Every day, in the process of driving, the driver is in contact with the steering wheel. And no matter how high-quality the skin on it, over time it will wear out. It is also contaminated by fatty secretions of the hands. Every car owner who has been riding it for more than three years and who is not indifferent to the appearance of the steering wheel has faced the problem of worn-out coating. Most drivers solve the problem of peeling skin with a banner. But this procedure is very expensive. Wheel painting is a cheaper and no less effective way to restore coverage.
Painting materials
The first step is to determine what material needs to be restored. After all, the steering wheel can be not only leather, but also plastic or with wooden inserts. The selection of a suitable paint depends on the material.
It is much easier to carry out restoration procedures with the car's steering wheel when it is removed. But sometimes the dismantling process is more time-consuming than restoration work. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to stock up with tape, tape, newspapers, masking tape.
When choosing a suitable paint, it must be borne in mind that its cost is directly related to abrasion resistance. Since the steering wheel is used very actively and this abrasion resistance is very important, experts recommend not saving. Wheel painting using modern materials can be carried out using an aerosol can or swab.
About skin materials
In any automobile stores, various cosmetic materials for the skin are on sale, the label of which will indicate that the product also has a restorative effect. Will this paint be durable? It all depends on the quality of the components that are included. The principle of the dye is approximately the same as the effect of shoe polish.
But along with these products, there are better products for the skin. These are protective impregnations and creams. So, these funds are able to remove the already formed fatty contaminants, and also prevent the emergence of new ones. To smooth scratches and cracks, special polishes or conditioners for leather products should be used. For the same purposes, liquid skin is also used. You can also use shoe wax or nail polish.
When choosing paint for the skin should also be based on the quality of materials. For example, if the car has a steering wheel with combined or vegetable tanning, then for such a coating it is necessary to purchase soft coloring materials. This is because such skin has a higher absorption. If the tanning is chrome, then the absorption is much lower. This means that the steering wheel can be painted with more stringent dyes.
Essential chemistry kit
For restoration work, you will need not only dye. Professionals in workshops for different stages of preparation and painting use a whole set of modern auto-chemical products.
A special degreaser is required. It is especially effective for the initial removal of oily stains, as well as other impurities on the skin. A cleaner for leather, plastic and vinyl surfaces is also needed. The steering wheel kit also includes a special absorbent. It is designed to remove deep stubborn stains from sweat, oil and grease on a leather surface. It will not be superfluous to purchase a tube of liquid skin.
Which remedy is better to choose? For coloring it is recommended to use water-based paint for leather and vinyl. She is able to qualitatively restore the shade. For leather and vinyl, a matte topcoat is also recommended. The stapler will provide maximum abrasion resistance with a special protective layer.
Self-painting a car’s steering wheel does not have to be done using all of these tools. Expensive products can easily be replaced with more affordable counterparts that have probably already been used.
Along with self-painting, a service such as professional restoration of the steering wheel is available. In many tuning studios, the steering wheel is painted. Feedback on the work is very positive. The surface is not erased for at least another 150 thousand kilometers. However, the budget of these works cannot be compared with those that are carried out independently.
Preparatory work
First of all, they glue the dashboard with a film so as not to stain it. A film or other protective material is best fixed with masking tape. The latter will also help protect the steering wheel spokes and buttons.
If you decide to dismantle the element so that the steering wheel is painted outside the car, then you need to understand: there is a certain risk of damage to the steering mechanism, if the dismantling procedure was not performed earlier. It is convenient to paint the removed steering wheel. But you can get by with the film.
Next, it is necessary to remove from the surface all scratches, cracks, dents and other defects that have formed during operation. Why is it worth starting with this? Because in some cases, you can do without painting, if the skin on the steering wheel is not old and not worn. After removing all the defects, it will be possible to assess whether capital restoration work is needed or if the steering wheel will solve the problems.
Grinding
To remove all damage, you must carefully sand the leather surface.
This is best done with sandpaper. Select a tool with a grain size of P400-P600. This procedure will help, among other things, also remove old paint and improve the adhesion of a new one on the surface. After processing, soft polishing material is taken. The so-called scotch-bright or emery with a grain size of P1000-P1200 is suitable.
Degreasing
Next, the skin must be thoroughly degreased to paint the steering wheel of the car turned out to be of the highest quality and even. It is recommended to purchase special cleaners for leather products. But if the budget is limited, then an ordinary white spirit will do.
Remember that the skin absorbs these degreasers perfectly. Therefore, for processing it is necessary to use rags slightly moistened in a liquid. One of the mistakes - motorists try to carefully apply white spirit. As a result, the skin will be overdried and wrinkled.
Staining process
The simplest option is when the paint for painting the steering wheel of the car will be applied from an aerosol can. In the process, it is important to ensure that the dye is sprayed evenly and at not too close distances. After the composition dries, the entire surface should be polished.
The procedure is repeated several times until the desired result is achieved. Spray painting is simple. But there are other ways. In the same way, the emblem is painted on the steering wheel.
Restore leather steering wheel
For the skin, there is a wide selection of different dyes that can improve color, as well as restore the material. Dyes in such products are more resistant.
You can process the material with any skin paints. Naturally, the instructions write how best to stain. You can apply the composition with a brush, tampon or sponge, layer by layer (without waiting until the previous one dries). The surface should be evenly dyed. To speed up the drying process, experts recommend using a hairdryer. After the paint has completely dried, the surface should be treated with a fixative. It can be either matte or glossy.
Restoration of plastic elements
Recently, on the wheels of cars you can see a lot of plastic parts. Over time, they also lose their appearance. You can paint such a steering wheel, but the color will quickly wipe away. In order to better cover the surface, sand the surface. Before painting, it is recommended to carefully degrease the steering wheel. But not with white spirit, but with ordinary medical alcohol. It is best to paint from spray can in thin layers.
But the best and much more effective in this case is to use another method of restoration - this is the hauling of the steering wheel. In the case of plastic, the situation will be decided by installing a good leather braid.