How to Paint Decorative Tires

Old tires can be turned into great swings, potted plants and garden or playground borders, but the color of the tires is a bit bleak. This article will present some great tips and ideas for beautifying decorative tires. Start by reading the suggestions below, then give it a go and see where your creativity takes you!

Table of Contents

Put the tires up high for convenience

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Place the tire on some bricks or logs to make it easier to work with. If you put your tires on the ground, you will have more work to do! Place the tire about 30 cm above the ground or slightly lower to facilitate cleaning, priming and coating. You can even prop the tire on the saw table to make the job much easier. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Even if you’ve placed the tire off the ground, you’ll probably still need to paint it step-by-step – that is, paint most of the tire, wait for it to dry, flip it over, and paint the rest.

Tire brush to prepare paint

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Scrub the tires with dish soap and grease remover, then wait for the tires to dry completely. Mix a little dish soap with warm water and use a rag to clean the tires. Use a brush to clean dirt in the grooves of the tire. Once you’ve completed the scrubbing step, you can spray a degreaser onto the tire’s surface and wipe it clean for even better adhesion. Whatever you do, make sure the tires are completely dry before you start painting. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Use a non-toxic grease remover if you plan to use it as a planter or to decorate a children’s playground.

Spray primer before painting

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Apply 1-2 coats of durable exterior primer. Shake the paint bottle for at least 1 minute, keep it about 25-30 cm from the tire surface and spray it back and forth evenly to form a really even primer over the entire tire surface. If there are still some spots after applying the first coat, or if you want a more durable base coat, you can apply another coat after the previous coat has dried. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Even if you use tires for indoor decoration, you should still use an exterior primer because this paint is more durable.
Spray the paint outdoors in a shaded area or in a ventilated indoor area like a garage.

Choose a light paint color to limit the heat of the sun

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Light paint colors are best suited for planter tires and outdoor toys. Tires that are painted in a dark color such as dark red or dark green, or that are not painted, can be so hot that the sun can burn children’s hands or burn trees. Lighter paint colors such as white, pink or leather have the best heat control, but keep in mind that you may have to apply multiple coats to cover the darker color of the rubber tires. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Paint or spray durable exterior paint

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Consider industrial or marine paints for maximum durability. When it comes to rubber tire paint, the more durable the better! If using spray paint, you need to spray your hands evenly all over the tire surface to be as uniform as when applying primer. If you’re painting, use the brush tip to sweep the paint between the grooves. Paint the rest of the tire with long strokes back and forth. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Protective coatings have better adhesion and are more durable, which results in less chafing and flaking.
Follow the specific instructions of the product of your choice.

Paint at least 2 coats

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Although 2-3 coats is enough for durability, 3-4 coats is even better! Painting more than 3-4 coats is not very beneficial, but you definitely need to apply 2 coats, whether spray paint or varnish. Either way, you need to wait for the previous coat to dry before applying the next coat. Depending on factors such as humidity, it may take 15-30 minutes for the paint to dry. ^{[6] X Research Source}

Use acrylic paint to draw details

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Decorate with paint strokes to complete the new tire color. Wait for the paint to dry completely, then use the brush to add details like polka dots, hearts, zebras or whatever you like. Acrylic paint is great for this, especially if the tires are on display indoors. If you want a more durable finish for outdoor use, choose other colors of the same exterior paint that you use for the base coat. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Detailed decoration of painted tires is a great craft for little ones. Once the base coat is dry, give the kids some paintbrushes and acrylic paints to let them get creative on this special canvas! ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Make a stencil with self-adhesive paper

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Choose a self-adhesive stencil if you want a more detailed decoration. Draw shapes such as diamonds, circles, or stars on self-adhesive paper, then cut out the pattern with a knife and/or scissors. Glue the cut piece of paper to the tire and smooth it flat. Use a paintbrush dipped in acrylic paint to fill in the blanks on the cut paper, painting from the outer edge to the inside to limit the paint smearing below the edge of the paper. Peel off the paper after painting and reuse if desired. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Self-adhesive paper may only stick after 2-3 uses, so you should consider cutting multiple molds. It’s best to cut separate stencils for each different paint color you plan to use.

Paint a contrasting color strip on the sidewalls of the tire

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Here’s a variation on white sidewall tires in whatever color you like! While the tread has an interesting texture for decorative paint, the sidewall is smoother and is ideal for painting in vibrant colors. Choose a paint color that contrasts beautifully with the base paint, apply masking tape to prevent the paint from spilling over the edges (if you want a sharper look), then brush the paint over the sidewalls of the tire. ^{[10] X Research Source}

For example, if you’re painting a tire for a planter, you could paint the body of the tire a light pink, paint green and blue diamond shapes on the tread, and a light purple stripe on the sidewall.

Emboss the tire mark with paint pen

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Personalize and show your love for tire branding! Most tires have a label name that is now embossed on the sidewalls facing outwards but is not prominent because it is not colored. However, you can easily fix this! Look for paint pens specifically designed for rubber tires at your auto paint store or online. Brush clean and allow the tire to dry as you would before painting, press the tip of the paintbrush on some surface to let the paint melt, then simply paint over the letters on the tire. Wait for the paint to dry and apply more coats if necessary. ^{[11] X Research Source}

This paint is very durable, but of course it doesn’t last forever on working tires. You need to remodel once or twice a year.
White is the most popular color, but there are other colors you can choose from.

Advice

If you have a few old tires that you don’t know what to use, spend some time searching online to see what you’re interested in. Maybe you come up with your own ideas on how to use a decorative tire. ^{[12] X Research Source}
The tire is built to be extremely durable, so it can last a long time outdoors. You may need to redecorate from time to time, but your creativity will stand the test of time!

Warning

Tires for planters look great, but they can also leach harmful chemicals out. The amount of chemical seeping out may or may not be harmful if it gets into the vegetables, but it’s better to avoid the risk by only growing the flowers in tire pots. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Steps