How To Paint A Pinewood Derby Car?

After crafting a Derby car for your kid, you may consider painting it to give it a stunning finish. Continue reading to find out how to paint a pinewood derby car.

Table of Contents

Supplies You Need For The Project

A suitable-grained sandpaper
Sealer
Suitable paint (Enamel)
Stickers
Gloss paint( clear)
Wax paste

Steps To Follow When You Are Painting Your Pinewood Derby Car

Step 1: Sanding The Wood

Start by covering your sandpaper on a block of wood with accurate dimensions. You don’t want your sandpaper to leave behind gorges and uneven contours on the surface of your Pinewood Derby car.

Use coarse-grained sandpaper to sand at the corners of your Pinewood chip. Smoothen rough edges using fine-grained sandpaper. Finally, sand the whole surface using fine-grained sandpaper to remove any sanding spots, if there are any.

Step 2: Applying A Sealant

Note that when you sand your piece of wood, you expose the wood grain, so be sure to apply at least two layers of a suitable sanding sealer to conceal the grains.

Let the sealer dry throughout the night before doing a fine sanding on the surface of your Pinewood Derby car.

Consider reapplying another coat of the sealant in case the grains haven’t been fully concealed.

Step 3: Selecting Your Color

Decide on the most appropriate color for your Pinewood Derby car. Having chosen your preferred color, you can now start applying the first coat of your Enamel paint. Spray up to three coats of paint on your piece of art. Note that it would be good to spray instead of paint using a brush.

If you cannot access a sprayer, you need not worry because you can use your brush, although it consumes more of your time and energy.

When using a brush, be sure to immerse the tip of your brush in paint and then apply the paint in up-down motions. Be more creative when using a brush and ensure the brush marks are concealed completely.

Step 4: Creating Race Numbers

Now comes the stage to be creative. Use stickers to create your race numbers and then cover them with a spray of paint. Consider practicing how to make a race number on another service like plastic before applying your knowledge to your model.

Step 5: Polishing Your Model With Wax

Allow your paint a maximum of one week drying time; Use your wax to cover the Pinewood Derby car and wipe it using a piece of linen until you attain a sparkling finish. Note that the wax will also act as a shield against scratches.

The Most Suitable Paint To Use On Your Pinewood Derby Cars

There is no specific paint to apply to your model. However, you can research more to

get suitable colors for your piece of art.

Nevertheless, consider using paint that will give you a clear and glossy look. You can use wax to achieve a sparkling finish, but using a clear color will produce excellent results.

Doing Final Touches On Your Pinewood Derby

Painting: You can select from a range of six acrylic colors to apply to your Pinewood Derby car. Be sure to use the right size of brush for your finishings.

Paintbrush: Consider using smaller brushes in this case to achieve a refined and clear look.

Glossy Sealant: Consider using a clear and shiny sealant to conceal unwanted bumps and contours on the surface of your Pinewood Derby car.

Steps To Paint The Wheels

Wipe your wheels with a piece of a soft cloth.
Please get rid of excess polish by wiping it off with a piece of magazine or rug.
Apply paint to the wheels of your model as you rotate them. Be sure to maintain the position of your painting tool at the same point.
Allow your wheels a maximum of two hours of drying time before fixing the wheels to your model car.

Important Tips To Note When Painting Your Pinewood Derby Car

Consider using acrylic-based paints since they have good adhesive properties. Be sure to sand your model thoroughly before applying paint to achieve a refined and consistent look.
After selecting the most suitable paint for your project, you need to decide on the mode of application. On that note, you can spray your model with color. Just be sure to use the right paint.
Note that spraying will save you lots of time and energy you would spend if you used a brush to apply paint to your Pinewood Derby car.
Note that the paint adds a few grams to your Pinewood Derby car, so you should not be worried about the weight of your model after springing it with color.
Note that once you decide to paint your model, it would be wise to paint it fully. Ensure you start your painting from the bottom of your model and continue painting throughout the surface of your model.
Note that there is no specific paint to use on your Pinewood. Any color can work just as fine as long as you follow the necessary instructions before painting. Acrylic paints work better because of their adhesive properties.
Use coarse-grained sandpaper to sand at the corners of your Pinewood chip. Smoothen rough edges using fine-grained sandpaper. Finally, sand the whole surface using fine-grained sandpaper to remove any sanding spots, if there are any.
When using a brush, be sure to immerse the tip of your brush in paint and then apply the paint in up-down motions. Be more creative when using a brush and ensure the brush marks are concealed completely.

There is no specific paint to use on your Pinewood. However, you can research more to get suitable colors for your piece of art. Nevertheless, consider using paint that will give you a clear and neat finish. You can use wax to achieve a sparkling finish, but using colors can also give you the desired results. If you cannot access a sprayer, you need not worry because you can use your brush, although it consumes more of your time and energy.