Randy Charles
Professional Painter

Randy Charles is the owner of PaintCentric.com, a website dedicated to providing information, tips, tricks, and news about all things paint. With over 10 years...Read more

Randy Charles
Professional Painter

Randy Charles is the owner of PaintCentric.com, a website dedicated to providing information, tips, tricks, and news about all things paint. With over 10 years...Read more

How Much Does It Cost to Paint Rims?

Randy Charles
Professional Painter

Randy Charles is the owner of PaintCentric.com, a website dedicated to providing information, tips, tricks, and news about all things paint. With over 10 years...Read more

Having a vehicle can be one of the biggest achievements in life. Sometimes you dont want to part with such a loved possession, but you fancy a bit of a change. Whether you are driving an older model or a fresh new release you should be proud to be driving something so special.

Your vehicle, what ever it may be, needs to be looked after properly and regularly as it is most likely used a lot. As well as getting the vehicle to run smoothly, you also need to keep up the appearance of the paintwork, so it is always in its best shape.

Your vehicle is a representation of who you are. You want to have a vehicle that suits you so you dont want rusty rims or chipped paint showing do you?

The outer edge of the wheel which holds the tire is the rim and this has a lot of pressure on it. It can become worn and the colour can fade after a lot of use, making your vehicle look dull and uncared for.

Having a vehicle is an expensive responsibility just to keep it legal and running, this often leads to vehicle owners asking, how much does it cost to paint rims?

Lets explore this question and find out the true cost of painting your rims.

How Much Does It Cost to Paint Rims?

There are many factors that go into the final price of painting rims. Depending on how dirty the rims are to how worn, they are after a lot of use.

How Much Does It Cost To Paint Rims

According to thatpainter.com the average cost for a DIY rim paint job is around $30 to $100..

It varies depending on what products you are using and the quality of your current rims. One of the main killers of rims are dust which can build up making your rims dirty and worn overtime. Break dust builds up when you drive off road like mud tracks, and sandy paths. Getting this dirt clogged in your rims can make it more expensive to fix up because of the amount of cleaning that has to be done.

Making your car look fresh means keeping up with painting your rims, this will have a huge impact! A lot of people think that you need to replace your wheels and rims to make them look nice again, which can be extremely expensive and totally unnecessary. Your bank balance will be pleased to know that painting your rims doesnt have to be that expensive, but it can change the look of your vehicle completely.

If you have decided to paint your rims then you need to breakdown the cost of everything before you can figure out the overall pricing.

What Is the Cost of Painting Your Own Rims?

Opting to paint your own rims over getting a professional to do it can be a lot cheaper and you can get a better idea of the personality you want to give your vehicle. The pricing can vary depending on a few things, but this is everything that you need to consider.

What Is The Cost Of Painting Your Own Rims

Paint- The type of paint you get is one of the most important things to consider when painting your rims. Getting cheap, low-quality paint will probably only last you a few weeks at most until it chips again.

Before you buy your paint, identify which metal type your wheel are so you can pick a paint that suits your vehicle. You are best investing in some high-quality paint that is reliable. You can get some good quality paint at a fair price. Plasti-Kote which is a highly recommended spray paint is only $8.5 for one can. This is a fast-drying paint that does not fade and the colour wont become dull overtime.

Here are some other paints that you might like:

Product Features Buy now IMAGE
Silver Alloy Wheel Rim Spray Acrylic Paint for Car Van Bike Auto Colour Restorer

High-quality and easy to use. Weather resistant and 5* rating. Check price Silver Alloy Wheel Rim Spray Acrylic Paint For Car Van Bike Auto Colour Restorer
Autotek ATOOGBW500 Wheel Spray Paint, Gloss Black, 500 ml Fast drying acrylic paint. Durable and weather resistant. Leaves a professional finish. Check price Autotek Atoogbw500 Wheel Spray Paint, Gloss Black, 500 Ml
Dupli-Color Single EHWP10800 High-Performance Wheel Coating Gloss Black Dry time is 30 minutes, restores rims to their original look. Highly durable and resists brake dust and chemicals Check price Dupli-Color Single Ehwp10800 High-Performance Wheel Coating Gloss Black

Pick a paint that will work best for you. Research into different features that brands offer so you know what you are buying. The average price for paint is $8 so it is a reasonable cost to spend to renew your rims.

All of the products mentioned above are for 1 can of paint, it is likely that you will need a few more cans, maybe 5 or 6 taking your total cost of paint to $48 for your paint.

  • Other supplies- Before you begin painting you need a few extra supplies. You will need to have a primer coat, wheel cleaner, pressure washer or rubbing alcohol. You will also need sandpaper and masking tape to make the job easier.
  • Wheel cleaner- Before you begin painting you need to clean your wheels to ensure you are not painting over any lose dirt or dust. Getting a wheel cleaner and letting it sit for a couple of minutes and then cleaning that off with a pressure washer of rubbing alcohol can make your rims very clean.

There are many options of wheel cleaner out there. This 5* product is perfect to use for your wheels and rims.

Adams wheel and tire cleaner

Adams Wheel And Tire Cleaner

Shop now

You can get rubbing alcohol from most stores, costing around $2. If you have a pressure washer then there is no need for rubbing alcohol.

  • Sandpaper and masking tape- These bits are very cheap but handy when it comes to painting your rims. Sandpaper is used to sand down the wheel to get rid of any blemishes and to improve the surface. You can find sandpaper for approximately $3 online or in your local store. Making tape is for avoiding getting paint on the tires, it is not essential, but it helps a great amount.
  • Primer coat- Priming your rim before painting is essential to keep the paint long lasting and creating a professional finish. The average price for a good quality primer is $15. Chemical guys make a great restore and renew tire and trip primer gel which is only $14.99.

It is likely that you will need bottles or cans of primer to ensure that you are covering your rims as well as you can. This is a really important step.

Chemical guys tire and trim gel

Chemical Guys Tire And Trim Gel

Shop now

Time- It should take around 4 hours to complete your rim painting job. The cleaning process and allowing the layers to dry is the most time consuming and even longer if you need to repair your wheels.

Cost of Diy Paint Job on Car Rims

If you take all of the prices into consideration

  • Paint= $48
  • Extra supplies= $6
  • Primer coat= $30
  • Other costs= $50 (this can include wheel repair, extra equipment, unplanned for events and time)

The cost of your DIY paint job can cost around $134 depending on the pricing of your equipment and the quality of it.

How Much Does Professional Rim Painting Cost?

Getting a professional to do your rim painting for you can save you some time but will cost more then doing it yourself.

How Much Does Professional Rim Painting Cost

Make sure to look around for different quotes in your area and pay the best price for a top-quality job from someone that you can trust.

Getting the painting done can cost around $500 which is a lot more than doing it yourself, but you can be sure that your vehicle is in good hands and that the work is being done to the best standard.

If you need a wheel repair and a deep clean of your rims too, you could be looking at $1000 for the full process.

It can be really expensive to get your rims painted, but it is best to look around and see what places you can find that will do it for cheaper but still provide a great result.

How to Save Money when Painting Rims?

If you are wanting a professional to do your painting for you then to make things a bit cheaper, start the process off yourself and just let them do the painting. You can easily clean the wheels and rim on your own by using a wheel cleaner and rubbing alcohol. This doesnt cost a lot, but it can take up some of your time. If you can repair any damages on your tire using sandpaper and your own skills then do it. It can cost a lot for your tire to get repaired by professionals.

How To Save Money When Painting Rims

Obviously, this depends on how much damage their actually is and in some cases there will be no other choice than to go to a professional. Look around for quotes on getting it fixed because you might find somewhere cheaper that doesnt do rim painting.

It is obviously a lot cheaper to do the entire process by yourself, so if you want to save some money then order all your supplies to your home and you will have your rims done in no time! A good tip is that buying in bulk is often cheaper than buying individual items. Even if you think you only need one can of paint, buy the multipack because you will get more product and you pay less! It is handy to do this because you dont want to need another coat of paint on your rims but have run out of your spray paint.

Summary

Painting your rims by yourself is the cheapest option. It will cost you around $100-$200 but it will take up a lot of your time. Getting it professionally done can cost anywhere from $500-$1000 depending on what you need doing to your vehicle before the painting is even started.

It is best to look around for different quotes and go with who you think is the most trust-worthy with your vehicle, and also who isnt charging a huge amount of money compared to everyone else.

If you have some time spare then try painting your rims by yourself. Save some money and get some DIY in.

Randy CharlesProfessional Painter

Randy Charles is the owner of PaintCentric.com, a website dedicated to providing information, tips, tricks, and news about all things paint. With over 10 years of experience in the painting industry, Randy has become an expert in the field and is passionate about helping others learn more about painting. He has written numerous articles on the subject and is committed to providing accurate and up-to-date information to his readers.

Leave a Comment

20 + 14 =