Painting a bull bar, Powder coat, paint, or something else?

[RockyF75]

What's best to paint it with? Mild steel bar and posts, with gal pipes.

Took it to a powder coaters but they can't do it till next Thursday. That'll be cutting it a bit fine for me, so if I was to go to stupid cheap and buy some paint, what would work best/longest? I have access to a spray gun, and what would I put under/over the paint to prevent rusting?

Alternatively, anyone know of a powder coating place that could do it quicker like on Monday? And what would it cost roughly if anyone knows.

[T_Diesel]

I just use black matt spray on my ARB bar to touch up scratches, rust spots etc. All I do is scrub it back with a wire brush, then sand it with glass paper, prime it and spray it.

[micks troll]

I just use black matt spray on my ARB bar to touch up scratches, rust spots etc. All I do is scrub it back with a wire brush, then sand it with glass paper, prime it and spray it.

x2
paints cheaper and when you scratch it just get sme can and no more scratch.

[its aford not a nissan]

i would hit it with etch primer first then use acrylic gloss black
seems to last longer than enamel

[coxy321]

My personal preference is called "Metal Armour". Comes in gloss or matt black, white, and a few other fairly basic colours (maybe 5 or 6). It is self priming, and provided you wipe everything down with wax & grease remover first - it will stick like shit to a blanket. So to speak.

I found that the gloss black is identical to any ARB/factory paint, doesn't go off (chalky/dull), and is quite scratch resistant. I've painted my last two bullbars, a set of side steps, two rear bars etc. etc., and they're still looking as new 2-3 years down the track. And as said above, if you have a scrape - just clean it, then touch it up. Easy.

Cans cost anywhere between $16 to $22, and usually can only get them from the hardware shops. Read their instructions as to how to apply multiple coats (i'd put at least 3 coats on), and GIVE IT TIME TO DRY PROPERLY!!!

Good luck, Coxy

[dai-hard]

You could try snowflake blast and powdercoat 45878421

[RockyF75]

You could try snowflake blast and powdercoat 45878421

Yeah, their a little busy, till thursday

[dai-hard]

I could speak to al if u like they owe me heaps of favours i fix there blast gear. there is another mob i know at revesby but are a rip off.
small world

[dirtyGQ]

paint it in epoxy enamel but also add hardener.

[RockyF75]

Bwaaa

I hate decisions

Is powder coating REALLY worth it? I mean, I could wait till thursday, but its a royal pain. And then if something goes wrong, and they can't do it on that day I'm outta time

Epoxy enamel + hardener sounds too hard If i was to paint it, it'll be with something I can get from a basic auto store, or a hardware, nothing fancy, and then just spray on pretty much.

[granborismo]

mate, get some hammertone paint, from bunnings, or any hardware
, slap on a few coats of that, comes up sweet,sorta bubbly like powder coating and it lasts longer than your normal spray paints coz its thicker,
you can also brush it on and it comes up nice..

[dirtyGQ]

Bwaaa

I hate decisions

Is powder coating REALLY worth it? I mean, I could wait till thursday, but its a royal pain. And then if something goes wrong, and they can't do it on that day I'm outta time

Epoxy enamel + hardener sounds too hard If i was to paint it, it'll be with something I can get from a basic auto store, or a hardware, nothing fancy, and then just spray on pretty much.

yeh buy dulux quitrust and get some hard-add (all under $40)

[grott]

Peps sell epoxy enamel in pressure pack cans they also sell "bullbar paint"
whatever that is I dont know . I painted my arb bar with epoxy enamel as it was the wrong colour when i got it. turned out great. no primer just a light sand and wipe down whith wax & grease remover.

[V8Patrol]

Bwaaa

I hate decisions.

Then hit it with the pressure pak paint........

make a decision later when ya have more time .........



For me ....... I'd have it sand blasted, then off to a panel shop and get it coated in 2pak paint.

Powder coating is kewl till ya nudge something with it then it peels off like an orange skin, a small impact will result in a big flake.

Kingy

[ausyota]

I would go with "Killrust heavy duty primer" and then hit it with Satin black quick dry enamel.
Looks neat, easy to touch up with a spray can if needed.

[chimpboy]

Powder coating is not the go for bullbars... or anything else really. Anyway for your purposes wet paint will get into everything better.

For the quick and budget option, I would use etch primer then hammertone black or charcoal.

I have my flares, bullbar, roof rack, rims, and snorkel in hammertone charcoal and imho it looks cool and actually better than the generic black everything.

Plus it comes in tins AND rattle cans so you can use a tin if you have a spraygun, and still touch it up later with a rattle can.

[T_Diesel]

How did you go with the roof rack? I have a TJM allow rack which is silver and wouldn't mind making it black to match the snorkel, bull bar etc. What do you reackon the best prep / paint job would be on that?

[Shorti]

How did you go with the roof rack? I have a TJM allow rack which is silver and wouldn't mind making it black to match the snorkel, bull bar etc. What do you reackon the best prep / paint job would be on that?

Painting alloy is too much of a bitch get it powder coated.

[its aford not a nissan]

same as my earlier post except rub it back with fine sand paper and no shiney bits left etch prime it and hit it with gloss black acrylic

[junior80]

i used black stone guard paint on my FJ45's bull bar and that looked almost like a poowder coat finish. not the ta based stuff tho, it was in a spray can

[j-top paj]

go to supercrap auto and get some $2 spray paint...
how long you expect to keep it till? until ur 30?

[RockyF75]

Well I picked it up to day with a lot of thanks to Dai-Hard, and of course, Snowflake.

And I must admit, after reading some of the posts here (and before picking it up ) I was regretting taking it there and was considering picking it up painting it myself.

After getting it back however, I'm very glad they did it Very shmick job, 100x better than I would have done with any paint and It would have probably taken me a whole afternoon. Will post pics soon.

And J-top, I expect to keep it till I break it so its a bit of Russian roulette

[Mick.]

Powder coating is not the go for bullbars... or anything else really. Anyway for your purposes wet paint will get into everything better.

No mate powdercoat will get into places that no spray gun will ever get. Thats why mpost fiddily things such as bike frames, out door chairs etc are all powdercoated.

Cheers Mick.

[j-top paj]

And J-top, I expect to keep it till I break it so its a bit of Russian roulette

when you coming down south to appin? none of this rivo mud tracks stuff

[junior80]

theres nothing wrong with the rivo mud runs

[embryo]

bar looks the goods mate. when it came time to paint mine i had time but no cash so i just hit it with $2 gloss black spray paint cans. the intention is to get it sand blasted and powder coated when my rear bar and sliders are done and have it all done at once. so if your out of time just dodge it and do it later. the black paint looks like shit after a bout 3 weeks but it will get you by.

[j-top paj]

yeh but he cant break it there

[RockyF75]

[HotFourOk]

Came up looking okay mate

[chimpboy]

Bugger now you've gotta tidy up the rest of the car too