Front grille paint

[Alfredo]

I want to paint our front grilles black as they are very faded.

Looking through the forum I see Halfords truck bed liner recommended a lot but I can't find it for sale anywhere. I assume it is discontinued?

In which case, what are people using now?

[cobblers]

Luckily there are quite a few paints on the market that mimic the finish of textured plastic (and stick to the plastic properly!) so you don't need to use truck bed liner etc - there's a product designed exactly for the job.

One we use on a daily basis at work (I've just ordered 36 cans!) with good success is "Monofil Vario +"
We buy it from Nebula but I think it's sold on amazon too. Not the cheapest, but one can should do both front grilles if you are careful.

https://nebulapaintproducts.uk/products ... 2243560695

Make sure to give the grilles a very good wipe with some solvent degreaser, particularly if anyone has used any potions or lotions to try and improve them in the past.
Have a quick practice on some scrap first - a heavier coat with the can closer will give a smoother finish that more closely matches the original, but unless you've got the knack it can sometimes end up patchy on a complex thing like the grille. A more forgiving way is putting three or four "dust" coats on with the can held about 30-40cm away, each coat from a different angle to make sure you cover into all the crevices. This will leave a slightly more coarse finish (like the bumper end caps) but you can't go wrong.

[Oldiebut goodie]

I did mine by giving them a light sandblasting first then used standard matt black rattle cans - lasted for years without fading or peeling. (Presumably is still on there)

[Alfredo]

Luckily there are quite a few paints on the market that mimic the finish of textured plastic (and stick to the plastic properly!) so you don't need to use truck bed liner etc - there's a product designed exactly for the job.

One we use on a daily basis at work (I've just ordered 36 cans!) with good success is "Monofil Vario +"
We buy it from Nebula but I think it's sold on amazon too. Not the cheapest, but one can should do both front grilles if you are careful.

https://nebulapaintproducts.uk/products ... l?variant=[url=tel:43752243560695]43752243560695[/url]

Make sure to give the grilles a very good wipe with some solvent degreaser, particularly if anyone has used any potions or lotions to try and improve them in the past.
Have a quick practice on some scrap first - a heavier coat with the can closer will give a smoother finish that more closely matches the original, but unless you've got the knack it can sometimes end up patchy on a complex thing like the grille. A more forgiving way is putting three or four "dust" coats on with the can held about 30-40cm away, each coat from a different angle to make sure you cover into all the crevices. This will leave a slightly more coarse finish (like the bumper end caps) but you can't go wrong.

Thank you. Would it need an undercoat of any kind?
I just bought 2 x 500ml on the Bay for £25 incl postage.

[cobblers]

No, it's best without a base/primer. It's designed to go straight onto plastic and it sticks really well.

I forgot to mention - because it's a "textured" paint, the contents can settle over time and block the nozzle when you first use it. You need to shake the can really well. Keep shaking it til you're absolutely fed up of shaking it, and then continue shaking it for another couple of minutes.

[Shinnster]

mine were quite faded too, i didnt spray them, i used back 2 black interior stuff . they came up a treat and look like new now.
was impressed with the results!