Create Wheel Accents With Spray Paint

Creating wheel accents using spray paint is an inexpensive and relatively easy modification.  In the article DIY Vinyl Wheel Graphics, I showed how you can dress up your wheels using vinyl wrap.  That method works for a number of designs, however, more intricate accents may require paint.  That’s a big step as paint is not as reversible as vinyl, but in the right application it is the best way to get a stunning result.

I recently bought an extra set of wheels for my new Ford Ranger.  That journey and the reasons for doing that were detailed last week in the article Facebook Marketplace Wheel Shopping.  In short, I found a set of new Bronco wheels for $200.  While those are attractive wheels, I felt they needed a bit more detail to make them great.  

I like the dark gray color, so painting the entire wheel was unnecessary.  As such, I decided to paint one of the wheel “pockets” like the wheels found on several Ford Tremor models.  

Paint Selection

When it comes to paint choice for these projects, my go-to brand is Rust-Oleum.  I’ve been using their paints for over 40 years, and find them easy to use with great durability.  The original “Stops Rust” is the enamel I like best and I chose Tuscan Sun as my color.

I was happy to find my color in the new 5-in-1 spray can.  This new spray can allows you to pick from five different spray patterns.  For a small area like the pocket on this wheel, I liked setting 3 (low output) which prevented overloading the pocket with paint, which would cause runs.

Process

My process for painting is the same regardless of the project, however, masking for a crisp paint line is important.  The pictures below show the steps taken for a great result.

Final Thoughts

I’m happy with the paint result and think putting a focus on one area of the wheel works for my truck.  I’m not so sure about the intensity of the color, so may explore a few more samples next.  All I need to do is prepare the surface, mask and paint.  No priming will be needed as the Tuscan Sun paint is my new base coat.

Please let me know if you have any questions (or color suggestions) in the comments below.  My wheel purchase came with five wheels (one was the spare wheel), so I am using the spare as my test piece.