Ok ive searched and researched and apparently most have said good things about krylon fusion paint for repainting interior plastic trim with a few saying it sucked...and on the other hand...everyone has said SEM works great with no complaints...does anyone have complaints with SEM paint.

I just got a bunch of used black interior trim pieces and they need a good repaint to be nice and perfecto....is there any certain place i need to go to get SEM paint????Walmart?NAPA?Home Depot??

Id like to do the SEM paint but it sounds like there is a lot more work in prepping it and all of that...would it just be easier to get the krylon fusion and clean the interior off with paint thinner....light sand the deep scratches and then spray it...or do the SEM process?

 

if i do get the SEM what all sprays do i need to buy beside the actual paint color?

 

I just got done doing the dash and guage cluster in my firebird and have to say I'm exceptionally pleased with the SEM stuff. I went with SEM because of the color choices are more extensive than Fusion and you can't tell the pieces have been sprayed.

To use SEM effectively and make it last you need two prep cans that should be sold at the same place you pick up the SEM color coat. I had to source the SEM from a local automotive paint supply house as none of the regular places carried it.

To paint with SEM:
1) Clean part very well with dawn or another degreasing liquid soap.
2) Spray SEM's "Plastic Prep" to finish removing all foreign deposits, greases etc.
3) Spray SEM's "Plastic Bonding Agent" which helps the SEM to stick
4) Color Coat. Make sure you use LIGHT COATS!!! The finish comes out much better when you use light coats.

 

That krylon fusion is crap. The SEM stuff is fantastic if you know how to work it.

When you paint interior trim with the SEM, smooth surfaces may not look like a 100% perfect match, but if you hand rub those surfaces with rubbing compound or even chrome polish, it brings out a luster that will match the OEM panels perfectly.

In the picture below, the radio & heater console is unpainted original. The entire housing above it that holds the LCD monitor was painted with SEM then polished with chrome polish. As you can see, they are identical. The dash looks like hell, but that cleaned up nicely after I used a little interior protectant.


Before I painted that piece, I experimented with the SEM paint, Krylon Fusion, Duplicolor, and a couple others. The SEM was by far the best. The krylon was the worst.

 

Never used the Krylon fusion, but I know from experience that SEM rocks, I have always been pleased with the results.

There is no subsitution for doing the job right the first time, skipping steps usually means it will take more time because you will eventually have to re-do it

I get my SEM from a local Auto Value store.

John

 

were the steps prescribed above the proper steps everyone here takes

 

Actually I have used the SEM "OEM black" on bare metal and it is still sticking. I had one time where I masked something off on my T-tops, the masking tape had gotten wet, and it pealed a small section of paint off... I simply re-sprayed and thats the ONLY problem I have had since 1997.

What I like about it is it will cover in one coat, it does not take a lot of paint. A second coat helps with finish. Its expensive mind you, but I hate cheep paint that is all thinner, and it is all runny I like SEM

John

 

when i redid the frame in my 81z, i used vht epoxy coat. then i used it on everything else. they have a few colors. i usually use black, blue, red, and silver for most projects. that stuff works on anything and wont chip. as long as you prep good.for interior i like using a very fine sandpaper to lightly brush the surface, then a tack cloth on the object, then i wipe it down with stuff called hisolv. its a prep for automotive paint. then i hit it with a couple of light coats. works awsome. even use dit on vinal with good results

 

i hate to seem real dumb but since i am about to repaint the interior plastic on my 82 i wanted to know what sem is? i talked to my local paint and body shop supplier and they mentioned some stuff that requires only 2 steps. rem sound more complicated but if the results are better that appears to be the way to go.

 

SEM is a brand name. Do a google search or ask about it at a local auto parts store.

 

I used Krylon on:

My plastic bezels... looks good but "pooled" in certain areas even using very thing coats.

My interior plastic pieces in the rear... chips like nothing.

My center console... not plastic so it was an AWFUL idea, the stuff rubbed off in a sticky gooey mess.

I used standard Kyrlon paint for my headlight bezels and center console and it worked great.

 

I just used krylon fusion on my rear panel after lightly sanding some scratches and it worked just fine....looks good you have to clean the material correctly and it works well

 

i went with krylon bc SEM was not to be found ANYWHERE...sherman williams never even heard of it i went everywhere looking for it if its that great a product it should be easier to find (not saying it isnt but d a m n)

 

I used krylon fusion on some interior door panel trim that was scratched in one of my cars. The colors are limited but the paint is good. I did spend some time working on it tho ( as you should). The steps i did were:
Remove pieces
Clean pieces
Sand pieces with fine paper
Primer the pieces
Sand again
Clean of dust
Spray two thin coats evenly (takes effort not to pool)
let dry for a couple of days, the paint cures slowly, i let it sit for about 15 hours and i marked a piece instantly, but the others have had no problems. I've never used SEm or any other, Fusion can work and is cheap, but the others could be better.

 

'prescribed' ???

 

Most professional quality products aren't readily available to consumers. This stuff is intended mainly for body shops and similar types of professional applications. Joe Average isn't typically willing to pay $12 for a can of black spray paint, but pros and others who understand the value of a better product are.

 

FOR IROC Z ERIC

Prescribed: to set down as a direction or rule to be followed
yeah so what are you talking about

 

I used the SEM product when I had to match up all the grey 3rd gen stuff to match the 98 Firebird interior I installed (graphite). Steps above are exact and results were fantastic. When applied in light coats as directed you dont lose any of the grain in the peices at all!! Once it's all said and done there is literally no way to know they were sprayed at home and did'nt come from the factory that way.

As far as durability, my stuff is only going on 3yrs old and all looks as good as the rest of the factory peices, aka no peeling, flaking, etc...My sill cover on the drivers side gets terrible abuse from my harness hitting it everytime I exit the vehicle on race day-2nd yr of direct metal abuse hitting the part and no flaking peeling. I will say the peice itself is getting damaged with gouges since the harness had square metal edges.

Total cost for me was $150, as also mention results speak for themselves and the average "joe hotrod" is'nt concerned about long term, they want the cheapsest solution possible even though they'll be doing it again later I've tried using the Krylon products over the many years of working on cars from interior painting to undercarrige touch ups, brakets, etc...IMO the Krylon brand paint is garbage, plain and simple. Very runny, does not hold up for very long at all on anything via it metal or plastic. Have even tried it with the Krylon primer exacatly as directions have said and still did not hold up.

Cant remember the brand name, but we ceramic engine paint. Now this stuff is tough and can be applied directly over grease free metal with no sanding or priming. We basically just use it for brackets, cages, etc...so black is our favorite color. If you give the part a couple light coats, rehitting it after it tacks up, then make the last coat as heavy as possible without making it run, the part will be as glossy as you've ever seen and hold up like no other paint we've played with coming from a spray bomb. It took a full year of entering/existing my car over the door bar before it started to show any signs of wear, and even at that they were "smudges" and not scratches.