The grille on this car has faded and continues to lose its
color with every wash, but replacing it with a new part is gonna be expensive, so we're going to show you the step-by-step process to plasti dip your grille today on Autoblog Details.
Watch all of our Autoblog Details videos for more tips on car cleaning and maintenance by professional detailer Larry Kosilla. While you're at it, check out Larry's other video series on how to diagnose, fix, and modify cars, Autoblog Wrenched!
Watch all of our Autoblog Details videos for more tips on car cleaning and maintenance by professional detailer Larry Kosilla. While you're at it, check out Larry's other video series on how to diagnose, fix, and modify cars, Autoblog Wrenched!
[00:00:00] The grille on this car has faded, and continues to lose its color with every wash, but replacing it with a new part is gonna be expensive. So, I'm gonna show ya the step-by-step process to plasti-dip your grille today on Autoblog Details. This vehicle was detailed from start to finish in 10 episodes. Visit Autoblog.com/details to watch the entire detailing transformation. Before you get started, the area must be clean and water-free.
[00:00:30] So avoid washing the area within 24 hours beforehand, and be sure to use compressed air in all the creases to remove hidden water, as the product will not stick if any moisture is present; it must be 100% dry. Next, spray isopropyl alcohol on a towel, and lightly wipe the area being dipped. Do not spray the iso directly on the area, as it may take longer to evaporate. This is done to ensure there are no waxes or oils present.
[00:01:00] Next, tape off the surrounding area, but unlike traditional painting, don't put the masking tape exactly on the edge to be painted; instead, leave about two inches of space from the edge of the masking tape to where you want the plasti-dip to stop. This space doesn't need to be exact, so it's a very quick process. This unorthodox taping procedure is done to create a hard edge later during the removal process. More on this later. If you happen to be spraying the grille like we are, removing it would be ideal, but if that's not possible, or if you don't want to, at the very least,
[00:01:30] put plastic or paper in between the grille and the radiator to avoid blocking or filling the fins with dip, as this may cause the engine to overheat due to the lack of airflow through the radiator. Shake the can vigorously. Then, with a mask on, apply a very thin base coat. This'll be somewhat see-through and not very thick, but it's OK. We'll build the layers progressively. Hold the sprayer four to six inches away from the surface, and use smooth side-to-side arm movement. If you're too far away, you may cause a textured look; but if you're too close, you may cause it to run.
[00:02:00] So take your time. As weird as this sounds, be sure to spray the two-inch surrounding area, as well. Most people have a tendency to go light or easy on this perimeter area. These areas need to be equally thick as the grille pieces for them to be removed properly in a later step. Allow the base coat to dry for 15 minutes, then apply a second, a third, and a fourth coat, all with 15-minute-interval dry times.
[00:02:30] With each new layer, change the angle of approach with your spray can to hit areas that you may have missed on the previous layer. After your fourth or fifth layer, allow the grille to dry for one hour. If your patience is thin, and you peeled the dip too soon before it's dried, the removal process will become difficult, as it won't separate with a clean edge as you peel and create tiny little pieces that need to be picked at with your nail. So waiting the minimum of one hour is well worth it. The two vital tips to a successful plasti-dip are: thick edges roughly two inches around the desired area, and allowing sufficient dry time.
[00:03:00] These are the key points to a successfully-dipped part. After the one-hour dry time, remove the masking tape on one edge of the grille. Gently peel the edge of the dip upwards, and create a separation between the two-inch border and the grille. The space between the hood, bumper, and grille allows for a natural cutting or splitting point as you gently peel.
[00:03:30] By having a thick edge, it'll form a straight clean cut as you peel, and your finished part will look as if it was painted professionally. The best part about plasti-dip is if you change your mind or you wanna change the color, you can simply peel it off, and start over. Once you're happy with the results, the material can be washed as you would the paint. But, avoid aggressive tools or brushes. Over time, this'll cause the dip to break apart or fray. If you do cut it by mistake or a rock-chip happens, just add another quick layer, and you're back in business. If you found this video helpful, please share, and keep up with all the latest detail videos by liking or subscribing to the Autoblog page.
[00:04:00] I'm Larry Kosilla from AmmoNYC.com. Thanks for watching.
[00:00:30] So avoid washing the area within 24 hours beforehand, and be sure to use compressed air in all the creases to remove hidden water, as the product will not stick if any moisture is present; it must be 100% dry. Next, spray isopropyl alcohol on a towel, and lightly wipe the area being dipped. Do not spray the iso directly on the area, as it may take longer to evaporate. This is done to ensure there are no waxes or oils present.
[00:01:00] Next, tape off the surrounding area, but unlike traditional painting, don't put the masking tape exactly on the edge to be painted; instead, leave about two inches of space from the edge of the masking tape to where you want the plasti-dip to stop. This space doesn't need to be exact, so it's a very quick process. This unorthodox taping procedure is done to create a hard edge later during the removal process. More on this later. If you happen to be spraying the grille like we are, removing it would be ideal, but if that's not possible, or if you don't want to, at the very least,
[00:01:30] put plastic or paper in between the grille and the radiator to avoid blocking or filling the fins with dip, as this may cause the engine to overheat due to the lack of airflow through the radiator. Shake the can vigorously. Then, with a mask on, apply a very thin base coat. This'll be somewhat see-through and not very thick, but it's OK. We'll build the layers progressively. Hold the sprayer four to six inches away from the surface, and use smooth side-to-side arm movement. If you're too far away, you may cause a textured look; but if you're too close, you may cause it to run.
[00:02:00] So take your time. As weird as this sounds, be sure to spray the two-inch surrounding area, as well. Most people have a tendency to go light or easy on this perimeter area. These areas need to be equally thick as the grille pieces for them to be removed properly in a later step. Allow the base coat to dry for 15 minutes, then apply a second, a third, and a fourth coat, all with 15-minute-interval dry times.
[00:02:30] With each new layer, change the angle of approach with your spray can to hit areas that you may have missed on the previous layer. After your fourth or fifth layer, allow the grille to dry for one hour. If your patience is thin, and you peeled the dip too soon before it's dried, the removal process will become difficult, as it won't separate with a clean edge as you peel and create tiny little pieces that need to be picked at with your nail. So waiting the minimum of one hour is well worth it. The two vital tips to a successful plasti-dip are: thick edges roughly two inches around the desired area, and allowing sufficient dry time.
[00:03:00] These are the key points to a successfully-dipped part. After the one-hour dry time, remove the masking tape on one edge of the grille. Gently peel the edge of the dip upwards, and create a separation between the two-inch border and the grille. The space between the hood, bumper, and grille allows for a natural cutting or splitting point as you gently peel.
[00:03:30] By having a thick edge, it'll form a straight clean cut as you peel, and your finished part will look as if it was painted professionally. The best part about plasti-dip is if you change your mind or you wanna change the color, you can simply peel it off, and start over. Once you're happy with the results, the material can be washed as you would the paint. But, avoid aggressive tools or brushes. Over time, this'll cause the dip to break apart or fray. If you do cut it by mistake or a rock-chip happens, just add another quick layer, and you're back in business. If you found this video helpful, please share, and keep up with all the latest detail videos by liking or subscribing to the Autoblog page.
[00:04:00] I'm Larry Kosilla from AmmoNYC.com. Thanks for watching.
