Home Forums Bike Forum DIY bike respray…?

Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)
  • DIY bike respray…?
  • loddrik
    Free Member

    So I think I wanna respray my kona dr dew. How easy is it and anyone got any advice? Only want a single flat colour do nothing technical. Bike also has silver mavic disc wheels which I’d rather have black, would the rims need a different paint?

    Thanks in advance.

    thomthumb
    Free Member

    i have done it in the past.

    painting takes a lot of work to get a decent finish.

    next time i’d just pay someone. by the time you buy primer (might not need it) paint and lacquer your almost at the cost of a powder coat anyway.

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    You can get a good finish if you prepare it properly, it will chip off in no time, not worth the effort IMO/E.

    Respraying wheels is usually done by art students or 14 year olds. Will you mask up the spokes and nipples? If you strip back to the alu you’ll prob need a different primer.

    I_Ache
    Free Member

    It is very easy to spray a bike and totally cock it up. To do it properly you will need primer colour and lacquer. Even at halfords the cost is not worth considering when you can get it powder coated for about £35. The paint will chip if you even fart near it let alone drop it on some rocks, but pc is so much thicker and stronger.

    clubber
    Free Member

    I’ve found hammerite sprays are actually pretty chip resistant if done properly (eg several thin layers on a properly prepared frame). I would avoid halfords car paints for the reasons above.

    was
    Free Member

    Just drop it off at your local powder coaters down the industrial estate.

    Most will blast and coat for £40 (colour choice might be limited to what they have in but look at the RAL charts for inspiration).

    Just remember to talk them through masking the BB, seatpost entry and headtube if they aren’t used to doing bike frames.

    Better finish and cheaper than rattle cans. You can apply decals then spray lacquer over the top if you like.

    Konastoner
    Free Member

    Preparation is the key to succes, along with decent durable paint. The biggest issue is that after the paint has been stripped the clean down is not sufficient enough to give good paint / primer bond (key) to the frame. This then causes all sorts of problems as the paint strength is compromised.

    If its a steel frame then get it dipped, if it’s alu then its a manual job as chemical attack (Nitromores etc) can cause pitting.

    cookeaa
    Full Member

    If your after a really good finish it takes a lot of time and effort and consumables to fully strip back – prime/respray/lacquer from scratch…

    But if you just want a quick and dirty tidy up, strip the parts from the frame, rough up the existing paint finish with wet ‘n’ dry, mask off the headtube/BB and just apply you chosen plasticote or Hammerite spray over the top in thin even coats, take a bit of care and it will look great… right up until you take it for a ride… then it will get scuffed and look about as crap as it did before…

    If you just want a plain black frame I’m quite a fan of Hammerite’s BBQ paint (No seriously) it’s cheap, black and when it starts to rub off you can simply rub back the area and spray a bit more on…

    Obviously a powder coating is a slightly better, tougher option and possibly a touch cheaper too…

    As for the wheels, leave ’em I reckon. Painted up wheels always look shite and chip within a couple of seconds… FACT!

    clubber
    Free Member

    I said hammerite above. I actually meant Plastikote…

    thisisnotaspoon
    Free Member

    If its a steel frame then get it dipped, if it’s alu then its a manual job as chemical attack (Nitromores etc) can cause pitting.

    Normaly I’d say the opposite, steel is tough enough to be blasted, whereas aluminium is too soft so better done chemicaly? Depends on the chemicals though, caustic solution will dissolve aluminum, but most places use solvents.

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    Why strip it back to bare metal? The paint on there is better stuck on than anything one can do at home.

    Key only then spray.

    burnsybhoy
    Free Member

    I’ve got some fork lowers I’d like to get painted white. Is powder coating the best way for this too. Can anyone recommend anywhere in Ayrshire that could do this?

    I_Ache
    Free Member

    The fork lowers will need new bushings in them after powder coating because of the heat. So unless you want to pay for a service too then maybe that isnt the way to go.

    takisawa2
    Full Member

    As per Cynic-Al, key what’s on there with 800 grade wet & dry, coat of primer & top coat of choice. I used Plasti-Kote paints from Wilkos. It goes on nice & thick, has good shine from the can & remains quite flexible. Car paints are too thin. Rolled up paper in the BB, head & seat tubes. As regards the rims, they will be anodised. They will need keying as best as you can, wire wool should do it. Again, primer & top coat. Don’t expect it to stand up to much though, alloy is ideally chromated before paint, but the best undercoat for alloy is 2-pack etch primer. Not something you can use at home. Masking up all those spokes won’t be much fun.

    To be honest, I spent less having my old frame powder coated than DIY. DIY is fine but the longer you can leave it to dry the better. Mine was hung above a radiator in the downstairs loo for a few weeks.

    If you can get it PROPERLY stripped I could get it powder coated matt black for nothing at work. Only matt black though I’m afraid. I have had it done then DIY’d a colour on top before now. That worked ok.

    simon1975
    Full Member

    Yes Plastikote is good, and may not even need a primer (do a test first). They even have the RAL numbers on the tins. It’s even cheaper in “The Range”.

    cookeaa
    Full Member

    Actually I’ve got some old DJ3s I’m planning to strip down, while they’re in bits I might well re-paints them Lowers and crown, anyone got any suggestions for a suitably Garish horrible colour for me to apply?

    Rattle can job only as they will doubtless get scuffed again whatever I do…

    So let have some colour suggestions or better yet a RAL/Pantone refs…

    andyl
    Free Member

    If it’s an alloy frame then you can get one can etch primers – look up U-pol stuff.

    I would also use that on the wheels too. Spend your money and time on a decent base layer – ie proper prep and primer. Then you will only need a few thin coats of the colour coat.

    Then spend more good money on a clear polyurethane (PU) lacquer. Get a non-yellowing one.

    Make sure you do it somewhere warm that doesnt get cold over night as water will condense on the frame and ruin the paint.

Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)

The topic ‘DIY bike respray…?’ is closed to new replies.