Woodgrain Painting

Someday, I hope to build my own real woody wagon, with real exterior veneer and real wood trim. In the meanwhile, my Fairmont Squire got new vinyl woodgrain, when I roller painted back in 2007-2008. I also refinished all the mouldings. It looks fine too, but its not recommended to wax or polish it, because it cooks the vinyl. So I said to myself, "Self! Before this new stuff gets impossible to remove, you have to find a way to paint your own grain!"

Here's a couple things I found on the internet. One is a Woodgrain paint process on old Ford Dashes (the old metal ones):
http://www.flatheadv8.org/dashgrain.htm

It comes from this fine list of Flathead V8 ford tech articles:
http://www.btc-bci.com/~billben/flathead.htm

And this site offers more info:
http://www.woodgraining.com/

This other one is from an antique radio repair site:
http://pages.cthome.net/ptf/antiquelinks.html

Either way, once its painted on, a guy could get a couple coats of clearcoat on top and get a decent shine.

Wow. Thanks for the links.
Mike

Mike, Thanks. I used the Canadian version of Rustoleum, called Tremclad. When I do the woodgrain, I'll probably use another Rustoleum product over my base color. Just wondered if you ever tried to do a Roll-on clear coat?

No I haven't. I'm in Tucson Az and I can't find rustoleum clear in quarts anyplace here. I have been told it doesn't come that way anymore. I have been wanting to try metalflake in clear for a long time. I guess I will have to look up brightside and see if they have a clear or maybe some cheap enamel auto paint. You might have better luck finding it in tremclad up there.
I guess our ages are showing by talking about something that went out of style 50 years ago but I just spent over an hour on the woodgraining site. Kind of expensive to do as a hobby but I could see it as a pretty good business tho.
Everybody wants a one color (usually flat black) car but I remember the lead sleds pretty good. I had a 50 merc (in 1972)with everything but a chopped top and I did it my self because I couldn't afford to have a shop do it. Not a show piece but a good 5footer. I try to keep telling the guys here to get fancy. Get a book on faux painting and try that or tape off some flames or scollups or get really wild and tape some paper lace (really dating myself now) and roll over that. I think the prettiest car ever made was the 56 Ford victoria hardtop and it had to be candy blue with a pearl white top. Hindsite........wish I had kept it also.
Mike

You're right. We do have it. This is the search results. Each product line has a small heading:

I used their Search and typed in 'clear' and got this:
http://www.rustoleum.ca/cbgsitemap.asp

This is the clear:
http://www.rustoleum.ca/CBGProduct.asp?pid=6&sid=27073X 145

Here's the US page, and yes! They do have clear versions in spray only! hey, hey, hey!
http://www.rustoleum.com/cbgsitemap.asp

I can probably ship a few quarts if you want to try it. Runs at about $15.00 (CDN$) per liter taxes in, plus postage/freight.

I appreciate the offer but I don't have a project right now. Thanks anyway. I might put this on the back burner for later tho if you don't mind.
Mike

Sure thing Mike. I'll get a small tin and do some testing over the next few months and post results.