Protecting Chrome Paint

Chrome paint is a product that produces a "mirrored" shine on painted surfaces. The paint is an inexpensive alternative to chrome plating. The resulting finish looks just as good but is more susceptible to surface damage, such as chips and scratches. Chrome paint is a popular tool in car manufacturing and is available in spray canisters. It costs between $10 to paint a hubcap and $1,000 to finish a whole car. The spray canisters give paintwork a professional finish, but the surface being painted should be clean and unblemished to produce the best results. Chrome paint is prone to rusting. There are several steps you can take to maintain a chrome-painted surface.

• 1

  Cover the paintwork with an acrylic copolymer. To prevent chrome from oxidizing (rusting), you need to seal the metal with a coating of some form. There are various sealants available. I recommend Eastwood Diamond Clear Gloss for Bare Metal, which costs around $12 a can and covers 4 to 6 square feet per canister.

• 2

  Wash your car weekly. When winter arrives and the roads are lined with salt, cars are particularly susceptible to rust because the protective clear coating that covers the paintwork is liable to wear away due to adverse conditions. Any dirt that becomes trapped on your car---bird dirt, sodden leaves, twigs or rain spots---erodes the protective clear coating and puts your chrome paint at risk of oxidation. To avoid scratching the protective coating, keep your car clean by washing it regularly to clear it of debris.

• 3

  Cover the paintwork with a wax sealant. Protecting chrome paint is all about maintaining a barrier between the paint and the atmosphere. Wax does an excellent job of maintaining an oxygen-proof layer and will protect your chrome paintwork as long as you regularly apply the wax coating (once per month will suffice, but once every two weeks is better).