Those of you who have plasti-dipped

[ShadowA4]

I pretty much have gone through most posts here on the subject regarding the grill. This said, I am probably going with masking off meticulously to do this project. Couple of questions though:

Do you need to do anything particular to the grill surface in preparation for plasti dip, besides your usual by hand cleaning?

And, will plasti dip smudge or dull out the chrome surround if applied to it and removed later?

I know there’s plenty of people here who have gone through the process, whether its removing the bumper or masking. Thanks in advance for any replies!

P.S. how are your plasti-dipped grills holding up to the enviroment so far?

[EuroTrash A4 NY]

I think the key to Plasti-dip is to coat it on there quite thick. Your best bet is to remove the grill and separate the surrounding chrome trim. Lay a bunch of coats on, starting with a very light coat. Then alternate with medium and lights coats. I'd recommend between 12-20 coats, with 15 minuets to dry in-between. This makes it; 1. thicker to protect from chipping, due to rocks and the weather, and 2.easier to peel off if you do not like it.

I preped my chrome surround with a fine grit sandpaper and a shin coat of primer. This will ruin the original chrome though. If you clean the trim with a rubbing alcohol, the paint should stick well and not ruin or dull the chrome.

[hender]

12-20 coats is huuuge, but probably necessary to get the desired effect. I plasti-dipped my plate filler with just 2-3 coats and it's not BLACK, but it matches my bril.black colour a bit better!

[fredjones]

I plasti-dipped my front plate delete by itself without doing the entire grill. Looks good enough for me. I have not worked up enough energy to tackle removing the entire grill again, which I did once when I installed the FMIC.

[valida4]

Do you need to do anything particular to the grill surface in preparation for plasti dip, besides your usual by hand cleaning?

Just make sure the surface is clean and putting 3-4 coats will use up 1.5 to 2 cans of plastidip.

P.S. how are your plasti-dipped grills holding up to the enviroment so far?

No chips or scratches. Got plenty of rock chips on the hood and bumper but thats another story. Plasti-dripped grille is easy to clean—just car wash soap, rub with mitt and rinse. I use Tiefenpfleger afterwards to protect it, gives it a nice rich black tone.