You have changed everything on your vehicle except the interior. Now it is time to spruce up the inside and get your car looking amazing.
Here in this article, you will be learning everything you need to know about how to paint your interior trim pieces.
Make sure to not only take notes but to pay attention to the details so your interior can change your vehicle into a show stopper!
What are the steps to paint interior pieces?
Painting interior pieces might sound easy to some people, and it is, but it has steps you need to go through to have a terrific end product.
Skipping steps or trying to cut corners to save time will show in your work, so take your time and do this right the first time. So here are the steps to paint your interior pieces.
First, we want to take the interior pieces we want to paint out of the vehicle. Removing the interior pieces will give you more room to work with the part, and it also minimizes any overspray from the process.
Next, we are going to clean off our interior pieces with some degreaser; this will take any debris off that is on the part. Follow up the cleaning with some rubbing alcohol. Using rubbing alcohol will not only take off the film from the degreaser but also any other residual that was left on the piece.
We want to make sure this is nice and clean, so our paint shows flawlessly. Use a white rag after you have wiped the whole part down and wipe the interior piece with it.
If your white cloth is still clean after you have done a test wipe, then you are ready for the next step. Remember that any debris or residual that is left on the interior piece after this step will be painted so if you do not feel comfortable with your cleaning job, do it again.
You are going to let the interior piece air dry for fifteen minutes before you start the painting process.
It is time to primer! Make sure you have your plastic bin on stand by so you can cover the interior piece up after each coat. You will start with your primer; you will need to do three layers with two to three minutes between coats.
Remember to keep the distance between the can and the interior piece around eight to ten inches apart, and you want to overlap the sprays. You want to go at a steady speed, not too fast and not too slow. Too slow will make the paint run and too quickly will make the coat too light. Start and stop off of the interior piece, so you do not have paint running in that spot.
After you are done with the three coats of primer you will need to let the piece set for 2 to 3 minutes then while the primer is still tacky, you will need to start on the paint.
Paint time! You will need three coats of paint with 10 minutes between each layer. Remember you want to overlap your passes and keep at a steady pace.
Using a steady pace will prevent the coats from being too thick and running or too thin. After each layer, you want to cover the piece with your plastic bin. Covering the part after each layer will prevent any bugs and debris from falling in the new paint coat.
Let’s get that clear coat on there! It’s time to protect your paint and keeping it looking fresh with some clear coat. You will need to have three layers and a 10-minute wait in between coats.
After the third coat of clear coat let the piece sit for 30 minutes to set and dry under the plastic bin. Using a clear coat will give your paint a beautiful finish that will keep it protected for years to come.
Reinstall your parts! It’s time to reinstall everything after the paint has dried. Then look at your fantastic artistry, your vehicle looks impressive and is ready to hit the road!
What supplies do I need to paint the interior pieces?
You will need the following to do a proper job the first time. Bottle of degreaser, rubbing alcohol, white rag, plastic bin, primer, paint, clear coat, and interior removal toolset.
Can I paint my interior pieces outside?
Yes, you can paint your interior pieces outside. That is why you are utilizing the plastic bin in the painting process. This will keep any bugs and debris from falling into the fresh wet paint.
Even if you are painting the pieces inside, I would still use the plastic bin to be safe from anything falling onto the new paint. The last thing you want is not to use the plastic bin, and something falls in the color, ruining all of your hard work.
Can I paint my interior trim pieces if they are metal?
Yes if your interior pieces are metal, you can still paint everything the same way. Make sure to use the rubbing alcohol on the interior part to decrease any residue that is left on the piece.
With metal, your paint is going to have a fantastic finish. Make sure when spraying onto the interior piece to start and stop off of the part. This will prevent any running on the piece and will give you that show stopper finish you are looking for in your end product.
How long should it take to paint my interior pieces?
That all depends on how many interior pieces you are painting. With each part the cleaning process will take 20 minutes, the primer will take 15 minutes, the paint will take 40 minutes, and the clear coat will take an hour and ten minutes.
With a total amount of time for each piece being two hours and twenty-five minutes per piece. This is with the interior parts having the proper amount of time trying in between coats and drying at the end to prepare for reinstall.
Remember, painting is not something you want to rush. Painting is an art that many auto professionals have taken years to perfect. So take your time, and you will not have to redo your work. Patience is vital in this situation, and if you keep your patience, you will see a fantastic result because of it!
How much would it cost to have a shop paint my interior pieces?
According to Cost Helper for a single-coat synthetic enamel paint project piece. The cost will range between $300 and $900 for the project and the time put into prepping and painting the interior section.
According to Bodyshop Business, the average hourly base rate for Auto paint shops in the United States is $44 per hour. This does not include any paint and supplies used on the project.
So since the total amount of time, alotted on doing the job adequately estimated at two to two and a half hours. You would be looking at $100 per piece in labor before any supplies and paint were used on the interior part.
With supplies for a job like this usually cost 10% of the full amount. So for an interior piece costing $100 in labor supplies would cost roughly $10. So for each interior piece, the cost would be $110 per piece if complete at an Auto paint shop.
Does painting my interior pieces help my resell value?
Anything that you do to your vehicle can change the resale value. Except for turning your car into a speed wagon, this only tells me one thing about a car that is built for speed.
It tells me that the last owner dogged the hell out of the vehicle and soon there will probably need work done to it because of this.
Now if you are changing your car to look great as in new outside and inside paint maybe some upholstery work on the inside then yes this will help your resell value.
Because this shows that you not only care about the vehicle, but you are modifying the car to make it a more modern look, especially on the vehicles that are before the year 2000.
In Conclusion
Paint brings a vehicle together, and since the turn of the century, auto manufacturers have noticed. Auto manufacturers have increased the color and paint on a car. You are bringing the brilliance out in the paint.
You are showing the brilliance not only with the paint on the outside of the car but the inside as well. So if you are looking at making your vehicle a show stopper or just something different than the norm.
By increasing the look of your car you will also increase the value of your vehicle because you have taken precautionary measures to keep your vehicle looking great, the next owner will see this as well and be happy to pay extra for it.
So make sure you follow each step accordingly so all of your hard work can bring the brilliance of your paint out and make your vehicle unique in its way.
Thank you for reading my article! I hope you found it enjoyable to read and beneficial to painting your interior trim pieces. Check out my Youtube channel and subscribe for more DIY Auto repair and flipping cars for profit videos! Thank you again, and I hope you enjoy my next piece!
