How to Use VHT Wrinkle Paint

Let's dive in! First off, this guide is based on my personal experience with VHT wrinkle paint, so bear in mind that factors like humidity, temperature, material and other conditions can impact your results. While nothing is guaranteed, my tips might help you achieve a great outcome…... Moist in the air, humidity, temperature, material and other circumstances have a big influence on the process so there is always a chance that you will not immediately get the result you want. Nothing is certain but my experience with this paint can possibly help you, so I’d like to share what I have found out. 

VHT wrinkle paint is a great product and very cool looking. If you are able to achieve the best result possible, it will look very neat on your bike. In my opinion, it looks good on crankcases, valve covers and other small engine covers like an ignition cover. For the exhaust, I would use normal heat resistant paint. For example, if you want to paint a starting engine, I also would use normal or some matt black paint. 

Back to the valve cover. If it is made of aluminium or metal, I would get it sandblasted or take a metal/bronze brush on your angle grinder or drill and go to bare metal/aluminium. Don’t mind small scratches this paint is very thick and will solve this in the end. 

Now I have used the white primer of VHT paint before I used the Wrinkle Paint. This worked for me, it worked better than when I tried without. This primer is also heat resistant. Use three layers of coating. The first coat is not really a coating but more of a haze over the surface. Let it dry for 10 minutes and after the first real coating, wait for 45 minutes or so, then the last coating. Let it dry for two hours or so. It has to be hard on the surface. 

Now you can use the wrinkle paint. Try to be patient and shake the can before painting (I know, this is difficult, haha). You want the paint can to be room temperature and the same goes for the surface you want to work on.

Apply again three layers of paint. The first one is a haze on the surface (not a real coating/layer). Wait ten minutes before applying the first real coating/layer. Thick but an even layer without any dripping paint. Then wait at least half an hour (maybe 45 minutes) then apply a second layer of paint.

Now comes the most important part. Wait for two or three hours minimum. The surface has to be shiny and a flat surface. Without wrinkles is what I mean, you don’t want the wrinkle effect at this stage. It has to be hard/sticky on the surface definitely not wet anymore!

Now you put the painted part in a pre-heated oven that is on around 100 degrees. You leave it there between 5 or 10 minutes. Now you should see the wrinkle effect. If the effect is even over the whole part, you’re done. 

If the wrinkle effect is not evenly covering the whole part, you can let the part cool down and spray it one more time. Wait two hours and again in the oven. Now it should be better.

If you do it like this you might succeed, most important 2 golden rules: don’t put the part in the oven when the paint is still wet.  Second; don’t wait too long before you put it in the oven. When the wrinkle effect is already there before heating/baking, you’re too late and the end result will not be as good. 

Have fun with this, in the end, it is all worth it and it looks great!

Underneath here you see pictures of my engine. The engine itself is done with primer and paint from VHT and the valve covers are VHT wrinkle paint.

FAQ

Do you still have questions about how to use wrinkle paint? Don't hesitate to contact us for more information or have a look at the FAQ below, to see if the answer to your question is there.

How does wrinkle paint work?

Wrinkle paint has to be applied to a clean surface, so the first step is to thoroughly clean the part you want to paint. After applying the paint the part has to be baked in the oven for 20 minutes at 93°C. If you don’t own an oven to fit the painted part in, you can also heat up the engine of your cafe racer.

How do you spray wrinkle paint?

You can spray wrinkle paint straight from the canister onto the thoroughly cleaned part. Be aware of applying the paint evenly on the surface of the motorbike part - be sure the paint is not applied too thinly nor too thickly. With this in mind you’ll get the best results.

Is wrinkle paint durable?

Yes, wrinkle paint is a very tough type of paint. It’s so tough that it can take quite a lot of heat and stays neat over time. This way you don’t have to touch it up or be worried for scratches and other stains or marks.

How do you remove VHT wrinkle paint?

Because of the durability of wrinkle paint, removing it is not an easy job. This paint is extremely durable and not meant to let go any time soon. Removing this will cost some effort and paint stripping products that will not damage the parts of your cafe racer.

Can you paint over wrinkle paint?

With wrinkle paint you only need one layer. This one layer does it all. It has a very nice finish and is extremely durable. Most cafe racer builders just leave it how it is after applying wrinkle paint. Wrinkle paint is meant as a single layer that does it all. it gives a very nice finish and is extremely durable, therefore most users just let it exactly how it is after using wrinkle paint.

Can you use wrinkle paint on plastic?

No, in order to get the wrinkle paint effect, you have to “cook” the painted part in the oven at 93°C. Because of this you can’t apply wrinkle paint on plastic parts, because those would just melt in the heat of the oven and become just as fluid as the paint itself.

Does VHT wrinkle paint need lacquer?

No, you don’t need to lacquer the part you’ve painted with wrinkle paint. The wrinkle paint also is its own finish. The end result after a good baking in the oven is such a nice thing to look at and makes a perfect sealing protection on the object.

Does VHT wrinkle paint need primer?

Wrinkle paint is a self priming base. So it doesn’t need a primer, but it does need a clean surface to make a proper attachment. So make sure to thoroughly clean the parts you want to paint with wrinkle paint.