customizing interior trim and panels

[FastLittleSol]

anyone know how to paint/prep interior panels and trim without risking chips or just a plain crappy paint job i.e. what paint and process to use any info appreciated

[RobertSilcox]

Well the stuff i used works quite well you would really have to see the inside of my car. But no matter what it is just not the same and the stock color. The stuff i have dont know the name off the top of my head was 13$ a can and depending on the color you want your inside to be could end up useing alot of cans like i did becasue i wanted all the gray to be bright white. I got the stuff from a paint shop called westco paint. then you also have to get this cleaner that is 22$ for the bottle to clean and prep befor you can even put it on. I'll get some of the pics of my car up here some time soon so you can see what i did

[Tman the Zman]

It's best to use SEM products. You can pick up the actual adhesive spray for about $11-13. If you want the best result, there is also a prep solvent that SEM also has for cleaning, but you can use Acetone just as well. You want to clean the area, then sand with maybe a 200-300 grit sandpaper, then work your way to say 600-800 grit. Make sure you clean the area well then apply 1 light coat of the SEM adhesive, wait 15 mins, then apply a thicker coat, followed by your first base coat of paint within 1 min. It is best to use either Krylon or any laquer paint. It's also a good idea to apply at least 1 clear coat to protect the paint from scratches and fading.

[Geo VP]

Originally posted by FastLittleSol:
anyone know how to paint/prep interior panels and trim without risking chips or just a plain crappy paint job i.e. what paint and process to use any info appreciated

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">OK, here's some information for you. Clean it up with dish washing soap and water (Simple Green is good too), more then once if it still looks dirty. Then use prep-sol or denatured alcohol as this will dry without a film left on the surface. Marhyde makes paint for vinyl and will work excellent on plastic parts too. Light coats work best, don't try covering it in just one coat. Spray at about 12-15 inches from the surface. I wouldn't sand anything as it removes the grain on the surface material so the finished product looks 'flat' or would I use a lacquer or enamel type paint as it can be to'hot' and can sometimes melt some vinyl or plastic parts.

Also a automotive paint shop can mix up any color (even match your outside color) and some can/will even put it in a pressurized spray can for you. I've used the Marhyde products for years on cars as I did upholstery for both home, auto and boats for many years. It was the only thing we would use. Just remember though cleaning will be the key to the job coming out great.

Geo
President
Team Sol of Washington