Custom painting a pc case?

[D1eJay]

Hello everyone!

I wanted to paint my old beige pc case but having never painted anything in my life, except perhaps a few drawings in elementary school, I'm not sure how I should do it. I came across a few tutorials on the web, but they mostly deal with reflective paint jobs and I just wanted a matte finish. Is it just a matter of sanding the panels and applying a few coats of spray paint, or is there more to it? And will any paint do the work or must I look for specific attributes and properties?

And there's also something that bothers me; what if I want to have more than plain color and canvased shapes painted on my case [edit: like actual drawings on the case, like kanjis or characters]? Is there a way to directly paint to the case, in a more traditional way, which would give the same job than with spray and won't peel off after some time?

Thanks in advance for your answers!

 

[cadder]

A matte finish on a metal case should be easy enough. A good brand of paint such as Krylon or Rustoleum should stick well enough and be easy to apply. You will want to do good preparation- lightly sand your case with fine sandpaper, and clean off any oil or grease. Buy a paint for the right finish and be careful when you apply it. If you wanted a glossy finish it would be harder to apply but not impossible. You will want to get good results so I would recommend getting an extra can of paint and practicing before you spray the case. Get some soft drink cans or something like that and practice painting them first.

 

[ohiou_grad_06]

Also, I tried this once, get a good quality paint, also look into a clear coat for a brighter finish, but also to protect the paint underneath so it does not get tore up with every little nick and ding.

 

[D1eJay]

Thanks for the response! But I still don't know if there's a way to paint precise stuff, I don't want to use stickers, they stick out (no pun intended) and just look ugly.

Also, should I use the same paint on the plastic front cover?

 

[Shadow703793]

^ You will need to create a template to paint logos. Or airbrush.

Imo, the paint that works the best are the auto motive spray paints.
The best brand I have used is DupliColor ( http://www.duplicolor.com/products/product_index.html ) comes in many colors and they have a good reputation in the hot rod crowd. And the coating is quite durable. As mentioned before consider putting in a clear coat.

 

[D1eJay]

Okay, that was helpful. I'll assume I can use the same paint for the plastic front. But what kind of clear coat should I use?

 

[ohiou_grad_06]

They actually sell it in a spray can. It may not be perfect, but will help harden the finish. Also if you have a garage to do it in, this would be good so you don't get bugs or anything landing in your fresh paint as it dries.