Nothing beats the look of a clean, shiny car but rusty door handles can quickly spoil the aesthetic appeal of your ride. There are two ways to fix this problem: repaint or replace them.
Replacing car door handles can be expensive, but fortunately, repainting them delivers comparable results that last a long time.
Yes, you can spray paint car door handles. Start by cleaning the handles with soap and water, followed by light sanding. Apply a suitable primer to allow the paint to stick to the surface, and finish it off with a top coat.
Spray painting car door handles at home is easy, but the results might be disappointing if you don’t use an effective technique. I will share practical tips that work and keep your handles looking new and shiny for longer.
Can You Paint Car Door Handles?
Yes, you can!
Car door handles are either made of metal or plastic; therefore, it’s important to know the material of your handles before starting the DIY project. Once you know the surface you’re dealing with, you can choose the primer and paint most suitable for it.
Does Spray Painting Car Door Handles Last?
If you need a car door handle paint repair, opting for the DIY route is a great idea. However, repainting your door handles at home also comes at a cost, meaning the results should be lasting enough to justify the money and effort spent on it.
The good news is, spray paint on car door handles does last as long as you prepare the surface correctly and use a suitable primer and paint.
You should remember that car door handles experience a lot of wear and tear and are used constantly. For this reason, you must ensure the paint application is fool-proof and delivers durable results.
If you want to give your car a complete makeover, learn how to spray paint your car dashboard to refresh your ride’s interior and exterior.
A Step-By-Step Guide For Painting Car Door Handles
If you’re wondering how to paint car door handles, this guide will give you the confidence to paint them like a pro! So, let’s get started.
Step 1: Clean The Surface
Starting with a clean surface is crucial because you don’t want dirt on your freshly painted car door handles.
Grab some soap and water and scrub the handles with a washcloth. Remove all dirt and grime so your primer has a clean foundation.
Pro Tip: Use a degreaser to cut your cleaning time and eliminate grime completely.
Step 2: Sand The Handles
Some tend to skip this step, thinking it’s unimportant, but sanding gives your primer a fair chance to stick to the surface. It promotes adhesion and ensures lasting results.
Take fine 120-grit sandpaper and sand the handles lightly. Don’t apply too much pressure, or you might scratch the surface. Next, wipe the handles with a tack cloth to remove sanding debris.
You can skip this step if you’re working with metal handles.
Step 3: Secure The Surrounding Areas With Tape
Now that your handles are ready for priming use painter’s tape to cover the areas you don’t want to paint.
Carefully tape off the car’s door and the lower side of the windows, only keeping the handles visible. This will help ensure the overspray doesn’t ruin your car’s exterior.
Pro Tip: Stick to painter’s tape since it’s great for this purpose and comes off easily without messing the paint beneath it.
Step 4: Apply Primer
Primer helps create a suitable base that paint can stick to. Although it’s tempting to skip it, this step is the difference between a botched-up paint job and one that stays looking as good as new for long.
Choose a primer according to your surface; if you’re painting plastic handles, select a primer that sticks to the material, and if your handles are made of metal, any automotive primer will work.
We recommend you to use this Show Car Finish Monster Fill 500 Primer and Activator for your car handles and generally for the car body too.
Shake the can for a minute or two and spray a light layer of primer on the car handles. Allow the first coat to dry before spraying on another.
Following the instructions given on the primer can let the handles dry before moving on to the next step.
Pro Tip: Some paints deliver the benefits of primer and paint in a single can; you can choose a similar formula to skip this step.
Step 5: Paint Away!
Just like the primer, make sure you’ve selected a spray paint that’s best suited for the surface you’re working on.
Shake the can well and spray an even layer of paint on the handles. Be careful not to spray too much paint at once, as it may cause drips and uneven finished results.
Wait 15 minutes before applying the second coat of paint, or check the paint label for drying instructions.
Pro Tip: If you want to speed up your project’s drying time, check these tips and tricks to make spray paint dry faster.
Step 6: Seal The Deal With a Top Coat (Optional)
Some paints don’t require you to apply a top coat as the formula is durable on its own. However, spraying a final layer of top coat seals the paint and protects it from chipping and peeling.
What Is The Best Spray Paint For Door Handles?
Here are my top picks for spray paints on car door handles.
Dupli-Color Perfect Match
The Dupli-Color perfect match is an automotive spray paint specially formulated to match the exact color of your car’s original factory-applied coating. The formulation works well on metal and plastic door handles and can be used for later touch-ups.
The Dupli-Color Perfect Match is easy to use and delivers high-quality, fast-drying acrylic lacquer that lasts.
Rust-Oleum Automotive Enamel Spray
The Rust-Oleum enamel spray is another great option that works on metal, and plastic car door handles. The paint’s formula is UV and weather-resistant and delivers vibrant results that last. Rust-Oleum paint dries to the touch in just 15 minutes so that you can finish your paint job quickly.
Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch 2X
Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch is a popular choice because of its versatility. It has a chip-resistant, low-odor formula that works on plastic, metal, and other interior/exterior surfaces. The oil-based paint provides excellent coverage and an even finish, making it ideal for any DIY paint job.
Krylon COLORmaxx Spray Paint
The Krylon spray paint includes primer in its formulation, so you don’t need to worry about applying it separately. The Krylon paint is suitable for metal and plastic surfaces and delivers superior color that’s durable.
FAQs
How To Paint Interior Car Door Handles?
You can renew your interior car door handles easily with spray paint. Start by washing the car door panel with soap using a sponge. Next, use sandpaper to roughen the hard vinyl and prepare it for better paint adhesion. Mask off all the areas you don’t want to color, apply primer, and finish with two coats of paint.
Is It Worth Spray Painting Door knobs?
It is worth spray painting door knobs and car handles as it quickly refreshes its appearance and saves you money that you’d otherwise have to spend on replacements.
Is Spraying Better Than Painting Car Door Handles?
Spray painting delivers even coverage compared to painting with a brush. The application is quick and mess-free, making it a popular choice for DIY enthusiasts.
Conclusion
Spray painting car door handles is a quick way to spruce up your ride’s exterior. You can even find out how to paint car rims to upgrade your car. Just follow the easy steps above to achieve professional results your friends will envy.