I am considering painting a used MTB bike frame I recently purchased.

I was wondering if anybody has done this before and would advise on the best approach to do this?

The main issue is that I don’t worry to spend a fortune on the job but just something that will brighten the bike up, keep it protected from rust and have a good finish to it.

Also any ideas of the best places to purchase the primer and paint etc?

Thanks

Don’t do it yourself.
Get it chemically stripped and powder coated.
It costs me £25 for the above and the finish is high gloss and very durable.

Andy

a good sand,high build etch primer for a good key and a good quality custom filled aerosol will be your easiest option or,
go to a powder coater or a local car bodyshop.
If you struggle getting hold of some proper paint stuff then let me know as I do it for my job!

I’ve done loads of rattle can paint jobs in the past and they’ve always been pretty terrible to be honest, no matter how anal I was with preparation. Never managed a nice smooth finish and they chip really easily.

As above, pop in some local powder coaters.

Don’t paint it with anything easily available- if you don’t have to put some effort in to find it, it is crap. TBH unless you just like the project DIY paint is madness- it takes ages, and it’s surprisingly expensive.

I’d go to a good powdercoater. Get reviews first though, not everyone really has a clue about bikes and that way lies the dark side.

Rattle can job. Plastikote to be exact. Key the old paint with some 800 grade wet & dry. Knacker-Lacquer car cellulose is too thin. Costs a fortune too. Plastikote goes on quite thick, & stays soft(er), & seems more resistant to chips.

During…

20112009091 by pten2106, on Flickr

After…

02012010143 by pten2106, on Flickr

Finished mine in 2 pack lacquer and has never chipped!

takisawa2 ….Which type of plastikote did you use on that and have you lacquered it afterward??

looks mint and I may have a goo at my commuter!

renton – Member

takisawa2 ….Which type of plastikote did you use on that and have you lacquered it afterward??

looks mint and I may now have goo on my computer!

????

http://www.abcenamelling.co.uk/

Frame and forks £60 and very good ,did my On One 2 years ago and still chip free

Find a local powder coater and get it done properly.
Cost me £30.

Was from Wilkos. Two cans. About £4 a can. Used two. No, no lacquer, it’s quite glossy anyway.

There are tons of different plastikotes which is why I was asking!

Was from Wilkos. Two cans. About £4 a can. Used two. No, no lacquer, it’s quite glossy anyway

But, if you take it to an industrial powder coaters, they will (should) dry it in a heated kiln type thing, to harden the paint and make it more resilient to chips.

Thanks for the comments.

Based on the excellent results by takisawa2 I will try a trial run with the plastikote.

If it goes wrong and I’m not happy I will get a local powder coater to do it.

This one…
(Bought 4 cans, still have this one not used.

If you for green, I’ll send it to you. 😀

IMAG1933 by pten2106, on Flickr

Just take your time in the prep. You don’t need to sand the old paint off, just take the gloss off so it’s matt. If the old decals are under the lacquer I’d leave them. Find somewhere outside to paint it. Obviously a dry day. And a cool one too, as the paint drys slower. Thin coats is the best way. You don’t need to change it’s colour in one go. Also, thoroughly shake the cans, & every few sprays too.

Do it yourself!
Very satisfying 😀

I used the cheapest satin matt black paint from ebay and am dead chuffed

It is fun doing it yourself. It won’t be as durable as an oven baked enamel, but I’ll just do it again.

It is fun to do. If you can be arsed with all the faff. I’ve only done it the once. It seemed to cost loads in spraycans from Halfrauds, and it chipped to buggery afterwards. To be fair though, I did lots of things wrong.

Found this great youtube vid years later. Tempted to do it again with an old racer frame I found recently.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCFO2l63qdk[/video]

(There’s 4 or five parts btw)

Hmm, how do I insert a youtube vid into a post? The ‘Video’ button clearly doesn’t work.

jambourgie – Member
Hmm, how do I insert a youtube vid into a post? The ‘Video’ button clearly doesn’t work.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum-help/
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrXmDiYHUY0[/video]
Insert the link that looks like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrXmDiYHUY0 into the video button

back on track, my mate has a spray gun setup so going to do mine with that, good paint, proper prep and lots of time is they key…

aye powder coating, but otherwise if you want to do it yourself, RUSTOLEUM combicolour spray can. self-undercoating, leveling and rust curing i think.

i’m about to do one with a good quality car spray. couldn’t get the colour i wanted in rustoleum. but i wish i’d got it power-coated tbh : )

If you’re going to do it out of rattle cans (unless you favour Plasticote) get custom-filled ones from your local auto-paints supplier. It will be water based and takes an age to dry so if you can do it inside the house in a warm room with a dehumidifier, so much the better. Finish it off with a two-pack clear lacquer which can also be purchased in aerosol form.

But as has been said, preparation is the key. If you can get the frame chemically stripped so much the better, but if the frame is aluminium, make sure that the process that the strippers use ISN’T caustic or it will eat the frame.

If you have it blast cleaned, get it done with fine glass bead or ground walnut shell, then use high-build self-etch primer.

I have done it with Rattle cans from Halfords,had it blasted at a local powder coaters for £15.
Primed it with Upol etch primer then numerous light coats of paint,flatted back with a bit of wet n dry prior to final coat.
Left for 2 weeks to harden off.
Then flatted again and polished up.
Looks really good but quite a lot of effort and have since found a different powdercoaters that could do virtually the same colour(Just had my wifes bike done in it)
Paintings worth it for unusual colours or the pride in knowing you have done it all but powdercoating is easier,more durable and if you can find a good one should have a lot of variety in colours.

Looks good that ! What colour is it close to on the ral chart then!

We never put waterbase colour into aerosols! Still using acrylics and polyesters for base coats and cellulose for bs and ral colours! You must get quality stuff though!

Looks good that ! What colour is it close to on the ral chart then!

Its actually a Ford colour ‘Nordic Blue’, the wifeys bike which is powdercoated a similar colour is RAL 111 if memory serves.