Brushed Aluminum Effect with Spray Paint?

[aom]

Is it possible to acheive the brushed aluminum effect with spray paint? I will be using it on aluminum as well as on plastic.

[Flight1sim]

I highly doubt it

[EpicGeekonFire]

Maybe a silver shiny paint. For brushed aluminum on aluminum you have to use sand paper to scratch the thing evenly in the same direction. It has to go in One Direction to get the effect. 

[Scheer]

Brushed aluminum has nothing to do with paint, it is the surface finish of the aluminum itself by sanding in a consistent line.

 

Its pretty easy do build a jig to do it to aluminum, but I've never tried plastic before... I suppose it is possible. The plastic cases with brushed aluminum look are injection molded into a die that already has that finish on it.

[spwath]

Maybe a silver shiny paint. For brushed aluminum on aluminum you have to use sand paper to scratch the thing evenly in the same direction. It has to go in One Direction to get the effect. 

Really.... One Direction....

[EpicGeekonFire]

Really.... One Direction....

.... I couldn't resist.... 

[W-L]

How big is your work piece, you could wrap it. 

[aom]

Aww.Oh well, the plastic isn't a big problem. I just need the aluminum(front panel) to be done then. So basically I sand it in one direction(what grit do u suggest)and then spray paint over it? How would i go about making the sandpaper go consistently in a line?

[W-L]

Aww.Oh well, the plastic isn't a big problem. I just need the aluminum(front panel) to be done then. So basically I sand it in one direction(what grit do u suggest)and then spray paint over it? How would i go about making the sandpaper go consistently in a line?

Best thing is probably make jig so you can run a sanding block along consistently over the aluminium in a single direction. I'd probably use 220 grit but depends on the the type of grain you want, coarser finer, etc, and you wouldn't need to spray paint over it unless your trying to seal it with a very light clear coat to prevent finger prints.

 

This is a good example:

[aom]

Best thing is probably make jig so you can run a sanding block along consistently over the aluminium in a single direction. I'd probably use 220 grit but depends on the the type of grain you want, coarser finer, etc, and you wouldn't need to spray paint over it unless your trying to seal it with a very light clear coat to prevent finger prints.

 

This is a good example:

I was looking to make a brushed aluminum texture but in black so it will match the rest of the case.

[W-L]

I was looking to make a brushed aluminum texture but in black so it will match the rest of the case.

Hmm, best bet is probably paint the brushed aluminium with a transparent colored sealer to allow for the brushed aluminium effect to show through and have the black finish you would like. 

[aom]

Hmm, best bet is probably paint the brushed aluminium with a transparent colored sealer to allow for the brushed aluminium effect to show through and have the black finish you would like. 

I don't really understand what you mean. So I would have to paint the aluminum with the transparent colored sealer in one direction to give the brushed look and then paint it with the color(in this case black)?

[W-L]

I don't really understand what you mean. So I would have to paint the aluminum with the transparent colored sealer in one direction to give the brushed look and then paint it with the color(in this case black)?

Not exactly, what you would have is a piece of aluminium that has the brushed metal finish completed in the video, a better word is to describe the sealer is translucent, whereby the paint colors the metal but still allows for the brushed aluminium finish to show through from below. 

 

Similar to something like this where you can see the, grinding marks through the painted surface: 

[aom]

Not exactly, what you would have is a piece of aluminium that has the brushed metal finish completed in the video, a better word is to describe the sealer is translucent, whereby the paint colors the metal but still allows for the brushed aluminium finish to show through from below. 

 

Similar to something like this where you can see the, grinding marks through the painted surface: 

so basically the sealant lets the texture of the surface show, but just the color is changed when you paint it?(and where can I get the sealant, translucent colored sealant didnt give any relevant results.

[W-L]

so basically the sealant lets the texture of the surface show, but just the color is changed when you paint it?(and where can I get the sealant, translucent colored sealant didnt give any relevant results.

Yes it allows the texture below to show through, and from looking around the product used in the photo was made by duplicolor under their metalcast line-up, there is also one made by krylon if I'm not mistaken. Hope that helps 

 

http://www.duplicolor.com/products/metalCast/

[aom]

Yes it allows the texture below to show through, and from looking around the product used in the photo was made by duplicolor under their metalcast line-up, there is also one made by krylon if I'm not mistaken. Hope that helps 

 

http://www.duplicolor.com/products/metalCast/

Just to be sure ( so I dont completely mess it up), sand the aluminum in one direction, apply the duplicolor metal cast ground coat, and then apply the black spray paint. And should I sand after applying the ground coat before applying the spray paint?

[W-L]

Just to be sure ( so I dont completely mess it up), sand the aluminum in one direction, apply the duplicolor metal cast ground coat, and then apply the black spray paint. And should I sand after applying the ground coat before applying the spray paint?

Not exactly, in this case no ground coat will be applied. (The ground coat is usually used to obtain an anodized aluminium type finish)

 

1) Sand the aluminium in one direction to get the brushed metal finish 

 

2) Make sure it's clean and ready for the translucent duplicolor metalcast paint. 

 

3) Paint until the desire color is reached. (Note this will make the parts glossy)

 

Here is a good example, at approx 4:55 they show how they did a brush metal finish with some trim pieces. 

[Scheer]

Go to your local hardware store and buy a small chunk of aluminum and test it out first.

 

Personally I think that the more layers of paint you add, the more it will hide the brushed effect.

[B NEGATIVE]

Brushed alu vinyl is the best effect.

Hard to replicate with paint.

[brushedaluminiumeffect]

i actually worked out how to do this with a spray can through trial and error (took me about 5 goes having to sand back to metal each time. i was painting a bike bar on a cannondale with a dullish brushed aluminium look.................very fine light lines in this brushed look.

 

anyway, sand your surface with 600 sandpaper. apply a coat of white primer. (for this job when spraying you want a flat surface. normally out of a can people get an orange peel ripple surface. to get it flat, make sure its not over 30 degrees c temp. and get as good of a coverage as you can without paint running. this will create the flat surface. paint drying quickly in blobs before the full coat is applied is what makes orange peel)

after that is dried, prep the surface for the colour. i used an off the shelf from the hardware store can of enamel aluminium. i assume all colour are the same and made to a formula so i guess a can of aluminium colour will be the exact same anywhere. spray on with the same technique as the primer to get a flat surface finish again (very important). LET DRY COMPLETELY (12 hours should be more than enough time). at this point you will have a shiny aluminium finish. to get a duller finish like a machined look, (after full paint drying) get a green scourer pad you would wash your dishes with (i used the one with the yellow pad on one side and green scourer on the other side). dampen and scrub all of the paint fairly lightly but thoroughly in straight lines in same direction dependent on what way you want the grain to look like its going (just do it as straight as you can at a fairly good pace. if its not 100% straight it will still look right). and that to me was (almost) unpickable from the rest of the paint job on a 5 year old bike. its a great looking effect. i am going to paint my engine cover with this method. will look good i think...

p.s.. this method should work on metal, plastic, and wood

 

i hope this will help someone. obviously not the o.p. but maybee a google searcher