Can you paint stainless steel?
05-09-09 | 02:57 PM
#1
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Joined: Nov 2007
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From: TX
Can you paint stainless steel?
I would like to paint my wifes Magnaflow muffler (the can) flat black and leave the tip SS. Has anyone successfully painted a stainless steel muffler? What I really don't want is for it to start chipping off and looking like crap. While it is still installed, I would clean it, degrease it, and sand/scuff it then paint it with hi-temp flat black paint. Does this sound possible, or should I just leave it SS.
05-09-09 | 04:57 PM
#2
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 39
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From: pa
i painted my new muffler with flat black "high heat" spray paint from rustoleum. the kind used for gas grills and wood stoves. the body shop down town gave me that tip. it turned out great, just like the original and the perfect shade of blackish/charcoal. evidently the stuff sticks like iron i am told. at any rate it protects up to 1200 degreees f.
i am not sure about stainless, but i read the can and it said "do not prime" and said gently rough up surface. you could do a test spot i guess? since the stainless is not hardened it should take this type of paint fairly well. if it were hardend stailess all bets are off. there is a phone number on the can you could call rustoleum 800-481-4785 (specialty high heat flat black) just ask them if it will bond to non- hardened stainless at moderate temps? ive been running months and no problem but i do not have a stainless muffler.
i am not sure about stainless, but i read the can and it said "do not prime" and said gently rough up surface. you could do a test spot i guess? since the stainless is not hardened it should take this type of paint fairly well. if it were hardend stailess all bets are off. there is a phone number on the can you could call rustoleum 800-481-4785 (specialty high heat flat black) just ask them if it will bond to non- hardened stainless at moderate temps? ive been running months and no problem but i do not have a stainless muffler.
Last edited by praxis; 05-09-09 at 05:08 PM.
05-09-09 | 06:44 PM
#3
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 962
Likes: 27
From: Iowa
I've seen stainless painted before, but rarely. People used to paint Deloreans every once in a while, but I don't think it was successful long-tern. I think you need to acid-etch the metal or something first. Possibly electrostatic painting (is that the term?)? I don't know how it would do with high temps. Good luck!
05-09-09 | 11:41 PM
#4
Lexus Champion
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,709
Likes: 14
From: Ca.
[QUOTE=alaskaty;4508958]I would like to paint my wifes Magnaflow muffler (the can) flat black and leave the tip SS. Has anyone successfully painted a stainless steel muffler? What I really don't want is for it to start chipping off and looking like crap. While it is still installed, I would clean it, degrease it, and sand/scuff it then paint it with hi-temp flat black paint. Does this sound possible, or should I just leave it SS. [quote]
The key to painting anything that paint doesn't want to stick to real well is, as had been said, rough it up some (I personally prefer something like red Scotch Brite) with soapy water (car wash soap, it will cleanse while you roughen), and then the first couple of coats spray light coats (a little more than mist coats and let each one dry to touch) then spray as you normally would. The light coats bind much better than a "sheeting" coat. Whenever we had to paint glass (yes you can paint glass and it will stick with only cleaning), that is the way we did it and never had any peeling problems. If you spray a full coat the first coat, it "sheets" and doesn't have the bond that the individual droplets do that dry quickly. Once the first coat or two are applied that way, they dry quickly and you can go ahead and paint normally.
The key to painting anything that paint doesn't want to stick to real well is, as had been said, rough it up some (I personally prefer something like red Scotch Brite) with soapy water (car wash soap, it will cleanse while you roughen), and then the first couple of coats spray light coats (a little more than mist coats and let each one dry to touch) then spray as you normally would. The light coats bind much better than a "sheeting" coat. Whenever we had to paint glass (yes you can paint glass and it will stick with only cleaning), that is the way we did it and never had any peeling problems. If you spray a full coat the first coat, it "sheets" and doesn't have the bond that the individual droplets do that dry quickly. Once the first coat or two are applied that way, they dry quickly and you can go ahead and paint normally.
Last edited by code58; 05-10-09 at 10:11 PM.
05-10-09 | 12:16 PM
#5
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Joined: Nov 2007
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From: TX
pulled the trigger!
This is what I did:
1. Cleaned the muffler with dawn dish soap
2. wet sanded with 400 grit sand paper, and a mixture of Dawn and water
3. rinsed with water and dryed it off
4. used blue painter's tape and newspaper to cover the SS tip
5. two very thin coats of flat black high heat engine spray paint (I waited 30 mins to an hour between coats for maximal curing - 102 degs outside!!)
6. 2 more thicker coats with an hour in between for drying/curing
I know the biggest fear is the pain peeling off, so I'll keep people posted periodically on how it's holding up.
This is what I did:
1. Cleaned the muffler with dawn dish soap
2. wet sanded with 400 grit sand paper, and a mixture of Dawn and water
3. rinsed with water and dryed it off
4. used blue painter's tape and newspaper to cover the SS tip
5. two very thin coats of flat black high heat engine spray paint (I waited 30 mins to an hour between coats for maximal curing - 102 degs outside!!)
6. 2 more thicker coats with an hour in between for drying/curing
I know the biggest fear is the pain peeling off, so I'll keep people posted periodically on how it's holding up.
05-10-09 | 02:31 PM
#7
Rookie
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 83
Likes: 1
From: GA
So the shipping tie-down eyelets that stick out right next to the muffler don't bother you but the fact that the muffler is stainless steel and not flat black does? 
))
Nice job with the painting, though! Let us know how it holds up in a few months.
)) Nice job with the painting, though! Let us know how it holds up in a few months.
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Doing this next weekend. I wanted to do this to my Magnaflow too, but i will for sure now.
05-10-09 | 08:17 PM
#12
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From: TX
They're off an RX330. They bolt up perfectly with no need for spacers, no rubbing, no down side!
05-10-09 | 10:10 PM
#14
Lexus Champion
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,709
Likes: 14
From: Ca.
[QUOTE=code58;4509795][QUOTE=alaskaty;4508958]I would like to paint my wifes Magnaflow muffler (the can) flat black and leave the tip SS. Has anyone successfully painted a stainless steel muffler? What I really don't want is for it to start chipping off and looking like crap. While it is still installed, I would clean it, degrease it, and sand/scuff it then paint it with hi-temp flat black paint. Does this sound possible, or should I just leave it SS.
The key to painting anything that paint doesn't want to stick to real well is, as had been said, rough it up some (I personally prefer something like red Scotch Brite) with soapy water (car wash soap, it will cleanse while you roughen), and then the first couple of coats spray light coats (a little more than mist coats and let each one dry to touch) then spray as you normally would. The light coats bind much better than a "sheeting" coat. Whenever we had to paint glass (yes you can paint glass and it will stick with only cleaning), that is the way we did it and never had any peeling problems. If you spray a full coat the first coat, it "sheets" and doesn't have the bond that the individual droplets do that dry quickly. Once the first coat or two are applied that way, they dry quickly and you can go ahead and paint normally.
Sorry, tried to correct a spelling error and ended up with a quote of my own post.
The key to painting anything that paint doesn't want to stick to real well is, as had been said, rough it up some (I personally prefer something like red Scotch Brite) with soapy water (car wash soap, it will cleanse while you roughen), and then the first couple of coats spray light coats (a little more than mist coats and let each one dry to touch) then spray as you normally would. The light coats bind much better than a "sheeting" coat. Whenever we had to paint glass (yes you can paint glass and it will stick with only cleaning), that is the way we did it and never had any peeling problems. If you spray a full coat the first coat, it "sheets" and doesn't have the bond that the individual droplets do that dry quickly. Once the first coat or two are applied that way, they dry quickly and you can go ahead and paint normally.
Last edited by code58; 05-10-09 at 10:17 PM.
05-11-09 | 07:03 AM
#15
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 83
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From: GA
I've noticed - looks great! By the way, didn't mean to add extra work for you, I was just kidding - but it does look better without them. Don't forget to plug the bolt holes in the frame with something - these are the same holes you would mount a hitch to and you don't want them to rust.