How to Paint the Interior of Your Car
To paint the dashboard of your vehicle, you need to take off as many pieces as possible. These include radio knobs, heater vents, gear shift knobs, ash trays, etc. Wash these pieces in warm, soapy water. Then, rinse them off well with clean water. Dry them well. You may need to use a blow dryer to get the water out of cracks, crevices, and other small places.
Then, use a clean rag and the soapy water to wash the rest of the dashboard. You’ll need to scrub especially hard if the dashboard has Armor AllâÂ?¢ or another type of protectant on it.
Next, rinse the dashboard off well, and dry it off with a clean rag. Before you paint the interior of your car, the areas will need to be completely dry in order for the paint to stick well to it. So, let the dashboard air dry while you apply painter’s masking tape to the interior. Painter’s masking tape is blue tape that peels off easily after the job is done. That’s why it’s recommended over regular masking tape. Painter’s masking tape won’t leave a sticky residue like regular tape can, too.
Tape off the areas of the dashboard you don’t want to get paint on. This may include the bottom part of the windshield, the radio, gauges, the gear shift, other chrome, etc.
Before you paint hard plastic areas, you’ll need to rough it up with a piece of fine sandpaper first. Use an old rag to wipe up the dust the sandpaper creates. Then, you’ll need to remove the remainder of the dust with a wet, soapy rag. Rinse the area again and dry it well.
Finally, use a clean rag and some rubbing alcohol to go over the plastic pieces, and the dashboard (if it’s made of plastic) one more time. The rubbing alcohol will remove any residue left from cleaning the area with the soapy water.
Most materials that are difficult to paint start with a primer. You’ll want to start painting the interior of your car with a primer too. It will create a surface that paint will stick better to. You can find a good-quality primer at your local auto supply store. Read and follow the manufacturer’s directions on the can in order to achieve the best results.
Once the primer is applied and has dried sufficiently, it’s finally time to paint the dashboard and the plastic pieces. Use a good-quality paint for the job and make sure the paint is suitable for application on plastic materials. As always, read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the can in order to achieve the best results. Let the plastic pieces dry completely before you reinstall them on the interior of your car. Otherwise, the paint will easily chip off.
Leave your car windows down and allow the paint on the dashboard to dry thoroughly too before you drive the car.
If you want to paint the upholstery seats on the interior of your car, check your auto parts supply store for a special paint made for this purpose. The best upholstery paint will be non-flammable and non-toxic.
Basically, you’ll need to use additional painter’s masking tape to protect areas you don’t want painted. Examples of these include chrome on the seat, adjustment levers, etc. You can use old newspapers or brown grocery bags to cover large areas.
Read and follow the instructions on the can in order to achieve the best results.
The paint on the interior of your car should last for many years as long as your car isn’t parked in the sun a lot.
