Painting over chrome...

[RedBaronX]

I got a set of the pretty standard and common Sunlite brand side mirrors. They come chrome (probably a low quality chrome, dunno) but I want mirrors that will match my bike better... either matte black to match the accessories or army green to match the frame. There will be nearly nothing else chrome on the bike...

What kind of success rate can I expect from painting over chrome? Should I sand it first, or will primer and paint be enough? Any "special" paint (like automotive), or will run of the mill Rust-O-Leum brand spray paint do the trick?

thanks!

 

[Stan4d]

Check out Krylon, they have a product called X Metals. You can get very good results painting chrome. Keeps the mirror look and adds the color you want. If you want to cover it, my new favorite paint is another Krylon product called Fusion. It will even paint plastic and not flake, and no primer is needed.

 

[RedBaronX]

the Fusion paint in a matte black sounds perfect, thanks! (don't want the mirror look)

 

[Stan4d]

the Fusion paint in a matte black sounds perfect, thanks! (don't want the mirror look)

I would go ahead and lightly sand and clean thouroughly though, Instructions do not say that, but I do anyway.

 

[azbill]

scuffing the chrome will give the paint something to 'bite' as well
I sanded and painted my huffy HD back wheel

 

[motorpsycho]

yes, you should at least scuff up the chrome to give it some teeth for the paint to bite into and hold on to. if you just spray paint (any kind of paint) over smooth chrome, the paint will peel off very easily.
that krylon x-metals paint is a semi transparent paint, which requires a silver, gold, copper, chrome or any metallic base color for it to work. it will come out looking like candy paint.

 

[jeffuehrer]

yeah...who wants to be seen on a bike...that doesn't look "cool".