Whether you’ve got a few niggly scuffs or you’re simply trying to upgrade your ride, giving your wheels a lick of paint is an excellent idea. Available in black, silver and other colours, it'll make a huge difference to the overall appearance and have it popping as fresh as if you’ve picked up new alloys, only without the wallet-bruising price tag.
Not only will a wheel paint spray help to create a new look, but the best paints can also help protect your rims from scratches, high-temperatures and corrosion from the weather. Plus, they can often be used on other automotive parts too. Unsure where to start? Read on for our buying tips and recommendations from trusted sites like Halfords, Amazon and eBay.
Quick List - Top Wheel Paints
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While all paints have the same purpose, there are a few things worth considering before you dive in and buy any old can of spray. In this section, we’ll look at the types of finish, why you’ll need to protect your paint (and how to do so) and the volume required.
When it comes to the finish of wheel paints there are three options: glossy, semi-matte (or metallic) and matte. Generally, most factory-painted cars leave the showroom with a gloss finish, hence why they look so shiny.
If you’re looking to refresh the whole look of the alloys, then you have the choice of any finish. This is one of those cases where one isn't any better than the next; it's purely an aesthetic choice and completely up to you which you go for.
However, if you’re touching up some scratches or other damage on the wheels, you’ll want to match the finish to the existing one as even a slight difference can be noticeable. Luckily, most paint companies provide finishes in tune with what car manufacturers produce, so you can choose accordingly.
The next feature to consider is whether the paint comes with any additional protection qualities. After all, the wheels of the vehicle are the closest to the ground and therefore the most likely to pick up nicks and scratches. To protect from this, look for scratch-resistant or scratchproof paint.
You can also keep an eye out for other forms of weather shielding, such as rain-resistance and protection against high intermittent temperatures that occur when driving. Unfortunately, though, these are less common.
If your choice of paint doesn’t come with any protection, it’s not the end of the world. You can apply another coat of clear lacquered paint once you’ve finished, which will not only increase the safety of the job but also mean polishing and cleaning are no longer required. With this in mind, it could be worth applying anyway!
Finally, you’ll want to check the volume of the can. Of course, this will vary whether you’re shopping for the paint to cover the whole alloy or to fix up a few scrapes.
If you’re looking to give the whole set a new, crisp look, then in general, you will require around 400 ml per alloy. Most spray cans come in a 400-500 ml can, so you’ll require one for each wheel you plan on coating. Multipacks or bulk buys are a great shout here if you want to do all four.
On the other hand, the smaller fix-up kits, usually in volumes of around 30 ml, should be enough to cover most minor scratches and dings. That said, if you’ve had a particularly rough or deep one, you might want to get a couple, just to be sure.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Autotek Wheel Spray Paint | ![]() | Hugely Popular Wheel Paint for a Durable, Professional Finish | |
2 | E-Tech Complete Alloy Wheel Refurbishment Repair Kit | ![]() | A Complete DIY Refurb Kit for a Snip | |
3 | M.A.D Gloss Black Alloy Wheel Touch-Up Kit | ![]() | A Handy Bottle for Robust Repairs | |
4 | Halfords Silver Spray Paint | ![]() | Compatible With All Forms of Automotive Paint Finishes | |
5 | E-Tech Aerosol Spray Alloy Wheel Refurbish | ![]() | An Adjustable Nozzle Makes This Spray Easy To Apply | |
6 | Jenolite Alloy Wheel Paint | ![]() | Acrylic-Based Aluminium Paint for Restoring Your Alloys | |
7 | Hycote Aerosol Spray Paint | ![]() | Excellent Adhesion on a Modest Budget | |
8 | E-Tech Silver Touch-Up Stick|Pack of 5 | ![]() | Brush On Wheel Paint for Travelling the Rough Roads With Confidence | |
9 | E-Tech Technik Self-Etch Primer Paint | ![]() | An Advanced Primer Paint for the Aluminium Alloy Crowd | |
10 | Simoniz Wheel Spray Paint | ![]() | Get Back on the Road in No Time |
Autotek has created a fast-drying acrylic paint that focuses just on being compatible with automotive wheels. It has excellent durability and is both weather-resistant and scratch-resistant, making it pretty much perfect for the UK.
We've shown the gloss black here, but there are other classic options like silver and grey available too. With 90% of their ratings on Amazon being 4 stars or above, you know the company must be getting something right. For the price, the size and the professional-quality finish, we highly recommend giving this one a try.
Whether you're looking to increase the value of your car before selling it on or you want to save a bit of money getting your wheels done, this kit is a great one to consider. The paint itself is known to be long-lasting as well as flake- and crack-resistant and stands up against corrosion, dust, cleaning chemicals and road debris.
For a very reasonable price, this kit contains everything you need for a complete refurb, including silver metallic paint and a gloss lacquer to finish the job. You also get sandpaper, files, wheel putty, an applicator, a degreaser and even some gloves and a roll of masking tape!
Here's another touch-up in a bottle, this time from M.A.D. This is a high-quality black helios gloss paint that comes with a built-in brush. While it is a gloss paint, it's known not to be as shiny as others, so this could be useful if you're retouching an older vehicle that isn't quite as shiny as it used to be.
You'll get 30 ml of paint, which is a decent amount as long as the scuffs aren't too heavy. Furthermore, while the company don't mention that it has any protective qualities, previous users have found that it stands up to the roads and the elements rather well.
This offering from Halfords is compatible with virtually all forms of automotive paint finishes, making it a handy piece of kit to have in the garage. Plus, not only is it versatile, but it's renowned for providing a tough and durable protective layer to any surface it adorns.
With this can you'll get a little more than you need for the average wheel, as it's 500 ml. It's known for having excellent coverage too, so you should need to use less than usual. That said, we'd still opt for four cans to be on the safe side!
MP Essentials bring us this metallic black finish from E-Tech that is perfect for refurbishing your alloys when you want to get them looking brand-spanking new.
Here, we've opted for the black, but there are also three other finishes – two greys and silver – so there should be a colour for anyone's ride. The paint is really easy to apply too, thanks to its adjustable nozzle that can work either vertically or horizontally.
Jenolite has produced a high-quality, acrylic-based aluminium paint that is perfect for restoring all types of alloys. Moreover, it's resistant to corrosion, flaking, cracking and most importantly, scratches from little stones on the road.
You have the option to buy these paints individually for around ten pounds, or in a three-pack where you effectively get one can for free. With a nice and easy 400 ml volume, you should see that each wheel will need approximately one can to complete.
This offering from Hycote is the most economical option in our ranking, so it's ideal for those who want to freshen things up without breaking the bank. With excellent adhesion, you can be assured that the paint will sit and dry well once you've finished the job.
Some buyers have found that the colour isn't quite as stated, though. For example, some have found this matte black to have a little more life and vibrancy than they wanted from the finish, so it could be worth testing before putting it straight on your rims.
If you live in a more rural part of the country or you frequently travel to those sorts of areas, you'll be familiar with grit and gravel by-roads. It'll also come as no surprise that regularly driving down them can play havoc with your alloys, which is why a touch-up kit can be the perfect solution.
Here we have a pack of five touch-up kits (although they can be bought as singles too) which are ideal for folk who travel the outdoors but still want their car to look fresh. The brush-on sticks are only 12 ml each, so stocking up on a few is probably a good idea.
E-Tech is a big name in the paint game, and we'll be seeing more of them later in the ranking. Here we have their primer paint that is specifically made for those notoriously difficult aluminium surfaces. While it may not be pertinent for most alloys, those who do have them will appreciate it.
This spray has a grey finish, so it will be a little darker than your average wheel, but it's still a pretty common colour, plus you'll get about one wheel finished per can. It is a little on the pricey side compared to other products, but it's definitely cheaper than getting it done professionally!
This silver spray paint from Simoniz is fast-drying, so you and your shiny new wheels will be back on the road in no time. Furthermore, it's also scratch-resistant and compatible with most original colours.
This specific purchase is for a multipack of two cans, which will save you a bit of cash when doing more than one wheel. Whilst it is scratch-resistant, the company do advise using it alongside a lacquered finish, just to be extra safe.
While you're sprucing up your alloys, why not consider what else you can do to upgrade your ride? We've collected recommendations for speakers and steering wheel covers below, as well as the best socket sets for all you weekend tinkerers.
While the world of wheel paint might be small, being prepared and knowing what you need can save you a lot of time and hassle. We hope that our buying guide and recommendations are going to do just that. After you've chosen, it's all about getting it applied and bringing some sophistication and style back to your car.
Author: Lewis Clark
No. 1: Autotek|Wheel Spray Paint
No. 2: E-Tech|Complete Alloy Wheel Refurbishment Repair Kit
No. 3: M.A.D|Gloss Black Alloy Wheel Touch-Up Kit
No. 4: Halfords|Silver Spray Paint
No. 5: E-Tech|Aerosol Spray Alloy Wheel Refurbish
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