Is it worth painting my door panels?
Is it worth painting my door panels?
i got some black door panels which are in ok condition. they are black but fading slightly. does any body have any experience painted their door panels just to make them back into perfect shape? is it worth it? i dont want to paint them and have the paint chip all up. Any specific paint i can use? thanks guys
You can just go over it with interior conditioning and I'm pretty sure it would bring the color back. If you really wanted to paint your door panels, you can get vinyl interior paint.. I've done it when I had tan door panels and it has never chipped on me. I could literally get my nails and dig it into the paint and it did not come off..
Listen to me from experience. First you need to thoroughly clean the panels. Second go and buy some black shoe polish from the store (good quality). Apply as specified. NOW, there will be residual black that will want to come off for a while so make sure you don't wear any nice shirts or rub up against it too much as it will come off.
Just as a brand new paint job on a car you'll have to be careful as its still going to be wet. DO NOT WASH OR DETAIL it for two months. By then you can take a moist rag and gently wipe away any surface residual shoe polish.
If you're worried about your clothes this probably isn't for you. If you want beautiful panels again then this will be worth it in the end. The best part is that this will prevent the panels from getting dry, brittle, and cracking in the future.
Just as a brand new paint job on a car you'll have to be careful as its still going to be wet. DO NOT WASH OR DETAIL it for two months. By then you can take a moist rag and gently wipe away any surface residual shoe polish.
If you're worried about your clothes this probably isn't for you. If you want beautiful panels again then this will be worth it in the end. The best part is that this will prevent the panels from getting dry, brittle, and cracking in the future.
That's pretty clever, but seems messy, would be ideal to have a spare set for this method I would think.
Last edited by Fortune_Seven; Feb 16, 2012 at 02:51 AM. Reason: content
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Listen to me from experience. First you need to thoroughly clean the panels. Second go and buy some black shoe polish from the store (good quality). Apply as specified. NOW, there will be residual black that will want to come off for a while so make sure you don't wear any nice shirts or rub up against it too much as it will come off.
Just as a brand new paint job on a car you'll have to be careful as its still going to be wet. DO NOT WASH OR DETAIL it for two months. By then you can take a moist rag and gently wipe away any surface residual shoe polish.
If you're worried about your clothes this probably isn't for you. If you want beautiful panels again then this will be worth it in the end. The best part is that this will prevent the panels from getting dry, brittle, and cracking in the future.
Just as a brand new paint job on a car you'll have to be careful as its still going to be wet. DO NOT WASH OR DETAIL it for two months. By then you can take a moist rag and gently wipe away any surface residual shoe polish.
If you're worried about your clothes this probably isn't for you. If you want beautiful panels again then this will be worth it in the end. The best part is that this will prevent the panels from getting dry, brittle, and cracking in the future.
93 Touring
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 968
Likes: 4
From: Longwood FL
A really thorough cleaning might surprise you.
I was amazed what a Mr Clean Magic Eraser did in getting them clean.
Then simple green cleaned up any residue.
Finally a good vinyl treatment to bring back the luster.
I was amazed what a Mr Clean Magic Eraser did in getting them clean.
Then simple green cleaned up any residue.
Finally a good vinyl treatment to bring back the luster.
It's just like painting any other surface. You just have to use the correct prep work and paint for it to come out fine. It will scratch, but if it was done right it will take a pretty hard scratch to do anything.
BTW, you can see someone who did paint theirs and documented their process here:
https://www.rx7club.com/interior-exterior-audio-26/definitive-tan-black-fd-interior-thread-823903/
BTW, you can see someone who did paint theirs and documented their process here:
https://www.rx7club.com/interior-exterior-audio-26/definitive-tan-black-fd-interior-thread-823903/
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 277
Likes: 0
From: Smyrna, DE and/or Baltimore, MD
Has anyone just put some sort of black cloth over them? Like a vinyl, leather, or that carbon fiber looking cloth I've seen people use on dashes? Obviously too think wouldn't work but done right you would only have to paint the plastic and speaker covers. Would be somewhat of a high custom job I suppose but I've never hear good things about painting door panels.
I no longer need to paint my door panels. I took a majic eraser and and some purple power to em and it looks like i just got them straight from the dealer brand new!!. Thanks man
Has anyone just put some sort of black cloth over them? Like a vinyl, leather, or that carbon fiber looking cloth I've seen people use on dashes? Obviously too think wouldn't work but done right you would only have to paint the plastic and speaker covers. Would be somewhat of a high custom job I suppose but I've never hear good things about painting door panels.
) with his previous FD (not his current 3-rotor).
Just curious, why hasn't anyone suggested vinyl dye? I know SEM has a line of that. Wouldn't soaking a black dye into the interior be better than painting it, or are these two the same thing?
vinyl die is is an absorbing agent whereas paint is a covering agent. I would try the vinyl dye, SEM makes legit stuff. From what ive read, some people have have great success dieing their tan plastics to black. In theory, i would imagine it would only work better starting with black and trying to make it darker.
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 550
Likes: 3
From: Predominantly educated metropolitan area
By the beard of Zeus! Why would you ever paint your door panels!!?! They have a soft foamy layer and the paint would crack. And then in 1 year your car would look like a high school project that went horribly wrong.
Simple word of advice. Dont paint ANYTHING that didnt come painted. Vinyl dye is your best bet for sure. But honestly i have yet to see a faded door panel yet. Are you sure its not just dirty?
Simple word of advice. Dont paint ANYTHING that didnt come painted. Vinyl dye is your best bet for sure. But honestly i have yet to see a faded door panel yet. Are you sure its not just dirty?
[QUOTE=hsitko;10984564]By the beard of Zeus! Why would you ever paint your door panels!!?! They have a soft foamy layer and the paint would crack. And then in 1 year your car would look like a high school project that went horribly wrong.
Simple word of advice. Dont paint ANYTHING that didnt come painted. Vinyl dye is your best bet for sure. But honestly i have yet to see a faded door panel yet. Are you sure its not just dirty?[/QUOT
they were dirty. i cleaned them up with a majic eraser and they are mintttt lol
Simple word of advice. Dont paint ANYTHING that didnt come painted. Vinyl dye is your best bet for sure. But honestly i have yet to see a faded door panel yet. Are you sure its not just dirty?[/QUOT
they were dirty. i cleaned them up with a majic eraser and they are mintttt lol
[QUOTE=13bturborx7;10984587]
krylon magic eraser? JK :p
By the beard of Zeus! Why would you ever paint your door panels!!?! They have a soft foamy layer and the paint would crack. And then in 1 year your car would look like a high school project that went horribly wrong.
Simple word of advice. Dont paint ANYTHING that didnt come painted. Vinyl dye is your best bet for sure. But honestly i have yet to see a faded door panel yet. Are you sure its not just dirty?[/QUOT
they were dirty. i cleaned them up with a majic eraser and they are mintttt lol
Simple word of advice. Dont paint ANYTHING that didnt come painted. Vinyl dye is your best bet for sure. But honestly i have yet to see a faded door panel yet. Are you sure its not just dirty?[/QUOT
they were dirty. i cleaned them up with a majic eraser and they are mintttt lol
