# Bike re-spray



## Accy cyclist (18 Mar 2014)

I'm toying with the idea of having my old aluminium road bike re-sprayed. It's getting a bit shabby and i'm bored with the colour scheme. How much would it cost,would i have to get it done by a "specialist" or could a bloke who resprays cars do it? Also..would it look like a new bike or would it look like an obvious re-spray? Thanks in advance for any replies!


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## smokeysmoo (18 Mar 2014)

A mate of mine who does car repairs has done a couple for me in the past. He owns a bodyshop so they've been professionally sprayed and baked and the results were spot on.

Don't know about price though as we always had a reciprocal arrangement 

A lot will be to do with how much prep they have ro do I'd guess. I gave him my frames stripped and prepped so all he had to go was give them a quick once over, prime it then spray it.


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## Dragonwight (18 Mar 2014)

These were recommended to me by my LBS.

http://www.argoscycles.com/


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## taximan (18 Mar 2014)

My local car body shop will respray a bike frame for £35/£40 providing that it is stripped & ready. From what I have seen he makes a good job too.


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## EltonFrog (18 Mar 2014)

I had a bike painted by Mercian cycles cost about £250.00 it looks better than brand new, they did the business on it, stripped it, primed it, painted it and put on new decals. They also sorted out the bottom bracket and headset. I did have quotes form car sprayers for about fifty queens but I had to all the prep. Powder coating was about the same, and they would sand blast and coat the bike any colour I wanted.


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## Globalti (18 Mar 2014)

Accy, you are just up the valley (and over the hill) from one of Britain's best frame refinishers - Atlantic Boulevard in Bury. Give him a call. He can even restore the original decals.

Here: http://www.atlantic-boulevard.co.uk/

If transport is a problem I live near Blackburn and commute to Bury every day so could help with delivery/collection.


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## SquareDaff (18 Mar 2014)

There's a place in Leeds that'll do a frame for about £100 as long as you strip it down yourself. Note that that's just for one colour though. When you start throwing in multiple colours (and hence masking work) then the price increases. Also note that you'd need to source any replacement decals yourself.

If you want to spray a frame yourself then it is possible and can be done with car sprays. You just need to have patience and be willing to put in the preparation work at the start. If you do this you can get really good finishes yourself. As an example - I stripped and sanded my own frame, added a couple of rust proof coats (my frame was steel), one coat of primer, 4 coats of blue and 3 coats of gloss - total cost about £35. Took about 2 weeks from start to finish.

Also bear in mind that wherever you spray will need to be warm (>20C) otherwise your paint will bloom. If you spray indoors be prepared to do a lot of dusting!!!


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## EltonFrog (18 Mar 2014)

SquareDaff said:


> There's a place in Leeds that'll do a frame for about £100 as long as you strip it down yourself. Note that that's just for one colour though. When you start throwing in multiple colours (and hence masking work) then the price increases. Also note that you'd need to source any replacement decals yourself.
> 
> If you want to spray a frame yourself then it is possible and can be done with car sprays. You just need to have patience and be willing to put in the preparation work at the start. If you do this you can get really good finishes yourself. As an example - I stripped and sanded my own frame, added a couple of rust proof coats (my frame was steel), one coat of primer, 4 coats of blue and 3 coats of gloss - total cost about £35. Took about 2 weeks from start to finish.
> 
> Also bear in mind that wherever you spray will need to be warm (>20C) otherwise your paint will bloom. If you spray indoors be prepared to do a lot of dusting!!!


"

When you say stripped, do mean stripped the paint, or stripped of parts, then sanded?


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## buggi (18 Mar 2014)

we need before and after pics please


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## albion (18 Mar 2014)

Years ago my rusty old Raleigh got a brushed coat of Dulux gloss for metal.
Being thick it needed no undercoat and simply sanding down the rust did the trick needing just the one layer 

Cost would have been about £5, likely £12 or so now.

http://www.wilko.com/Wood+Metal-Pai...Paint-Pure-Brilliant-White-750ml/invt/0099701
Likely that is the same stuff of old.
If you like silver or gold there is also 'trade metalshield'.


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## Globalti (18 Mar 2014)

I painted my Land Rover wheels with Dulux Once, after having prepped them carefully. I was amazed at the covering power and how well the paint lasted.


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## SquareDaff (18 Mar 2014)

CarlP said:


> "
> When you say stripped, do mean stripped the paint, or stripped of parts, then sanded?


I mean stripped of parts (i.e. you just supply the frame and forks).


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## EltonFrog (18 Mar 2014)

SquareDaff said:


> I mean stripped of parts (i.e. you just supply the frame and forks).



Ta.


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## roadrash (18 Mar 2014)

An example of work done by stockport powder coating

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/restoration-twenty.148038/

i stripped the parts, they bead blasted the frame , forks and mudguards then powder coated the lot for £50


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## SquareDaff (18 Mar 2014)

buggi said:


> we need before and after pics please


1st picture - start colour (gold) after a lot of sanding and rust removal.
2nd picture - with anti rust, followed by lots of sanding then primer layers added
3rd picture - base colour applied.
4th picture - masking and 3 more colours applied to get it back to the original design and delivery colour. Recreated decals applied and the layers of lacquer.


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## SquareDaff (18 Mar 2014)

CarlP said:


> Ta.


Just to clarify - you don't need to have sanded it - they do that for you included in the cost.


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## Rooster1 (21 Mar 2014)

I have stripped down an old Steel road frame which I really like and want to respray. I think it is worth re-building as all the parts are in good order and it is a really useful spare bike. I took off most of the components (OK, so I'm kidding myself - I can't get the crankset off). Anyways, I have tried using some Nitromors to soften and remove the paint. In some areas it is working and in others it does not. I was careful to follow the instructions.

I have now totally made a mess of the frame with bare steel in some places and messed up paint in others. I have now bought some new paint stripper but it is completely useless.

Whatever is on this bike, it aint coming off. I have tried scratching the surface before applying the remover, as it gets under the paint and works better, but it is stubborn. I guess it must have been powder coated?

I guess what I need to do is work in smaller sections and use better paint stripper.

I plan to get it back to metal, prime and can spray - then lacquer.

What to do!


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## Rooster1 (21 Mar 2014)

SquareDaff said:


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Love that colour!


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## EltonFrog (21 Mar 2014)

Richard Lawrence said:


> I have stripped down an old Steel road frame which I really like and want to respray. I think it is worth re-building as all the parts are in good order and it is a really useful spare bike. I took off most of the components (OK, so I'm kidding myself - I can't get the crankset off). Anyways, I have tried using some Nitromors to soften and remove the paint. In some areas it is working and in others it does not. I was careful to follow the instructions.
> 
> I have now totally made a mess of the frame with bare steel in some places and messed up paint in others. I have now bought some new paint stripper but it is completely useless.
> 
> ...



I think I read somewhere that other than sand blasting it was almost impossible to remove factory paint from older bikes. I think most DIY'ers just rub down the paint as best they can, then rust proof, prime and paint using wet and dry between coats. I could be wrong, I expect somone will be along to correct me momentarilly.


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## Rooster1 (24 Mar 2014)

CarlP said:


> I think I read somewhere that other than sand blasting it was almost impossible to remove factory paint from older bikes. I think most DIY'ers just rub down the paint as best they can, then rust proof, prime and paint using wet and dry between coats. I could be wrong, I expect somone will be along to correct me momentarilly.



I think you might be right. I will clean up the mess I've made, give it the best sand I can and add back the paint. I will get a good finish eventually.


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## SquareDaff (25 Mar 2014)

Richard Lawrence said:


> Love that colour!


Available from Halfords! It's Peugot Royal Blue (non metallic). Apparently it was used on a 1976 car (an Avenger I think). Very easy to work with as it's non metallic.


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## SquareDaff (25 Mar 2014)

CarlP said:


> I think I read somewhere that other than sand blasting it was almost impossible to remove factory paint from older bikes. I think most DIY'ers just rub down the paint as best they can, then rust proof, prime and paint using wet and dry between coats. I could be wrong, I expect somone will be along to correct me momentarilly.


It's possible if you use a coarse enough sandpaper - but why would you want to do it? If the paint is on so well that even coarse sand paper isn't shifting it easily you might as well leave it on as a "primer" layer.


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## MarkF (25 Mar 2014)

[QUOTE 2983202, member: 45"]Powder coat?[/QUOTE]

 I took my lads eldest sons bike apart and dropped the frame and forks off at a local standard blaster/painter/powder place. He chose Kawasaki green for the frame and black on the forks. It looked fantastic and cost £35.


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