Can I paint T-moulding?

[Demon-Seed]

Hi
I was considering ripping out the t-moulding I have and installing new stuff..but I just thought can I paint it? Will it work? to freshen it up and remove some of the scratches?> The t-moulding that is on the current cab is attached solidly and I would hate to remove it.

[Rawker]

sure, try sanding, priming, and then painting a piece of it.

try a piece on the back or something and if the paint isn't sticking try using rougher sand paper to scratch it up more and allow the paint to stick.

[patrickl]

Apparently you can't.

There were some threads on this subject a few weeks (or months) ago ad I think the outcome was that it couldn't be done.

The plastic used for the t-molding is of a type that will not allow the paint to stick. Allthough there was someone who claimed there was a dashboard paint that would work. I couldn't find that though.

The plastic primers available all seem to have a notice that they wont work on PE plastics.

Actually I tried with some model car (polycarbonat body) paint and I have to say it sticks on pretty well. Trouble is that if you touch it with a fingernail it comes right off.

More info in a previous thread

[LoRDDeVO]

i would imagine vinyl dye would work never tried it tho

[greven grevs]

I did this to my t-molding a while back before I bought some new molding. I sanded the black molding with a 220 grit sandpaper and then spray painted it blue with krylon [not the new krylon fusion]. After it dried I painted over that with krylon clear. Lasted well for a few weeks but it did start chipping. Maybe a quick fix solution if you want to sell something real quick but not worth it for a long term item. I have not tried krylon fusion yet though. I will sometime this week.

[Stingray]

i would imagine vinyl dye would work never tried it tho

I was going to suggest the same. Also you'll want to clean it with Plastic-Prep which will strip the mold release off. The mold release agent that is used to allow plastics to pop out of the mold when they're made is the main obstacle to getting paint to stick.

-S

[Stingray]

However it would be faster, easier, and probably cheaper to just replace the t-molding.

-S

[steve_pss]

For the price of a couple cans of krylon fusion you can just put new molding on.

[Harry Potter]

I've painted it without a problem. Don't use brush paint as it streaks. Instead use enamel paint, the kind you use on models. Apply the coats VERY thinly otherwise you'll get air-bubbles or the paint clumps.

After I finished mine, I could bend the t-molding as much as I could without chipping.

[patrickl]

I did the same and indeed it doesn;t chip when you bend it. The problem is that it comes off too easy when you rub it (or scratch it)

[paigeoliver]

This does not hold up long term. I have owned one machine where someone painted the t-molding, and have seen others. A few years down the road it is going to look terrible.