Painting a wood grain pattern on metal
Question:
I was wondering if you have any updated information on painting a wood grain finish on a metal surface? Back in the March 1998 issue of Azto Restorer there is an article on doing that.
Since your magazine has been doing a lot of 1930s-40s cars’ restorations I was wondering if the process has been updated recently. I have a 1950 Plymouth dash (gauge cluster) I would like to restore for just a wall hanger and maybe someone else would be interested too. I think it’s a lost art that should be addressed.
Answer:
The only update since that 1998 story that I know of for applying wood graining is a computerized process that does a wonderful job, but it is not something the hobbyist restorer can do at home.
Wood graining is not as hard as it might appear, but it takes quite a bit of patience to develop the technique. In fact, the toughest part of restoring the wood graining on your dash may be getting the dash out of the car. And yes, you do need to take it out to do a presentable job.
Here are the Things You'll Need:
Paint stripper
Rust remover
Lacquer primer
Base coat lacquer the color of the lightest tone in your original wood
graining.
Offset lithographer’s ink the color of the darkest tone of your graining. Any print shop can supply the ink.
Ink solvent
Lacquer thinner
Cheesecloth, soda straws, assorted small house-painting brushes
White polishing compound
Sandpaper, #320- and #600-grit wet and dry
Masking tape, old newspaper
All the items to be wood-grained will need to be stripped to bare, clean metal. This can be done a couple of ways. You can strip the parts using automotive paint stripper, then sand off any rust, or you can blast the parts clean using glass beads. Don’t use sand, as it will peen and harden the metal.
If you opt to use paint stripper, wear protective gloves, eye protection and a respirator mask. Once the parts are stripped, rinse them with clean water, dry them, and rough them up with #320-grit sand paper to give the new paint a good surface to stick to. Finally, etch them with metal prep.
Next, shoot on lacquer primer. Rub lightly with #600-grit open coat, and then shoot on the base color, which should be the lightest tone of the wood you want to simulate. It is usually a warm gray or a yellowish tan, depending on the type of wood it is supposed to represent. Take a sample of your original wood graining to an automotive paint store and have them match the light tone. Shoot this on and let it cure for a few days in order to expel all the gasses in the paint.
Now go to a print shop and get offset lithographer’s ink in the color of the darkest part of the wood you are trying to copy.
The 1940 Packard 110 had different patterns depending on whether the car was an early or late production model.
Also buy a small container of the solvent used to thin the stuff. Lithographic printer's ink is fairly thick and pudding-like. Thin and mix your color on a ceramic plate, then—/for straight-grain wood— wipe on the grain pattern using cheesecloth dipped in the thinned ink solution. It will take a little practice to get the look just right, so don’t be afraid to wipe off your efforts and start over as necessary.
For other types of patterns get inventive. If you want to simulate burled woods, try painting on a wet coat of about 50 per cent printer’s ink and 50 percent solvent, then gently blowing into a soda straw held close to the wet ink to produce the swirls, For banded patterns trim a small, natural bristle house-painting brush into appropriate patterns.
When you have your trim items grained the way you want, let them dry for a week or so. After that, give them a couple of coats of clear lacquer for durability and extra luster. Urethane will hold up much better than lacquer, but the stuff is very toxic, so you won't want to shoot it without 4 professional painter's mask and filters.
Your wood-grained components should last for years if you follow these simple rules: Keep them waxed with a non-abrasive automotive wax. Use an inside wind shield cover or place a cloth over your dash and leave the windows open a little if the car is to be parked in the sun. And if you drive like old dad with your arm resting on the window frame, wear a long sleeved shirt to minimize the corrosive effects of your, ahem, sweat.
