Chrome Paint

[Jeffrey Cook]

Hi All~

We are putting a car on stage. Sigh. I need to match damaged chrome and in some cases mixed material to the actual chrome. I see this paint called Mirror, which looks like it might need to be sprayed. The Rustoleum mirror is not very good. Other thoughts from anyone to paint chrome?

Jeffrey

[Lily Mathiszig-lee]

Hi Jeffrey,

I’m in the UK so products may differ slightly, but unfortunately chrome does have to be sprayed to look good. The best way is to prep, gloss black (or grey depending on the tone of the chrome), spray a layer of chrome (tiny metallic fragments in solvent), use a 2K gloss laquer and another chrome over the top for shine.

The are spray cans that can get a similar effect (from a distance). My favourite is

This is the hardest wearing chrome spray I’ve found. Still can’t really be handled tho

PEBEO 93881 200ml DecoSpray, Acrylic, Silver Chromium, 16.5 x 5.2 x 5.2 cm https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01J7L2DPW/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_api_i_V9JGT0DQPDMT65JB9J9Y

but these paints will never fully dry and cannot be touched – the colour will dull, smudge or rub off.

There are chrome markers made of similar paint by Molotow for touching up scratches.

Createx do a waterbased chrome system (still hazardous) if you are in California as some products are illegal there I believe.

And then I suppose you can always cheat and get a wrapping company to cover over the car…

Good luck

Lily

 

[hlmccarthy]

The best aerosol mirror chrome paint ive used is SpatzStix:
https://www.hobbyrecreationproducts.com/pages/search-results-page?collection=spazstix-ultimate-mirror-chrome

It is actually a pretty decent “mirror” finish. We tested a whole bunch of products for some giant mirrored chrome xmas ornaments a few years back.
They make a sealer that goes with the system and makes it more durable but it detracted from the mirror effect we wanted.

I have also used an automotive 1k holographic chrome over a 2k black base. (Asla was the brand)  The chrome was lovely and a little velvety but not holographic enough and I ended up beefing it up with a holographic spazstix before sealing.  They do sell their chrome without the holographic powder in it.

Any chrome product you will want to apply over gloss black base (or another dark color depending on desired outcome)

Both of these products would require good ventilation/PPE

[Jeffrey Cook]

Hi there and thanks for the suggestions. We do need to handle the car, actors and all, so it needs to be durable. We have a spray booth and all those options so I can do that if I can find something that works. Looks like the spaz stix is out of stock but I’ll  check around for it. The “Mirror Chrome Paint” is really good and can be brushed but the bottle is the size of finger nail polish for $50!! Yikes.

MIRROR – the world’s mirroriest mirror chrome paint

[Lily Mathiszig-lee]

Yes, that Mirror is expensive and it rubs off too.

[Author]

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