the point of application. Start from the side and work your way towards the front to make sure you are completely covering the painted area. If your product turns out to be slightly shiny from the paint, you may not understand where the protective coating has already been applied and where not. Be extremely careful.
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Only thanks to the protective coating, the black color of your chrome product will remain for many years.
When 20 minutes have passed, apply a couple more light coats of protective coating and leave the product for a couple of hours.
Apply final coat
After two or three light coats, it's time to apply a solid protective layer. It is needed not only for beauty, but also to enhance protection. First of all, it will save the product from extreme moisture. After shaking the can thoroughly, hold it at a distance of about 5 cm and move it more slowly than before. Try to give each area at least five seconds of continuous spraying.
Now it will take at least half an hour before the next “heavy” transparent layers. There should be three more, and take half an hour between each one. When you apply the final coat, leave the product for one to two hours. You can set the timer again.
Be sure to touch the product when the time is up. As with black paint, if you feel sticky or see a mark on your finger, no matter how minute, it is best to let the product dry further, checking every 20-30 minutes. If you have time, it is better to leave the product overnight. The next morning you will be sure that it is thoroughly dry and ready for use. If you are limited in time and this is not possible, you will have to rearrange the timer and check. Otherwise, you risk starting to use an item that is not yet ready for this, and as a result, all the paint will simply be damaged and peel off after the layer of transparent protection.
Main advantages
Experts highlight several main advantages of chrome plating of wheel rims:
- Chrome-plated parts have higher heat transfer characteristics, which in turn helps to increase their service life;
- If you chrome rims at home in a timely manner (when the top layer of the coating cracks), you can significantly increase the strength of the surface and its resistance to mechanical stress, as well as to environmental factors;
- Metal coating with chrome plating effectively protects car wheels from precipitation, high air humidity and the influence of various chemical reagents.
Enjoy your freshly painted product
If it was a car part, you can finally remove any protective items such as masking tape and reinstall it. Enjoy the new black shade of your chrome product! Be sure to properly dispose of any spray cans left over from painting because they are pressurized and can be dangerous.
Although these instructions assume black, you can use absolutely any paint using the same procedure. The main thing is that the paint, regardless of the shade, matches the type of product and can paint chromed metal.
You can also create a chrome effect if you purchase paint designed for this purpose. Thus, absolutely any metal can look as if it is chrome-plated.
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Is there an alternative to chrome plating?
To obtain a metallic shine, it is not necessary to coat the part with chrome if it is made of non-ferrous metal. Alloy wheels can simply be polished to a mirror finish. There are many advantages of such polishing, but the main thing is that it prevents peeling of the mirror layer, since it is the metal itself that shines, and not its coating.
To polish alloy wheels, a minimum of consumables are used, so this service is affordable for most motorists. Companies involved in mirror polishing claim that they use high-precision equipment and substances that are unique in their properties. However, there are technologies that allow polishing even in garage conditions.
First of all, you need to remove the protective coating applied to the alloy wheels. If this is a product from a reputable manufacturer, then removing such a film mechanically is quite problematic. The fact is that the hardness of the coating composition (disc varnish) exceeds the hardness of the alloy itself. Therefore, it is better to use special removers to remove the protective coating.
When purchasing a remover for coating discs, you should pay attention to its specification, and not to the degree of aggressiveness or toxicity. You won't be able to remove the film from the discs with a regular solvent; you don't even have to try. True, various Chinese replicas may well have a film on them that can be washed off with any solvent.
Special protective coating removers may react with aluminum. Therefore, immediately after removing the film, it is necessary to thoroughly rinse the disc with neutral liquids (or plain water).
If the disc is scratched or has small chips on it, then the part must be sanded before polishing. This operation becomes unnecessary if the disk is completely intact and has no flaws. The more complex the shape of the internal filling of the disc rim, the more labor-intensive grinding it requires.
It is best to polish discs that do not have many small ridges. For example, grinding a disc to imitate the interweaving of small knitting needles will take a huge amount of time. If there are several knitting needles and they are massive, then the work will go much faster. Certain disk shapes allow them to be turned on a lathe.
Polishing is carried out with special pastes until a mirror shine is achieved. This operation is performed in a rotational manner. Hard-to-reach places are polished with drills, and the rest - with ordinary polishers with attachments of suitable size and shape.
,Nowadays, powder coating of chrome wheels is used by all car manufacturers. This decision is justified by the following reasons - this coating can be considered the most durable and reliable in our time, thanks to painting the wheels in chrome, effective protection against all kinds of factors is provided. But over time, the appearance of car wheels becomes unsightly, the paint fades and begins to crack.
