The Benefits of Body Painting Your RC Vehicle and How to Do It

Your scuffed and scratched RC car that has been through thick and thin probably looks the part, but that doesn’t mean that its time is over. In the world of today, when it’s much easier to just buy new toys, there’s a special joy that comes with fixing and improving the look of your old ones. It’s amazing what touching up a few details can do for the appearance of your RC car. For instance, a fresh coat of paint and an interesting design can make a big difference in the way your vehicle looks. Even if you don’t have any experience in painting, it is not rocket science for sure. Here’s a bit help on how to get started.

In this hobby, paint mixing is one of the most exciting aspects of the experience. When body painting your RC vehicle, you have the freedom to choose the colours and designs you will use and make your car that much more unique. Nevertheless, make sure that you’ve bought a quality hobby paint specifically meant for the purpose. There are two types of paint used for painting RC vehicles which are usually made out of the most commonly used material – Lexan.

Each type of paint has different characteristics and uses. Be that with a simple brush, in spray cans, with airbrushing, or as a combination of the three – both of them can be used individually and simultaneously. Acrylic paint dries faster, it is very easy to thin and it does not release any toxic compounds in the air. On the other hand, enamel paint takes longer to dry, and it can impart a smooth finish even with a regular brush. But unlike acrylic paint, it releases toxic fumes. Now on to the more fun part – the preparations for the painting job and the painting itself.

First, wipe the inside of the body with a clean wet cloth, a drop of dish soap, and warm water in order to get rid of fingerprints and any dirt it may have accumulated. Afterward, rinse it, get some lint-free paper towels and wipe it clean. Next, mask the windows and areas you don’t want to paint. For this, you will need to gently cut out the tape following the edge of each shape with a small, sharp knife.

You can put low tack masking tape on the larger areas like the windows. Vinyl and frisket tape are also a good option when it comes to smaller areas and stripes, while a liquid mask will be best for complex designs and compound curves. When you are done prepping your RC car, remember that you need to start applying the darker colours first.

The simplest and most common way to apply paint is to use spray paint to get an even coating if you are just starting out and want to put on a base colour on the body. Make sure to start with a light mist of coat and slowly build up with a heavier coat of paint. However, before you do that, quickly practice with the spray can on a piece of plastic or cardboard to get the hang of the nozzle.

In this hobby paint is applied from the inside of the RC body, and a coat of either silver or white needs to be applied after the metallic, fluorescent, candy or pearly colour. This way you can get a fully opaque finish because they are not meant to be used alone. If you want to hide any irregularities in the masked edge, run a Sharpie marker around the window borders.