How to Paint Rims at Home

Hello, my name is Chase Paulson. I have always been interested in doing things on my own at home. Why waste time and money trying to order a part online, or looking for the best part for the least amount of money, when it could just be made at home? I am going to be demonstrating how to cheaply and easily paint the rims on a car. We are first going to start with gathering the materials and items needed for the project. Mostly every item is under 10 dollars and not much is really needed for this project because it is pretty simple. This isn’t a thing that is necessary to the function of the vehicle but cosmetically it will look better and it will also prevent any more rust.

Most of the things the I purchased for this project I got at Walmart, or already had around the house. Two cans of paint – $7 each, various wire wheels – all under $5 each, a pack of index cards – around $2, and then a pack of disposable masks - $3. This project can be done outside but depending on the weather a shop or garage with good ventilation will work.

The first step we have to take now that we have our materials prepared, is choosing which side of the car to start with and how to prepare the rims for sanding/painting. With the first wheel chosen, the car will be jacked up and a jack stand placed underneath the frame by the tire that is chosen first. The wheel is now ready to be taken off and cleaned with soapy water. It is important to clean the rims before any work is done to remove any road grime, break dust, or grease.

The second step is to smooth the surface for any rust, scratches or curb rash on the wheel. This can be achieved with either sandpaper, a small wire wheel, or a flap wheel. Make sure to wear a mask during this process because metal dust is harmful. Sandpaper alone would work but it would take a very long time. With a wire wheel, there is more material being taken off without as much heat generated. This is very important because if the tire seals got too warm they could unseal. Start removing paint and all of the surface rust on the wheel. Make sure to be mindful of the tire stem and not to hit the tire around the edge of the rim to prevent damage.

The third step is now extra paint removal and cleaning. Once the grinding is done, there will be spots all over the wheel that have paint and metal dust on them. There are many different ways to remove paint but one of the easiest for this situation is just some isopropyl rubbing alcohol. Pour the alcohol onto a paper towel, and just rub down the whole rim. This will be done until no dust/dirt remains. If there was more time for me to do this project I could take them into my shop and get them sand blasted, which is a more professional way of painting rims, but for this project I chose the easiest and cheapest route.

After all of the paint has been removed and the rim is cleaned, it is time to start with getting ready for painting. It is tricky to paint rims and not get overspray on the tires so there are a couple tricks to prevent this from happening. Index cards are a very simple and easy way to prevent overspray. Simply stick the index card in between the rim and the tire and it creates a cone around the tires. With this there shouldn’t be any worry for overspray.

Now that the preparation is done we can start painting. Make sure to start with a primer coat in order for the color to stick to the rim better and for the color to stand out better. The paint that I happened to get had both primer and paint in it so I didn’t have to worry about this step as much. Make sure to read the directions on the paint can to see what the desired painting specifications are for the brand of paint that was purchased. The best way to get an even coat is to go from left to right across the rim and to do multiple light coats. This step will also be the deciding factor if the lug nuts and rim covers want to be painted as well.

This is going to be the same process for each rim on each wheel. Once the paint has dried you are able to put the wheel back onto the car. Repeat this process for the other three wheels and the project is done!

This is a review of me going over my wheels a few days after completion.