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So is this about correct? (Bike painting)

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So is this about correct? (Bike painting)

Old 06-13-15, 02:41 PM
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So is this about correct? (Bike painting)

So I have an old bike and I want to repaint it, I don't care if it looks ****ty or not, I just don't want a purple bike. (DIY)
I have the steps mostly figured out but I'm new to this stuff so I'll write down the steps and tell me if the steps are correct or need improvement. Thanks!
Also, is there an alternative to sandpapering the whole frame? (No airplane strippers though lol)
Anyway, here:

1. Sandpaper the frame <-- I don't know what grit to use

2. Laquer primer thing <-- black?

3. Enamel finish <-- black

Is that basically it?
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Old 06-13-15, 03:42 PM
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What material is the frame, steel, aluminum, carbon? That will have a lot to do with how you proceed. For heavy wall steel, sand away as you wish, probably with 100 to 120 grit to start. For thin aluminum be a lot more careful and just scuff up the current paint. For carbon be VERY careful and don't sand through the paint to the bare carbon.

Last edited by HillRider; 06-13-15 at 04:43 PM.
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Old 06-13-15, 04:01 PM
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Originally Posted by vanh
So I have an old bike and I want to repaint it, I don't care if it looks ****ty or not, I just don't want a purple bike. (DIY)
I have the steps mostly figured out but I'm new to this stuff so I'll write down the steps and tell me if the steps are correct or need improvement. Thanks!
Also, is there an alternative to sandpapering the whole frame? (No airplane strippers though lol)
Anyway, here:

1. Sandpaper the frame <-- I don't know what grit to use

2. Laquer primer thing <-- black?

3. Enamel finish <-- black

Is that basically it?
If you don't care how crappy it looks, then get the cheapest spray-can of gloss black Rust-Oleum and just go to town on that bike. (Just don't get overspray on your neighbors car.)

Otherwise, any paint job on the scale of 2 to 10 (above your desired level of 1) will require more effort... removing parts, degreasing, sanding with progressively finer levels of paper, degreasing again, masking, degreasing, filling, sanding, degreasing, priming, sanding, degreasing, painting, wet sanding, degreasing, clear coating, and some others I've likely missed.

Bikes are inherently tricky to paint because of all the tubes and joints, and you will miss some spots no matter how well you check for proper coverage.

Search the web for videos and how-to articles, and have some fun with it.
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Old 06-13-15, 05:31 PM
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Bikes weren't really intended to be painted in their assembled condition. To do even a decent rattle can job, it really should be stripped to the frame.

If you decide to remove what is easy to remove (wheels, seat post, and chain would be a good start) you can try masking everything else. To do even a half-arse job this is almost as much work as removing the remaining parts. If you can remove the cranks and derailleurs along with the cables would be a big help. You don't have to remove all of the old paint, just scuff it until it loses all gloss. After degreasing the entire frame and fork, a 3M scuff pad will do the job. Wipe the frame down with mineral spirits (the real stuff, not the milky alternative) and allow to dry completely. Rustoleum makes a truck bed paint that has a slightly textured, satin black finish that looks fairly decent and covers a lot of nicks and scratches. The old formulation required a primer, but the new can says it is a primer and paint in one and has a warranty against peeling (money back on the paint). I've used it on a few flip bikes and on an old MTB that my step-son is now using. It's a fairly tough coating but the best part is that touch-ups completely disappear due to the slightly textured surface (try a rattle-can touch up with a gloss enamel once). You can find the Truck Bed Paint in the automotive section of WalMart in the same area as spray on undercoatings and such.
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Old 06-13-15, 06:04 PM
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its a lot of work to do just a decent job,,,a ton of work to do a good job.
I did it once on a Schwinn heavy duti, did 2 coats primer, 3 coats base paint then 2 coats clear coat
I think if you going black, you can use cheap paint.

I have a schwinn middle weight frame that I want to do like a Zebra. I have all the stuff, now I just have to start it.
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Old 06-13-15, 06:05 PM
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I would look into Plastidip, no sanding, no priming, can be touched up and peeled off if you decide to go with something different.
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Old 06-14-15, 03:56 AM
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Originally Posted by vanh
So I have an old bike and I want to repaint it, I don't care if it looks ****ty or not, I just don't want a purple bike. (DIY)
In that case, lightly sand with 200 grit. Don't sand it down to bare metal, just enough to "dull" the gloss and create a clean surface that new paint will stick to. Next, get a 1 qt can of liquid (not spray) Rustoleum enamel. Your local paint shop or hardware store can tint it to whatever color you want. Apply with a foam brush and allow to dry. Put it on thin and repeat as many times as needed to get good coverage. If you put it on thick, you'll get streaks and runs that are a lot of work to sand out.

If you're happy with the result at that point, declare victory. If you want a little nicer finish, wet sand with 600 grit (be careful not to sand all the way through) to smooth everything out and then polish with automotive polishing compound to bring back the shine. Note that wet sanding/polishing will add a lot of time to the process.

This will not get you a professional quality paint job, but it's as good as you'll get without putting in a ton of time and effort. The enamel paint will look better, and be much more durable than what you can do with a rattle can. It's also a lot easier to apply (spraying a bike frame is tricky, especially if you're inexperienced).

Now, if you want the bike to look good, disassemble down to the bare frame and take it to a local powder coating shop. They'll sand blast down to bare metal and then bake on a powder coat finish that will look good and be extremely durable, all for a couple hundred bucks. That may seem expensive, but if your time is worth anything, it's a bargain compared to getting a similar quality result with DIY painting.
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Old 06-14-15, 05:52 AM
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Remove parts
Clean frame
Scuff paint
Solvent wipe and dry
Shoot with rattle can , LIGHT COATS.
Let dry And harden
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Old 06-14-15, 06:10 AM
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agreed totally with 02giant.
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Old 06-14-15, 06:19 AM
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Start Ridin' Purple.....welcome to BF !

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Old 06-14-15, 06:51 AM
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I've repainted several bikes using spray cans. My finished products don't rival factory finishes, but they don't scream "HOME PAINT JOB" either. Best of all, my bike finishes don't chip.

I think that it's important to start with bare metal. I strip off all of the old finish using a chemical paint remover. Whenever I've tried to wimp out by short cutting this step, the result has been a finished paint job that chips easily.
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Old 06-14-15, 07:05 AM
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Originally Posted by 02Giant
I would look into Plastidip, no sanding, no priming, can be touched up and peeled off if you decide to go with something different.
Interesting idea. Can you provide specifics on using the Plastidip to paint bikes? Still need to sand and use solvent? How long does the bike need to sit after being painted?
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Old 06-14-15, 07:07 AM
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Like @Retro Grouch just up there^^^

-Strip frame completely. Just as easy as taping up derallieurs, cranks etc really.
- Prep is the key. Strip back to bare metal and then you can use an etch primer. Otherwise it WILL NOT stick and whatever finish you do will chip off easily. Although if you like battle scars this may be for you.
-clean with degreaser. And when you think the frame is clean enough clean it some more.
- Heat your cans. Either leave them in the sun for a bit before using or dip in a bucket of hot water. Will get paint out more evenly apparently. I did this on my SS build earlier in the year and I'm no spray can expert but the finish I got made me very happy.
- check and double check all around frame before finishing each coat. You're bound to miss something, under bottom tube near headset, between rear stays etc.

Oh and btw I used Rustoleum 2X paint cans. Basically @howeeee almost spelt my coat regime out in post #5 except because I used a satin finish clear coat and was concerned because it's harder to tell a uniform coat of satin over gloss I put 4 clear coats on. Also figured it may give the whole job more 'strength'.

proof of the above pudding here:

https://www.bikeforums.net/singlespee...l#post17777959

Phew. That turned out more of an essay than I thought. Good luck with it. We should expect pics soon then!! :-)

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Old 06-14-15, 07:41 AM
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if you really don't care what your paint job looks like, don't paint it. folks see you on a purple bike, they just think you like purple... they see you on a "i don't give a crap paint job" and they just think you stole it and did a quick paint job to change what it looked like.
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Old 06-15-15, 11:12 AM
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Originally Posted by jimmie65
Interesting idea. Can you provide specifics on using the Plastidip to paint bikes? Still need to sand and use solvent? How long does the bike need to sit after being painted?
Google, there is a wealth of info available on Plasti Dip.
No sanding, no solvents, and 24-48 hrs.
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Old 06-17-15, 02:54 AM
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Given how poor the effort/result ratio is when it comes to painting bikes, I think Kopsis nails it here:
Originally Posted by Kopsis
In that case, lightly sand with 200 grit. Don't sand it down to bare metal, just enough to "dull" the gloss and create a clean surface that new paint will stick to. Next, get a 1 qt can of liquid (not spray) Rustoleum enamel. Your local paint shop or hardware store can tint it to whatever color you want. Apply with a foam brush and allow to dry. Put it on thin and repeat as many times as needed to get good coverage. If you put it on thick, you'll get streaks and runs that are a lot of work to sand out.

If you're happy with the result at that point, declare victory. If you want a little nicer finish, wet sand with 600 grit (be careful not to sand all the way through) to smooth everything out and then polish with automotive polishing compound to bring back the shine. Note that wet sanding/polishing will add a lot of time to the process.

This will not get you a professional quality paint job, but it's as good as you'll get without putting in a ton of time and effort. The enamel paint will look better, and be much more durable than what you can do with a rattle can. It's also a lot easier to apply (spraying a bike frame is tricky, especially if you're inexperienced).

Now, if you want the bike to look good, disassemble down to the bare frame and take it to a local powder coating shop. They'll sand blast down to bare metal and then bake on a powder coat finish that will look good and be extremely durable, all for a couple hundred bucks. That may seem expensive, but if your time is worth anything, it's a bargain compared to getting a similar quality result with DIY painting.
This method doesn't require completely disassembling the bike, and is tons easier than spraying. You can use steel wool to de-gloss the old paint; easier than sandpaper.

Last edited by Kimmo; 06-17-15 at 02:57 AM.
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