Powder coating and wet spray combination is the refurbishment of the whole wheel – this process is used for total colour changes or to return the wheel to its original finish when the damage is too severe or the damage covers many areas of the wheel for a cosmetic repair to be sufficient. It involves a refurbishment of the whole wheel and can only be achieved with specialist ovens and equipment to remove old coatings, repair damage and corrosion and re apply a completely new finish. It gives an exceptional finish and is extremely durable.
Diamond cut wheel refurbishment is the same as the powder coated wheel refurbishment described above but with the addition of the diamond cut lathe which removes a micro section of the metal to give the classic diamond cut wheel finish.
Cosmetic or SMART repair which is a localised repair to a small area of damage to the wheel finish. The repair is colour matched into the existing finish.
Alloy Wheels Powder Coating – this process is used for colour change and match your existing.
In 99.9% of cases the wheel is fully refurbished, with the tyre off. Most wheels are gently blasted by hand to remove previous layers of lacquer and paint to obtain a smooth metal surface in preparation for coating. If the wheels are in a particularly poor condition they may be chemically stripped prior to blasting.
Next the wheels are gently heat treated to remove any air from the alloy and a first stage powder coat finish is applied and then cured for a set time period. After this if the wheel is having a “special” or “bespoke” finish the wet-in-wet procedure takes place (e.g. special paint and clear-coat finish). The wheels are also automatically subjected to a further thermal treatment. The lacquer coat is not only applied to enhance the finish but to protect the alloy wheel against environmental influences (UV radiation, salt, moisture, dirt, etc.) at all points.
Diamond Cutting Process The process of Diamond Cutting is very similar to that of Powder Coating with the addition of a machine cut finish to the front ‘face’ of the wheel.
As with the Powder Coating process the wheel is fully refurbished, with the tyre off. Most wheels are gently blasted by hand to remove previous layers of lacquer and paint to obtain a smooth metal surface in preparation for coating. If the wheels are in a particularly poor condition they may be chemically stripped prior to blasting.
The wheels are then prepared and dressed to deal with any damage to the rim edges and the face. (We do not deal with buckled or badly dented wheels as these are safety related structural repairs and wheels should be written off and replaced).
Next the wheels are gently heat treated to remove any air from the alloy and a first stage powder coat finish is applied and then cured for a set time period. A second coating may be applied at this stage depending on what finish is chosen. Once cured the wheels are allowed to cool before being introduced to our state-of-the-art CNC lathes ready to be Diamond Cut.
Cosmetic Repairs The first action is to assess the damage and the suitability for a cosmetic repair [also known as SMART repair], we will endeavour to advise you of the best way forward. Once agreed that a repair of this type is suitable we first remove the tyre from the wheel to allow full access to the damage. The wheel is then thoroughly cleaned to remove any traces of wax or silicon from the damaged area, this will ensure a first-rate adhesion when the final paint is applied.
The second stage is the careful removal of the damage using varying degrees of sanding media; where a piece has been knocked out of the wheel metal fillers will be used to repair the profile before being sanded back to match.
Following this a fully colour matched wet paint is applied and blended into to the rest of the wheel to show no discernible edge, this is then sealed using a lacquer to ensure the continued lustre and longevity of the finish.
Finally the tyre is refitted, the wheel balanced and then fitted back to your vehicle.