How to Paint Your ATV Frames Without Hassle

Are you looking to give your ATV frame a fresh coat of paint, but have no idea on how to do so?

It doesn’t have to be difficult to get your ATV looking just how you’ve imagined it could.

We are here to help by giving you a hassle-free guide on how to paint ATV frames so you can get your ATV looking great in a matter of a few steps.

To see our steps on how to paint ATV frames, keep reading below!

Step 1: Strip the ATV Down to the Frame

The first step to painting your ATV frame is to strip the ATV down to only the frame.

Remove any nuts and bolts and make sure you’re only left with the frame. Double-check to ensure everything is removed, so you aren’t finding nuts and bolts painted down later.

Step 2: Remove the Paint

The second step to painting an ATV frame is to remove the manufacturer’s paint or the old paint job from the frame. To do so, we suggest putting your ATV in your ideal workspace so you won’t have to move it much during the next steps.

Usually, a garage is ideal since dirt and dust won’t collect on your new paint job as easily, and you can properly ventilate the space by opening a door if need be.

You will want to buy paint remover to remove the varnish and paint that’s already on your frame. To do so, you will need a chemical paint stripper. This process is very messy, so be prepared to put on some old clothes and open the windows.

You will want to use an industrial-grade paint stripper that will easily remove any varnish and paint from your frame with a bit of elbow grease. You can use any type of industrial paint stripper you like, just make sure to take precautions and to wear gloves and a mask not to burn your skin or inhale the fumes.

Step 3: Sand the Frame

After removing all the paint from the frame, you’ll want to sandpaper it. This will help to remove any little bits of paint that are handing around and also help to create a rough surface for the new paint job to cling and stick to.

Before sanding, makes sure the surface is clean and free of dust. Use a clean towel to wipe down your frame to ensure there is no debris left behind from your paint removal job.

We recommend using 200-grit sandpaper to get the best results. This will even help to remove any pesky rust spots that are still on the frame, making it look good as new.

Sand papering can also be done before step 2 if you find it hard to remove the paint with just the industrial-grade paint stripper. No matter what point of the process you’re sanding your frame, make sure the surface is pretty even and clean no matter what.

When sanding, you should avoid using power tools. This is because power tools can polish the surface, which will lead to issues later on when it comes to applying your paint coats. Remember, you want the surface to be a bit rough, so your paint will latch on and look nice.

If you don’t want to, or can’t, sand the frame by hand, then you can use power tools to do so. You will just need to apply a few more layers of primer (2 or 3 more) to ensure that the paint will stick.

Step 4: Make Repairs Now

If there are any repairs that need to be made to the frame, this is the time to do it. Any small holes, dents, and gashes should be fixed up.

As your removing paint and sanding down the frame, you may begin to notices these issues, but it’s important not to get beside yourself. These issues can be fixed easily with a bit of epoxy filler or epoxy-based composite.

If there are large holes and gashes in the frame, it will require heavy-duty epoxy filler and maybe a mesh liner in some cases.

After applying the epoxy to repair the frame, you will need to sand it down after drying. This will make the epoxy even to the frame’s surface and also make it a bit rough for the painting process to ensure that your entire paint job is smooth.

Step 5: Wipe the Frame Down

Now that you’ve removed the original paint job and have sanded the frame to perfection, it’s time to wipe it down.

Grab your paint stripper again and give the frame a nice thorough wipe down. This will help to remove any dust that collected on the frame and also take away the last chips of paint that are hanging around.

Step 6: Apply a Coat of Primer

Before applying paint, you will need to apply a primer. When choosing your primer, you should be thinking about the finished product and how you want the paint to look on your frame. Even think about how you want the paint to feel when everything is said and done to help you choose the best primer.

Also, when choosing your primer, you should be thinking about the environment your ATV is in. Think about the elements that your ATV will be exposed to when driving or even sitting around when it’s not in use.

If you know that your frame is going to be exposed to a decent amount of moisture, then you should know that this moisture can soak through some primers easier than others. If this is the case, you should be choosing a primer that is made, especially for wet environments. If you don’t select a primer made for these conditions, you may be taking apart your ATV again in a matter of weeks to repaint it.

If you find that the surface of your frame rusts easily, then you should be using a rust-inhibitive primer. There are even rust converter and rust reformer primers that will help limit the amount of rust on your metal.

It’s good to note that even if you don’t seem to have an issue with rust if your frame is a ferrous metal or metal that has iron, you should still use a primer that is tailored to rust. Iron rusts pretty fast, especially when exposed to the elements day after day. To make sure you won’t have to repaint sooner than you want to go ahead and invest in the rust preventing primers.

If you have a frame made up of non-ferrous metals or your ATV isn’t exposed to the elements much (or even both conditions), then we recommend getting a galvanized metal primer. This won’t protect your frame as well as the primers listed above, but if there’s no need for this extra protection, this primer will help every coating of paint to adhere nicely to the metal surface.

Step 7: Let the Primer Dry

To get the best paint job you possibly can, you will need to let your primer dry. You should follow the instructions for the primer you are using, but usually, they will recommend that you let them dry 24 hours.

Now, this doesn’t mean you can apply your 3 coats at once and then let it dry for 24 hours and be ready to paint. You will need to let each coat dry completely before applying another coat. We know that this will make the painting process stretch out for a few days, but it will be worth it in the end when you have a nice, fresh paint job that everyone will be complimenting you on.

Step 8: Choose Your Paint

When selecting your paint, you will need to make sure it fits a few qualifications before painting the entire frame. First off, your paint should be compatible with your primer. If you get a paint that doesn’t stick to your primer, then the paint job won’t look flawless.

After figuring out what paints you can and can’t use with your primer of choice, it’s time to select the paint for your frame. There are a few types of paint that can be used for metal. Below you will find the types and their pros and cons:

Latex-Based Paint

The first type of paint for metal we’d like to touch base on is latex-based paint. This type of paint has been around for a while, and it’s an excellent choice for any paint job due to its colour pigments.

The colour pigments in latex-based paint are dissolved by water and not spirits or turpentine that have overwhelming fumes. This paint drys fast and is durable for even your ATV frame.

When shopping for latex paint, check to see what additives are included to make sure it will work with your primer. Manufactures will add things such as acrylics, vinyl, or rubber-based compounds to this type of paint, but they do disclose it on labels. Another upside to latex-paint is that it’s easy to clean, but you should wait 30 days after panting before giving your frame a deep clean to let the paint set.

The downsides of this type of paint is that it isn’t as durable as oil-based paints and some latex-paints can rust metal if applied without a primer. Also, latex-paint doesn’t go on glossy, smooth surfaces well, which can be an issue when it comes to metals.

Oil-Based Paint

When compared to latex-based paints for painting your ATV frame, oil-based paints are the better choice. These paints do take longer to dry, which means more time is going to be put into your paint job.

When the paint is dry, it will prove to be worth the wait since it resists marks, chips, and stains. Also, oil-paint will easily cover any imperfections and is easy to clean. You can buy oil-paint in a number of finishes, and it doesn’t need a primer to go onto a metal surface.

The downside to oil-based paints is that they fade much faster than latex-based ones. This type of paint is usually more expensive than latex and is more labour-intensive since you will need to thin it with a chemical such as turpentine.

Step 9: Time to Paint

Now that you’ve selected your type of paint, its finish, and colour, it will be time to paint the ATV frame. You can paint the frame by using a brush or using an airbrush to coat the metal.

If you’re using an airbrush, then you will need to thin the paint with either water or chemicals. Your paint should list what it will need to be thinned, follow these directions.

No matter how you paint your frame, you’ll want to do nice even coats. These coats should be smooth, and you shouldn’t focus on one area too much because it may cause the risk of running.

You will want to apply at least 2 coats of the paint to the frame. You should make sure each coat is fully dry before applying a new coat.

After you’ve applied the number of coats you want and waited for it to completely dry, it’s time to apply your clear coat. This should be sprayed on evenly. You will only need one coat, but you can apply two if you’d like.

Now You Know How to Paint ATV Frames

We have given you a hassle-free guide on how to paint ATV frames effortlessly.

We have outlined how to choose paints and primers and even given you tips on how to repair any gashes or dents in your frame.

For more ATV tips and information, be sure to check out the rest of our website here.