Would taking a case and spray painting it be bad?

[c0mplexx*]

I'm looking for a case but there don't seem to be too many cases for what I want, will spray painting cause heating or something? both the inside and outside

[_Omega_]

2 minutes ago, c0mplexx* said:

I'm looking for a case but there don't seem to be too many cases for what I want, will spray painting cause heating or something? both the inside and outside

in most *cases* it should be fine

[TMobile]

2 minutes ago, _Omega_ said:

in most *cases* it should be fine

*facepalm*

 

but yes this, just make sure that there are no components inside

[Enderman]

Spray painting is fine but it probably won't look great.

[porina]

If done properly it will be fine.

[TVwazhere]

7 hours ago, c0mplexx* said:

I'm looking for a case but there don't seem to be too many cases for what I want, will spray painting cause heating or something? both the inside and outside

-Moveed to Case Modding and Other Mods-

 

You can paint a case without any negative effects, so long as you're not painting on filters, vents or directly onto fans that would actually inhibit airflow. A side panel will have no effect on your system. 

 

Make sure to take necessary steps to prep your case surfaces for paint though!

[c0mplexx*]

On 5/8/2020 at 9:02 PM, TVwazhere said:

-Moveed to Case Modding and Other Mods-

 

You can paint a case without any negative effects, so long as you're not painting on filters, vents or directly onto fans that would actually inhibit airflow. A side panel will have no effect on your system. 

 

Make sure to take necessary steps to prep your case surfaces for paint though!

Oops didn't notice there was a forum specifically for modding the thing my bad! 

So I've gathered that i'll need to sand and prime the case if I want to spray paint it, will the paint just not 'stick' or something if I don't? or will it look uneven?

[Intergalacticbits]

I have never painted a case but I've seen it done in videos.

The things that come to my mind are of course taking everything out of the case if your going to paint the inside.

Then also is the case plastic, metal or a combination of both.  They used to make paint just for plastic that I have used to paint other things that worked well.

I can't see how painting would cause any heat problems as long as you do it right and don't paint filters or stuff your not supposed to paint.

 

If I was you I'd watch some videos about it first because why not learn from others mistakes.

 

I'd love to see the before and after. 

 

[TVwazhere]

On 5/10/2020 at 6:43 AM, c0mplexx* said:

will the paint just not 'stick' or something if I don't?

It might stick initially, but flake off over time. 

 

By taking the steps necessary to prepare the surface for painting, you're ensuring that it lasts a long time. I'm not familiar with all the steps necessary to properly prep the various surfaces of a PC case (as there's often a mix of sheet steel, various plastics and sometimes aluminium), but places like @Mnpctech do guides like this stuff all the time.

(Timestamped)

notably, the case he's using in the video comes with a primer already on it. 

[Dayglorange]

As someone who is currently in the process of repainting some cases for custom builds, I have a few suggestions/tips that you might find helpful. First, yes prepping the case is the best way to ensure your paint looks good once finished. A light sanding to remove any existing coatings, then a basic soap+water wash to remove any leftover dust and stuff and air dry will be enough for most cases then you need to consider your paint, and the types of materials the case is made from. If you have a case that has both metals and plastics, like the ones I've been working on, look for paint that specifies what surfaces its made for, and if it contains primer already or not. I personally would recommend Krylon Fusion as its made for multi-surface applications and also is a paint+primer formula so you don't need to worry about applying primer first buuuut that's just my experience with it and you may also not have the same paints available where you are. I can only get a decent selection of Krylon at my local Lowes and everywhere else has Rustoleum which I have not tried.

 

The second thing I highly suggest to get a nice, even coat on all of the surfaces is to take the case apart as much as you possibly can. For mine, I even went as far as drilling out the rivets and taking it down panel by panel so I could paint every piece individually, but you might not want to or have the tools to do so. If you do, this mnpctech video shows how to do so and the stuff you'll need.

 

 

Lastly, make sure you get a top coat to seal it all up once you've applied the color and whatever details you want. I've only just gotten into the case modding and painting thing but so far, its been fun, and I'm really looking forward to finally finishing a project this summer. Good luck to you!

[W-L]

On 5/10/2020 at 6:43 AM, c0mplexx* said:

Oops didn't notice there was a forum specifically for modding the thing my bad! 

So I've gathered that i'll need to sand and prime the case if I want to spray paint it, will the paint just not 'stick' or something if I don't? or will it look uneven?

Ideally you want to apply a light coat of primer to help with adhesion, it's not absolutely necessary if it's already painted but the extra bit doesn't hurt and it helps to guarantee your work for the long term. I have a guide here under general painting that goes over spray paint in more detail. 

 

Ideally taking apart the case by drilling out the rivets would give you the best paint job as it will prevent over spray which will occur in some areas and issues that can occur in hard to reach places.