If you have a nice old bike that you want to bring back to life, it probably needs a paint job. This article is about how to paint a bicycle at home. Why buy a new bike and spend money if your old bike looks like new after repair.
Step 1: What you need to paint your bike.
To paint a bike we will need:
- bike;
- to disassemble the bicycle (keys, screwdrivers, etc.);
- sandpaper to remove rust and;
- razor to remove stickers;
- scotch;
- strong wire to hang the bike;
- primer (for a large bike you will need two cans);
- paint (for a large bike you will need two cans and it is advisable to use the same brand of paint as the primer);
- transparencies;
- a clean workplace with good ventilation and exhaust hood.
Step 2: Disassemble the bike.
First of all, remove all components from the bike that do not need to be painted: switches, switches, etc. When disassembling the bike, try not to lose small parts. You can put them in a zippered bag. Complex parts can be photographed so you know what to do with them as you assemble the bike.
Needs painting, removal and... You can also paint smaller parts, such as brakes, but you will have to disassemble them first.
While disassembling the bike, you can also determine what has worn out and needs to be replaced.
First, you should remove the entire body kit, and then remove the handlebars, front fork and seatpost. By completely disassembling the bike, we will simplify the painting process.
Step 3: Preparing the bike for painting.
Use a razor to remove all stickers and other markings, such as the manufacturer's logo, from the bike. They can be cut off or simply scraped off. and then clean it with paper towels soaked in alcohol to remove any grease or dust that may have been left behind by the sandpaper.
Apply tape to areas that need to be protected from paint, such as the carriage and steering column bearings. Or you can simply remove them.
You also need to make sure that the place where you are going to paint your bike is clean and free of dust as much as possible. Make sure that there is no dust flying in the air, which could get on the wet paint and ruin your entire work. You also need to hang the frame so that you can paint it completely in one go. In my case, I hung my bike in the garage on a beam, which has helped me out more than once. Before that, I also removed the car and everything unnecessary. Hook the bike onto a stiff wire and hang it on the beam.
Let's start priming the bike. Before applying the primer, first read the instructions for it. Be sure to provide good ventilation. Don't neglect her. The fumes are very harmful to health. Warnings about this are written in the instructions for a reason. If you are working indoors, you can open the door and turn on the fan. If you feel unwell or slightly dizzy while working, stop working and go out into the fresh air.
The primer from the can should be sprayed with long and smooth movements at a distance of 25 cm from the object. It's best to start at the frame tube and bottom bracket junctions, as these are the hardest to reach. Apply the primer in thin layers rather than one or two thick coats.
After applying the primer, sand the frame to achieve a really smooth finish.
Step 4: Paint the bike.
When the primer is completely dry (the drying time is indicated in the instructions), you can proceed directly to painting the bike. If you decide to paint your bike in two colors, then first decide which color paint you will apply first. Usually light-colored paint comes first. The second paint can be applied only after the first paint has dried. On my bike, I painted the frame one color and the fork and handlebars another, thereby emphasizing my individuality.
Step 5: Shut down.
After the paint has dried, you can remove the tape from the bike. Just make sure to first apply the paint in several layers, as indicated on the can.
Before assembling the bike, allow it to dry thoroughly for several days. This will reduce the chances of damaging wet paint while assembling your bike.
Collect and. Take a ride on it.
After about two weeks, you can start coating the bike with varnish, since by this time the paint will have completely hardened. Although in cold weather it may take longer.
Now you have one that is indistinguishable from new and which cost you very little.
The article is dedicated to those who have already stripped the frame so much that they are ashamed to go outside and to those who simply like to experiment without being afraid to pick up a tool.
A little about the paint and varnish material:
- white spirit is used for degreasing, any other will do (sold at any hardware store);
- solvent (it is better to buy at auto markets), depends on the paint, but is approximately distributed as follows: 646, 648,649,650 - in principle suitable for any car paints, but I advise using 650. 647 - for nitro enamels;
- 3-primer, used to prepare the surface for painting (the paint adheres to it much better; the primer fills in small irregularities; the surface turns out to be mirror-like);
- dye;
I don’t think it’s worth saying that first of all it would be a good idea to remove everything from the frame.
Stage 1. Preparing the frame for painting.
It consists of sanding the frame until all irregularities (scratches, possibly stickers) are completely smoothed out. You can sand out completely, you can only sand out uneven areas, in both cases you need to sand out extremely carefully, otherwise you will end up with very unpleasant holes and unevenness. We select the sandpaper depending on the depth of the scratches, but in no case should it leave deep scratches on the frame or paint. You can use paint removers (sold in car stores, cost about 50 rubles a tube), but then clean the surface thoroughly, otherwise all your work will swell, literally. Do not try to use a hair dryer to remove paint; you may damage the frame.
Also at this stage, using cold welding (see fig.) (price 30 rubles per forging) you can eliminate (eliminate from the point of view of appearance) particularly large scratches, dents, or simply embellish something. For example, I eliminated sharp transitions on Kharkov bicycles, since the frame is not welded, but the links are simply inserted into each other. When working with xc, I do not recommend putting too much on the frame, as it is quite difficult to process (process with rough sandpaper or a knife).
Stage 2. Preparing the surface of the frame directly for painting.
I can’t call this stage mandatory, since if you don’t prime, nothing dangerous will happen (in 50% of cases), but I’ll list the reasons why it still needs to be done:
- paint adheres to the primer much better than on the frame (both in terms of quality and in terms of chemical interaction), it’s not for nothing that primer was invented in the first place;
- using soil it is very easy to achieve an ideal surface, which will naturally have a positive effect on the final result;
- It’s worth considering that many paints may simply not adhere (for example, the effect may be that the paint curls up in droplets on the frame) on a “bare” frame;
- if you have not completely sanded the frame, then primer is required, since your previous paint and the new one may have different bases, and they may begin to react with each other, and the primer will act as a kind of “adapter”;
- a primed frame is more resistant to corrosion;
Next, you need to decide on the priming method: Unlike paint, here you can paint equally well, both from a spray can and from a spray bottle. In both cases, I recommend using Fitter primer; it is relatively cheap, and the quality is slightly inferior to more expensive primers (price 1 kg, 200 rubles; a can, about 100-200 rubles):
But still, the cans have one significant drawback: for priming it is advisable to use thick soil (so that all the unevenness is filled in), and the can, as a rule, due to the low pressure, contains liquid, therefore, instead of one “thick” layer, you will have to put several “ liquid."
If you decide to take it for bottling, you will need:
Progress:
- place the frame in a ventilated area (for example: balcony, garage...);
- thoroughly degrease the frame (for example, with white spirit);
- if it’s a spray can: shake the can and carefully apply in small strokes, at a distance of about 15-25cm from the frame)
If using a spray bottle: dilute the primer in the proportion indicated on the can (as a rule, all primers come in 3 components: the base is the primer itself, hardener, solvent - purchased separately), add solvent to the desired thickness (take a stick, dip it into the soil, if the primer is light drips down without leaving droplets on the stick, then everything is fine; if there is a drop left at the end of the stick, add solvent). Try painting on anything: if the surface shows through the primer, add a little base (that is, the primer itself); if droplets or scraps of paint fly out of the sprayer, add solvent. Paint the same way as with a spray can. If smudges have formed, then at this stage it is not a problem, but it is unacceptable when covering with paint. And try not to go through the same place more than 2-3 times.
- let it dry for about a day at a temperature not lower than 5 degrees, if the temperature is lower, let it dry longer;
- if necessary, add another layer (if the previous one was too liquid, or if there are small irregularities on the frame);
- Using fine sandpaper (about 200 grit), lightly sand until the surface is perfect (good primers, for example Fitter, are very easy to sand);
Stage 3. Painting.
The last is the most difficult and painful stage. The hard part is choosing paint. I'll tell you about the most common types of machine paint. Let me make a reservation that I have been using exclusively acrylic paints for a long time.
There are a number of disadvantages to consider when painting.
- almost all colors look good only on a white surface (this means that first you will need to paint with white paint, and only then with the color of your choice)
- if you want to make a transition: firstly, put dark paint on light (although not always, but if you haven’t painted before, it’s better to do this)
- When painting, the thicker the layer, the richer the color, but in no case do not add too much. Remember the golden rule when painting, especially if you are painting for the first time - “it’s better to under-water than over-water.” But if a drip does appear, remove the frame and turn the back drip to the side; as soon as it drips in the other direction, turn it back, and so on several times until the paint sets a little.
Naturally, the question of spray can or sprayer arises again:
Why pullover:
- The quality of the paint is an order of magnitude higher, and so is the price;
- the ability to choose a color depends only on your imagination;
- buy the right amount of paint (for example, you decided to make the tips of the feathers a different color (relative to the frame), instead of buying a whole can, you buy 20g of paint);
Why spray can:
- the most important thing is ease of use;
- saving time;
- saving money, accordingly this will affect the quality (in most cases);
Progress:
- wipe the frame very well with white spirit; if you spray paint steps 2 and 3, you can skip them
- dilute the paint (that is, if there is a hardener, add a hardener), “adjust” the density in the same way as in the soil;
- wash the airbrush with solvent; if you paint it white, make sure that the airbrush is perfectly clean (otherwise the white paint may acquire tints)
- apply the paint in small strokes, trying not to go over one place more than 2 times, make sure that the spray gun (spray can) when painting is always at the same distance from the frame and is perpendicular to it (so that the paint is applied in equal layers);
- if necessary, apply other layers of paint
- if you paint, for example, with nitro-metallic, varnish (in general, you need to varnish if the paint requires it, but it just doesn’t do anything, naturally it depends on the paint, for example, this is not required for acrylic)
- let it dry for several days (even if the paint has dried in a few hours)
Comments on the article
| avalanche |
|
“almost all colors look good only on a white surface (this means that first you will need to paint with white paint, and only then with the color you have chosen)” - it is always better to put paint on the primer, so to make the process easier and cheaper, we buy white primer accordingly, maybe black. As I noticed, if the paint was applied to a white primer, the color turned out lighter and brighter, when applied to black it was darker and deeper. I used black and was pleased! I painted it with metallic and under varnish - it turned out awesome, the color shimmers in the sun, shine!! |
| ARMAGEDDON |
|
super...can you teach me something else? =) |
| ZAYCHEGG |
|
Thanks a lot |
| ballio |
|
Great prices. Standard paint costs $100-150 per kg and is sold exclusively in whole cans, where the author saw 20 grams, who knows. MIXON primer, for example, dries in an apartment for up to 2 days. Apply at least 2 layers. The paint dries from 2 weeks to 2 months, depending on the ambient temperature. Each layer of paint is sanded with sandpaper from 2000 to 5000, depending on the “softness” of the acrylic. Let the layer dry for 24 hours, then sand gloss, remove the smudges), then another layer. The last layer, in theory, should be perfect and without smudges, but if not, then we polish it and then polish it with a special wheel for an angle grinder and polish. I repainted a bunch of things this way and it’s fine. I even painted the connecting rods white. |
| vvs |
|
"Cool prices. Normal paint costs $100-150 per kg and is sold exclusively in whole cans, where the author saw 20 grams, who the hell knows. MIXON primer, for example, dries in an apartment for up to 2 days. Apply at least 2 layers. The paint dries from 2 weeks to 2 months, depending on the ambient temperature. Each layer of paint is sanded with sandpaper from 2000 to 5000, depending on the “softness” of the acrylic. Let the layer dry for 24 hours, then sand (knock down the gloss, remove smudges), then again layer. The last layer, in theory, should be perfect and without smudges, but if not, then we chug it and then polish it with a special wheel for an angle grinder and polish. I repainted a bunch of everything this way and it’s fine. I even painted the connecting rods white.” |
| vvs |
|
"normal paint starts at an average of $80 per kg; is sold on tap in any painting shop (paint sub-shop), as well as in many stores; any quantity can be poured; normal primer, for example, inexpensive Novol, dries for several hours - ideal for sanding; and yes - it applies beautifully in one coat; the same wonderful acrylic paint dries in about 24-48 hours and then sands and polishes wonderfully for two months? Maybe they forgot to give you a hardener?)))) let's move on - what are you thinking about? I don’t know, especially with such small sandpapers) I’m even wondering where you found the 5000 sandpaper))) for grinding a pair in an internal combustion engine, and then several layers are needed; I also wonder why we waste extra material and money - well, we can polish it in principle; Yes, the idea is correct, but not for everyone and not with a grinder - it is not suitable for this either with handles or a polishing machine; |
Over time, the paint on your bike fades, wears off, or falls off in small pieces. Also, the frame is not protected from scratches, which only cause damage to the paint layer. First of all, the appearance of the bike itself deteriorates. But this is not so bad, the main problem of missing areas of paint lies in the appearance of rust, which mercilessly destroys the still undamaged material.
When flaws are not only visible to the naked eye, but are also directed deeper into the destruction of the metal, urgent painting of the bicycle is necessary. Otherwise, repairs will cost more. What is usually painted on a bike? First of all, it is a supporting structure – a frame. Painting is also used for wheels, less often for the steering wheel and trunk.
Painting a bicycle frame, sequence of work
The idea of painting a bicycle frame can arise for several reasons:
- a large amount of rust;
- a lot of small scratches that make the bike look ugly;
- I'm tired of the color.
The frame takes up the most paint, so it is recommended to stock up on it. Application of paint from cans and using a spray gun has become widespread in everyday life. A better option is to powder coat a bicycle, but doing it on your own will be problematic, so we’ll focus on the two previous methods.
To work you will need:
- three cans of paint, or 400 grams of paint and a spray bottle;
- sandpaper (grain size is selected depending on the depth of damage);
- primer;
- composition for degreasing;
- additionally - tape for sealing areas that do not need to be painted.
First, you need to free the frame: remove the wheels, saddle, brakes, trunk, etc. It would also be good to remove the steering wheel and connecting rods. It is better not to remove the latter if you are not sure that you will be able to hang it back.
The body of the bike is ready for painting
The bicycle frame is thoroughly wiped and hung or placed on a flat surface. The next step will be sanding. This is done using sandpaper, special attention is paid, of course, to chips and deep scratches. Sanding is carried out until the surface becomes as smooth as possible!
After leveling, the defective areas are degreased. This way the paint will lie better and more evenly. In addition, degreasing removes microparticles of rust. This is especially true in poor condition. After removing grease and dirt, you can safely prime the frame.
Priming for bikes, in principle, is not a mandatory procedure, but many years of experience in painting any metal surfaces shows that without a special binder, that is, a primer, the paint will very quickly begin to peel off and fall off. We don’t need this, so we prime it!
The composition is applied in thin layers, evenly over the entire part of the frame to be painted. The optimal number of layers is three, but two may be enough. Primers can be applied either from a can or with a spray bottle. Complete drying usually takes several hours; see the instructions in more detail. When choosing a composition, keep in mind that a primer for steel surfaces is not suitable for an aluminum frame.
Coloring is the most labor-intensive process. When painting bicycle frames, special attention is paid to the amount of paint. If a smudge appears, do not wash it off by hand - it will only make things worse. Uniform distribution of excess in the area can be achieved by tilting the frame in the direction opposite to the direction of the leak. It is better to paint without haste and not to overdo it with the quantity; on the contrary, it is recommended to apply paint in smaller quantities. It will be much faster to finish painting than to remove the excess.
Spraying a cloud of paint onto a frame with a spray bottle
We do not save on frame drying time. Ideally, we wait a day until the paint sits firmly on the metal. Only after this we put on the wheels and body kits. You can check the strength with a slight movement of a blunt knife. If it glides easily, the paint is dry.
And another piece of advice: when switching to a fundamentally different color, the dyeing procedure may need to be repeated. Another option: paint the frame pipes white first, and then apply the desired color.
Drawings using stencils
In the previous chapter, the topic of monochromatic painting of a bicycle frame was touched upon. If desired, you can apply patterns, symbols or inscriptions. For these purposes, you can choose bright stickers. This option is good because you don’t have to mess with the paint again. The other side of the coin with this method: you may not find the desired design, the stickers quickly wear out and spoil the appearance.
To correctly apply a design to a bicycle frame, you can use stencils. It’s quite possible to make them yourself from a thin flexible sheet of rubber or transparent adhesive film. You can draw the contours onto a sheet of material using carbon paper. The design is then carefully cut out. To achieve clarity, stencils for painting are pressed tightly to the surface of the frame or glued if it is a film. The design should be sprayed as carefully as possible so that the paint does not flow beyond the contours.
Stencil for decorating a bicycle
The disadvantages of non-adhesive stencils appear during drying, since you have to hold them for 20-30 minutes until the paint sets around the edges. On the other hand, adhesive films that are convenient in this regard can leave marks around the design.
Features of wheel coloring: rim surfaces and spokes
Painting bicycle wheels is not as popular as painting frames, but is also quite common in the home bike repair industry. When driving for a long time, the rims are often damaged, and defects such as figure eights, after correction, will definitely cause paint chips. In general, a “scary” rim is ugly and unsafe. We remember that corrosion never sleeps!
The sequence of rim painting is exactly the same as the frame one:
- surface cleaning;
- sanding;
- degreasing;
- padding;
- applying a layer of paint;
- drying.
The painting options are exactly the same: spray cans and a compressor spray. You can also use an airbrush.
However, there are still some peculiarities. After removing the wheel, insulate the braking surface with tape. This is important for a mountain bike, which is equipped only with rim brakes. Paint in the area of the brake pads will reduce braking performance and may damage the pads themselves. The same applies to drawings that would be a shame to paint over. Be sure to remove the tires.
It is not important to disassemble the wheel itself, although in general, before painting the rim, it is still recommended to separate the rim from the hub, that is, remove the spokes.
When sanding, be careful: the wheels are thinner than the frame pipes; intensive cleaning with coarse sandpaper will rub off the metal. Wheels will take longer to dry due to the rounded shape of the rim. But in terms of color, everything is much simpler here compared to the frame, and one painting is enough. To preserve the result for a long time, a thin layer of varnish can be applied a little later.
Updated bicycle wheel rim
At home, you can change the paint not only on the rim, but also on the spokes. To do this, however, they will have to be removed, or rather, the entire wheel will have to be disassembled. An alternative and quick option for painting spokes is replacement. If you still want to tinker, it will be faster to do it with a sprayer. There is no need to paint each one separately; you can spray paint on all the knitting needles at once, turning them over periodically. They must be dried in a standing position. If the processing of the spokes is carried out together with painting the rim, then the spokes are painted first, and then the wheel itself.
A refurbished bike will look just like the one you just bought, and what's more, it will ride much better and last longer. You may have to spend too much time painting your bike at first, but if you have to deal with this again, previous experience will help you get the job done faster.
The modern world strives for individuality. In clothes, hairstyles, cars, communications and interiors, a person tries to achieve exclusivity, to surround himself with things that are not found anywhere else, thus expressing his special taste and individuality. But now it’s not so easy to have a special thing, because no one has canceled the assembly line, and original works are incredibly expensive. What to do? The answer suggests itself: to have something exclusive, you need to do it yourself. The article will tell you how to paint a bicycle and make it different from others.
Tools and materials
Any such work requires, albeit small, skills in the field of metal processing and painting. If they are not there, it is better to contact a specialist or practice first. So, for work we will need a liquid for removing old paint (“Mole” or some suitable solvent, for example, “White spirit”), sandpaper of various sizes, automotive primer and paint.
Removing old paint
Before you paint your bike, you need to completely remove the old paint from it. This is done using a special liquid “Mole”, which is easy to buy in a specialized store. If it is not there, you can use any available solvent for nitro paints. Of course, before starting work, you should completely disassemble the bike so that nothing interferes with working with the frame. Having removed the old paint with liquid, we proceed to sanding. First, sandpaper with the coarsest grain is taken, and any remaining paint, rust, and other defects are removed from the frame. Taking increasingly finer “sandpaper” each time, we bring the frame parts to a perfectly smooth state (without scratches, rust, paint or primer residues). Remember: the more carefully the frame is prepared, the better the paint will adhere to it and the longer it will remain on it, attracting attention and protecting against corrosion.
Primer
The primer is done in two stages. The first is the removal of large dents and scratches. The second is preparing the surface for painting. Without a primer, you can only paint the bike somehow. Your work will be in vain, and the paint will most likely just peel off. When there are deep scratches on the frame that cannot be sanded out, or dents, they should be filled with paste putty, after which the whole thing has dried and carefully sanded. If there are no major defects, and minor defects have been corrected with sandpaper, you can begin priming for painting. The easiest way is to use aerosol car putty. For convenience, it is better to hang the frame, and then, after degreasing the surface with White Spirit, carefully blow it with a primer from an aerosol can. Follow the instructions written on the can, avoid drips, apply the product in a thin layer, repeat if necessary. Work indoors, protect your respiratory tract and eyes. After complete drying (usually 24 hours), the primer is sanded with fine sandpaper. That's it, the frame is ready for painting.
How to paint a bike
Of course, with paint! But there are different colors, and it’s up to you to choose. Nowadays acrylic paints, which have good adhesion and do not have a strong odor, have become especially widespread. On the other hand, nitro paints are much more opaque, dry faster and are easier to work with; you can correct a mistake. But the smell... What color should I paint my bike? It's purely a matter of your artistic taste. I will only dare to give a little advice: the bicycle frame is thin, and to make it noticeable, it is best to paint it in bright colors. To prevent the bike from being monochromatic, it should be painted in different colors using stencils, and using an airbrush will allow you to apply an exclusive design.
Conclusion
Now you know how to paint a bicycle, and if the amount of work is not intimidating, go ahead to the heights of fine art!
Loading...