DIY : Painting Badges
- Thread starter Vaku
- Start date
Well not trying to rain on the OPs parade, but if you stay away from bleach there will be no worries. Some have trouble with the bleach some don't. its a crap shoot and allot of work. The scuff method is really about 10 mins of work + dry time once you have the emblem off.
1) Use wax and grease remover
2) Scuff
3) wax and grease remove again
4) Paint
5) done!
1) Use wax and grease remover
2) Scuff
3) wax and grease remove again
4) Paint
5) done!
- :
- 06 LS MS6
07 BM GT (shell has been struck from the roll)
Pics? Where'd ya order the NEW front emblem from? Want to know just in case I mess up mine
mazda dealer
and really, even this way, if ya want black, just buy the black one from somewhere,
an hour of my time is worth X amount of dollars, so If I don;t save that much, OR get that much in satisfaction, screw it, BUY it already done
To those of you who think this takes a lot of time . . . It doesn't. Each method obviously works. People make this out to be such a huge deal when its one of the easiest mods.
Hardest part is taking the emblem off which you have to do regardless of your method.
I used the bleach method . . .
Just take your emblem off and bathe it in bleach for a few days. If you have waited this long to black out your emblems waiting a few days wont kill you. Then sand it down so the surface is smooth. That shouldn't take you over 5 minutes. Less if you use a power tool. Or if you have the supplies you can wet sand it or the likes. Dry sanding the chrome off is very hard.
Then prime it and follow it up with 3 or so coats of paint.
Sure you have to wait while the paint dries but the actual work is minimal. Maybe 15 minutes of you actually doing something . . . Don't make this out to be harder than it is. And if you mess it up . . . Just repeat.
If I can manage to do it in medical school . . . so can you!
Hardest part is taking the emblem off which you have to do regardless of your method.
I used the bleach method . . .
Just take your emblem off and bathe it in bleach for a few days. If you have waited this long to black out your emblems waiting a few days wont kill you. Then sand it down so the surface is smooth. That shouldn't take you over 5 minutes. Less if you use a power tool. Or if you have the supplies you can wet sand it or the likes. Dry sanding the chrome off is very hard.
Then prime it and follow it up with 3 or so coats of paint.
Sure you have to wait while the paint dries but the actual work is minimal. Maybe 15 minutes of you actually doing something . . . Don't make this out to be harder than it is. And if you mess it up . . . Just repeat.
If I can manage to do it in medical school . . . so can you!
- :
- 2010 Mazda5 GT
Did mine recently. The emblems were easier to take off than I was expecting (in particular the front one). No tabs broke!
I sanded both with 320 grit sandpaper until they were scuffed and then primered three coats and then three coats of flat black paint. I got Valspar paint from Lowes ($3.XX per can). I tried one with clearcoat and didn't like the gloss/shine so I re-sanded it and did the three coats of each (primer and paint).
I didn't use any adhesive for the rear emblem - just the two pegs. I tried putting little pieces 3M double-sided tape all around the emblem, but it made the emblem stick out too far. A thinner version of the tape would be better. I didn't want to mess with it any longer and the two peg method seem to be fine. Here are a few pics:
I sanded both with 320 grit sandpaper until they were scuffed and then primered three coats and then three coats of flat black paint. I got Valspar paint from Lowes ($3.XX per can). I tried one with clearcoat and didn't like the gloss/shine so I re-sanded it and did the three coats of each (primer and paint).
I didn't use any adhesive for the rear emblem - just the two pegs. I tried putting little pieces 3M double-sided tape all around the emblem, but it made the emblem stick out too far. A thinner version of the tape would be better. I didn't want to mess with it any longer and the two peg method seem to be fine. Here are a few pics:
Last edited:
Bringing this thread back to life for a moment, I've been looking for cheap inexpensive mods to do to my 2010 Mazda 3 Hatch and this was the first one I tackled! My two cents? The bleach bath was worth it, if you're using a stronger bleach like Clorox it'll only take a couple of days, I just finished all my bleach bathing and sanding and I'm ready for the first coat of primer, we'll see how it goes!
This is what it looks like now after the bleaching and sanding, recommended, +1 for the write up also, thanks!
UPDATE 03/21/13
After 72 hours TOTAL time, my emblem is finished and look's great!
This is what it looks like now after the bleaching and sanding, recommended, +1 for the write up also, thanks!
UPDATE 03/21/13
After 72 hours TOTAL time, my emblem is finished and look's great!
Last edited:
Just got all my badges off from the front and back of my 2.5 mazda 3, so it included the mazda,3, and 2.5 on the back.
Question is: after taking off the rear badges, some glue residue was left, should I keep it on there for guidance or what should I do for when I reapply the badges. And has anybody put tape on some of the badges to help it stick, need some help thanks
Question is: after taking off the rear badges, some glue residue was left, should I keep it on there for guidance or what should I do for when I reapply the badges. And has anybody put tape on some of the badges to help it stick, need some help thanks
I know this is a little late, but better late than never!
Personally I kept mine on since it was only a couple of days without it on, once I was ready to apply my emblems back on I used Goo Gone and a plastic card to remove the residue, then with double sided tape (pre-cut to apply behind the emblems) I applied it to the same spot.
I just finished plasti dipping the emblem. didn't wanna go the whole bleach route, but came out pretty good. I originally wanted to two tone the front like shown here......
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=plasti+dip+mazdaspeed+3&sm=1
but the plasti dip kept bubbling and drying with little holes, so just peeled it out.
End result still was very nice.....
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=plasti+dip+mazdaspeed+3&sm=1
but the plasti dip kept bubbling and drying with little holes, so just peeled it out.
End result still was very nice.....
evildiesel
Member
- :
- Mazda 3 GX 4dr 2.0L
great write up man, however i wouldn't give it a full bleach bath as i personally only want to do part of it. however good directions and photos, keep up the good work
