What's the Real Way to Rehabilitate Faded Trim and Moldings?

[Dr_Snooz]

You know what I mean:



There are at least a dozen ways to fix this, and I've tried all of them. I've used every potion, from Armor All, to Back to Black, to linseed oil. It's all great, until it rains. Then everything turns white again. After 10 years of frustration, I want a permanent solution.

The only thing I haven't tried is painting. Actually, I have and this is ALWAYS the result:





Spray paint simply doesn't last, and when it fails, it comes off in sheets and leaves you a worse mess than you had before.

So I need some real discussion on trim restoration. I need to restore my metal window trims and my rubberized bump strips.

I'm tempted to powder coat the metal trim, but Honda has done some magic that has me stumped:



The edges of all the metal trim have these plastic flanges that are brittle and breaking off. I could remove the flanges, but that will leave 1/8" gaps all around my windows. Which won't look very nice. So I don't know what to do.

Then what do I do with the rubberized bump strips? Plasti-Dip? Rhino Lining? Send them off to Jay Leno?

I need your best ideas here. How do I put this white and flaking trim to bed for good? All suggestions, even the crazy ones, are welcome.

[Honda#1]

Coconut oil. I haven't tried it. Still have the jar sitting in my fridge. But I will when the day comes just the weather is like $hit here and work puts you in a mood where you don't want to do anything. Then come days when you try to come up with a list of what your Hondas need and finding time to tackle it all.

Coconut oil, almond oil. Maybe stuff that's supposed to be good for the skin like Gold Bond. And maybe put on some waterproof sunscreen with whatever is the highest SPF rating. I don't use that $hit anyway so I don't know what the top SPF is

Leather lotion. Maybe some Kiwi Protect All or Boot Protectant?

[Dr_Snooz]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K79IGGul_BM<br><br>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rm4hQOIxS0<br><br>So basically one vote for Plasti-Dip.

[B0CKS]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K79IGGul_BM<br><br>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rm4hQOIxS0<br><br>So basically one vote for Plasti-Dip.

Plasti-Dip would work, but just to keep the conversation interesting, I guess I'll just put in my story; I painted my bumper with off-the-shelf Autozone "Trim and Bumper Paint" with the only prep being a quick degreasing. The car was only on the road for ~2-3000 miles with that coat of paint before it ate a tree, it held up decently, but the paint already was chipping from various stone chips in the front, and everything else looked pretty good.



So, if I were to do it again (and I do ) my contestants would be;
1) Better prep work and a can of SEM 39133 Flexible Primer Surfacer
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=ATVPDKIKX0DER
2) With a top coat SEM 39143 Trim Black Aerosol
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...A1KIEZT9LDX675

Or, I can see why you'd go with plasti-dip, for a paint that needs to be able to absorb impacts such as stone chips, a rubberizing paint sounds like a good call. Can't wait to see your results, the amount of difference that this trim makes will blow you away!

[Dr_Snooz]

I've found that the prep is irrelevant. Spray paint always fails within a couple years. Don't waste your time prepping. Just blow and go. The only spray paint I found that held up was a can of epoxy paint I dug out of Dad's tool trailer. I think it was meant for appliances. I had some super cheap sunglasses with a screwy pastel pattern on the frames. I painted the frames with that paint and even though the plastic was constantly being flexed from being put on and off, the paint never failed, even though I had the glasses for years. I was amazingly impressed, but have never found that paint on the shelves since.

I'm only going to powder coat metal from now on. I work too hard, with too much attention to detail, for it all to fall apart later from inferior materials. Unfortunately, powder coating isn't going to put those integrated rubber flanges back on, which is going to look very odd. I'll be paying a visit to the local high end coatings place next week to talk to them about all the different kinds of trim and what I need to do. I'll keep you all posted.

[gp02a0083]

I've found that the prep is irrelevant. Spray paint always fails within a couple years. Don't waste your time prepping. Just blow and go. The only spray paint I found that held up was a can of epoxy paint I dug out of Dad's tool trailer. I think it was meant for appliances. I had some super cheap sunglasses with a screwy pastel pattern on the frames. I painted the frames with that paint and even though the plastic was constantly being flexed from being put on and off, the paint never failed, even though I had the glasses for years. I was amazingly impressed, but have never found that paint on the shelves since.

I cannot express enough with any type of coating that surface prep is #1, always have and always will put that at the top of the importance list with ANY COATING. Then consider the types of paint you are using and what substrate its applied to. Rubberized/urethane parts are more so a pain in the ass not only due to the flexing but the chemical compatibility. With this being said things like the side moldings and belt moldings have to be prep'd in a certain way. Powder coated surfaces indeed are very durable but not infallible, talk with individuals with powder coating experience to give you further insight.

At this point the side moldings need to be completely stripped. back down to the plastic/rubber. The other parts you mention, for instance the rear window molding, is all dried out. a good majority of the window trims are made from a similar material like PVC. I'm sure you've seen many moldings "checkering" or have a dry alligator skin look , exposing the metal underneath, or ones that are flaking away leaving only the metal behind. If you remove the trim you will find that those edges and lips are molded into the rest of the PVC like material. I for the most part took scotch brite on my air grinder and removed everything down to metal, epoxied, primed/sealed and finished with Trim black. I can post pictures later of freshly coated vs ones that have been on my DD hatchback. Could use some type of edging material or maybe something for screen frames?

So far I got 2+ years on the hatchback trim moldings I coated with SEM trim black, adhesion promoter, and flex agent. Even the front windshield molding is holding up extremely well,even more so being I've been lazy and taped it for now while i find my trim clips. didn't even lift the paint off then and it should have easily.

[gp02a0083]

All was done with SEM Trim black, even my modified Teg front lip has held up very well even after the last two nasty winters here on the east coast.

[NateEdwards78]

Nice!!!!

[Dr_Snooz]

That's good work there, GP. Spray paint is a great choice if you need something to look good, fast, for cheap. I've used it plenty. But let's be honest; it's not a 2-part, catalyzing, automotive-grade coating. I painted my rear window trim 4-5 years ago EXACTLY according to label specs and it's faded and chipping off now. It's not horrible, but it is failing, and all the prep in the world isn't going to make it last much longer. The original coating on my trim lasted 20+ years and that's more what I'm looking for. Spray paint is great, but I'm looking for something more permanent.

I've tried several times to get in touch with the guy at the local coatings place to ask about what I need, but I can't seem to make the connection.

[gp02a0083]

That's good work there, GP. Spray paint is a great choice if you need something to look good, fast, for cheap. I've used it plenty. But let's be honest; it's not a 2-part, catalyzing, automotive-grade coating. I painted my rear window trim 4-5 years ago EXACTLY according to label specs and it's faded and chipping off now. It's not horrible, but it is failing, and all the prep in the world isn't going to make it last much longer. The original coating on my trim lasted 20+ years and that's more what I'm looking for. Spray paint is great, but I'm looking for something more permanent.

I've tried several times to get in touch with the guy at the local coatings place to ask about what I need, but I can't seem to make the connection.

The SEM paint is a good automotive grade acrylic, I only chose the rattle cans being I do not have a proper compressor at the moment to keep up with the CFM needs of my SATA HVLP gun. The paint you mentioned for appliances in an earlier post may be an epoxy type i'm assuming. I agree its not exactly the same as any catalyzed paint (urethane / enamel) , but with that being said even the technique / flash times have to be adjusted to a point. I applied a self etching primer before using the SEM trim black. The Trim black was sprayed on in several light "bite" coats, then about 3 heavy coats, making sure each coat flashed off fully.

This is the only molding i did not recondition yet on my Hatchback.

Most when they get really really bad like this and the coating is literally flaking off the only option is to sand it down to the metal and try to retain enough material along the edges to keep that brittle part intact. Moldings like the 1/4 windows on the hatchback , you will most likely end up removing that part.

I used the same paint with the modified teg lip as mentioned before, I forget the primer i used for it but you can see how it help up after a while of daily use. not saying its still perfect , but not in bad shape. TBH i'm impressed being it went through some nasty winters here in NJ.




I've played the heat gun trick with side moldings and raw bumper area's, it'll help here and there but usually you run into a uniformity issue and run the risk of ruining surrounding area's

[Dr_Snooz]

For that trim piece in the top picture up there, I went after it with these today.



Here's what it looked like after about 15 minutes of scrubbing.



That's bone dry without a drop of dressing or anything else. Here's what it looked like after I applied the dressing.



So for that white trim on your belt line and bumpers, this works great. The only way you can tell it isn't new is if you get real close and see the physical wear on the surface.

I'm not sure about anyone else's, but my door moldings aren't turning white. It's just these little quarter pieces and the strips on the bumpers. These are a hard plastic, whereas the door strips are rubberized. You'll have to mask off the painted areas on your bumpers before scrubbing, obviously, but it's worth it. It took me longer to remove the piece than it did to restore it.

For you 2g guys with the white bumper ends, this will fix you right up.

Hooray!!!

[Dr_Snooz]

Before Bon Ami.



After Bon Ami.



After dressing.



I need to do more scrubbing. There is still a white haze, but this is a vast improvement.

The Bon Ami will work well for white, rubberized trim like bump strips and mudflaps. I'm still working on the metal trim with rubber flanges. That will be a lot more tricky.

[2oodoor]

Flex seal

[Dr_Snooz]

Update: It's all turned white again. So nix the Bon Ami trick.

[87accordlxi]

If you're still working on this, have you tried Krylon Fusion? I would think it should stick pretty well on the textured bumper trim surface.

[BITESIZE]

I've used shoe polish in the past. It worked decent.

[G. White]

For the door, fender, and bumper trim, I've had really good results with Duplicolor Vinyl and Fabric coating that comes in a spray can. After trying everything from Back to Black, (which is good for exactly one wash) black paint (which flakes off quickly) and every type of dressing I could get my hands on, (which eventually failed and left streaks on the lower half of my car) and some kind of trim dye that came with an applicator tip (which was incredibly difficult to apply evenly) the Duplicolor has been the best so far...even in the Arizona sun. I saw the stuff on an old episode of Roadkill and decided to give it a try. Just some of that sprayed on a cotton ball and rubbed on the trim worked well. I will be in the process of prepping surface to work with, (isopropyl or dish soap) taping everything off and spraying it. There's no damn way I'm removing the trim from the car...probably too many irreplaceable plastic clips to break.

For the metal trim around the windows...I have been using the Plastidip in a spray can. I haven't quite figured out what to do about the flaky parts on the edges that your paper towels and microfiber gets caught on because once again the plastic clip scenario. A tape off and spray with that stuff actually has lasted me a few years I think.

[Dr_Snooz]

I painted some pieces of trim about 6 months ago. I didn't bother with a lot of prep because, you know, it doesn't matter. The paint will fail anyway. Instead, I just did a quick wipe-down with rubbing alcohol and painted. I used Tractor Supply's tractor paint in the rattle cans. The paint has at least adhered well and the texture is consistent. It looks great, only...

Within 6 months ONE piece has faded, while the others have not. This is the kind of thing that cheeses me off to no end.

Here's the original painting post: https://www.3geez.com/forum/classic-...ml#post1212813

Because Photobucket is doing... whatever it is they're doing, here's the original photo for reference.





Here it is now 6 months later. It's noticeably lighter than its brother next to it.



So tractor paint is a no-go too. SEM or Color Bond are up next.

[conozo]

I thought I mentioned it in this thread but I guess not. 15 years ago I painted my bumpers with duplicolor black primer and duplicolor black bumper paint. It's only now starting to fade a little on the bumper, the trim still looks pretty good. I don't remember what my prep was but I think I just gave it a really good car wash and masked and painted while it was on the car.

[Dr_Snooz]

DupliColor is the stuff that flaked off my hubcaps so easily, so I'm not real anxious to repeat that success again. And I'm pretty sure Rust-O-Leum is the stuff that faded so badly on the window trim. That REALLY bugs me so I'll never be using anything from them again. Period. The Tractor Supply paint has held well enough, but again, the fading is simply not acceptable.

I ordered a can of SEM Trim Black today, so that will be the next beta-test. According to the Amazon reviews, it's the cat's pajamas, but I'll be the judge of that. It was $16 (closer to $30 with shipping). I was expecting it to be a lot more than that.

I will be ignoring the usual prep instructions. All the paints say that any oil residue will spoil the paint job. Then they recommend washing the parts with soap and water. Completely useless. Rubbing alcohol works very well, so I'll use that and skip all the other. They denature it with acetone now. It's great for parts washing but for heaven's sake don't ever put it on your skin! I might also do some light sanding but not much. Anyway, we'll see how it works and you know if it disappoints, I'll be complaining about it here.