Can you make rattle can look like factory
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
From: Troy, Michigan
Vehicle: 01 Veilside Tibby
Can you make rattle can look like factory
My mirrors are black and I want to get some cobalt blue paint in a rattle can and spray them but Im concerned that rattle can painting wont look as good as having a body shop do it. Anyone have any tips or is just better to spend a couple hundred bucks and have a shop do it?
Super Moderator
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,795
Likes: 5
From: Pflugerville, TX
Vehicle: 2000 Elantra
IF you get a paint that will adhere, and you do lots of light coats, it can look good. Cover with clear and it may be close to the same finish quality
-BUT color may be off unless you get a custom mix, at which point you might be pushing the cost of a professional paint job anyway.
-BUT color may be off unless you get a custom mix, at which point you might be pushing the cost of a professional paint job anyway.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,468
Likes: 0
From: Kent, Wa
Vehicle: 13 Gen Coupe Ult.
Really when painting with a Rattle can, It is about the Prep, you can make a five dollar Ebay intake look like like a 300 dollar intake or what ever your after, just go prep work goes ALONG ways when painting period!
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 12,515
Likes: 2
From: Lacey, WA
Vehicle: Two Accents, Mini, Miata, Van, Outback, and a ZX-6
I have used good high end aerosol factory matched paint along with a great quality automotive clearcoat and come up with results that match or exceed the factory finish. It takes time though. Tons of elbow grease.
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,837
Likes: 0
From: Floating around the AUDM
Vehicle: X3 Sprint, S-Coupe Turbo
i did a bumper cover on my daily with factory matched spray cans + clear. its the first/only thing i've painted. it didn't come out as nicely as i'd have hoped, to be honest. its still not bad, it just looks fairly dull. what i did from memory:
clean it
graduated wet sanding- from 140 to 400 grit (i think)
clean it again, with wax + grease remover
prime it
more graduated wet sanding - 200 to 400 grit
re-prime it
wet sanded with 400, 600, 1200
cleaned it
3 layers of base coat. left about 6 hours between coats, i can't remember whether i sanded between them. i don't think so.
wet sanded it with 1200
2 layers of clear
wet sand with 1200, then polish
to be honest, i did it like 6 months ago so i can't remember the specifics. pretty much, if you google how to paint whatever it is you want to paint, there will be a few solid DIYs out there. i read a few and went from there. i'm not too sure why mine didn't turn out perfectly, but i quickly ran out of give a f*ck considering it was only for a ratty daily anyway. i hope that helps. its not as hard as it might sound.
clean it
graduated wet sanding- from 140 to 400 grit (i think)
clean it again, with wax + grease remover
prime it
more graduated wet sanding - 200 to 400 grit
re-prime it
wet sanded with 400, 600, 1200
cleaned it
3 layers of base coat. left about 6 hours between coats, i can't remember whether i sanded between them. i don't think so.
wet sanded it with 1200
2 layers of clear
wet sand with 1200, then polish
to be honest, i did it like 6 months ago so i can't remember the specifics. pretty much, if you google how to paint whatever it is you want to paint, there will be a few solid DIYs out there. i read a few and went from there. i'm not too sure why mine didn't turn out perfectly, but i quickly ran out of give a f*ck considering it was only for a ratty daily anyway. i hope that helps. its not as hard as it might sound.