Best chrome paint options in 2025?

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

I've got a 3D printed Termintor T-800 skull and I was wondering what are the best options for a good chrome paint. Hopefully something that is resistant to fingerprints and/or clear coat-able with dulling. The last I looked into buying some I got Alclad, but figured there might be something better now.

 

[TazMan2000]

Revell Chrom Not a mispelling.

TazMan2000

 

[PoopaPapaPalps]

Duralumen is a good "entry" chroming option now, but it does involve some investment. Beyond that, Alumaluster is what FX houses use for Hollywood movies and it's currently the best option on the market for spray chrome.

Mr Mold Maker is a chrome pro. Perhaps he can chime in more.

 

[Mr Mold Maker]

Alumaluster, Alclad, Motochrome, Duralumen, they’re all pretty similar. I personally prefer Alumaluster, but any will work.

When it comes to a good finish, the chrome paint is only a small part of the equation. The main thing is the prep work and gloss black base. Any imperfections in the surface are amplified heavily by the chrome. That means any dings, dents, print lines, orange peel, etc will detract from the final finish. I like to sand pieces up to 600-800 and then use two coats of 2K clear. Then I will shoot my chrome, and seal with one final coat of 2K clear. This applies to any of the above chrome paints, and pretty much any other ones.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

Thanks for the suggestions! I used $15 of filament to print it so I'm not really wanting to use $125 paint for this one though.

I've had some practice with getting good metallic finishes with Alclad chrome, so prep isn't new. I haven't heard of clear coating the black first. I will give that a try.

 

[Reel Fakes]

Alumaluster, Alclad, Motochrome, Duralumen, they’re all pretty similar. I personally prefer Alumaluster, but any will work.

When it comes to a good finish, the chrome paint is only a small part of the equation. The main thing is the prep work and gloss black base. Any imperfections in the surface are amplified heavily by the chrome. That means any dings, dents, print lines, orange peel, etc will detract from the final finish. I like to sand pieces up to 600-800 and then use two coats of 2K clear. Then I will shoot my chrome, and seal with one final coat of 2K clear. This applies to any of the above chrome paints, and pretty much any other ones.

You get some of the best finishes I've ever seen. How long do you let the paint cure between applications? Base, 2K, 2K, Chrome, 2K?
Thanks for the insight!

 

[Mr Mold Maker]

You get some of the best finishes I've ever seen. How long do you let the paint cure between applications? Base, 2K, 2K, Chrome, 2K?
Thanks for the insight!

Typically I’d give my black base 30 minutes. One medium wet coat of 2K, let it flash for 10-15 mins, then a second wet coat. Let that cure overnight, then I’d chrome it. The chrome dries super quickly, it only needs a few minutes. Buff it well with a soft cloth, and then do the final seal with 2K.

One thing I will say, and I don’t always do this, if you can give the base 2K longer to cure (3-5 days) you will get a *slightly* clearer chrome. It’s not a huge difference, but it is noticeable. I only do it in special situations. If I’m just doing a “Beskar” Mando helmet for example, you don’t need that extra waiting time. It can actually make the helmet too shiny.

A few tips. Using an actual black base coat paint (as opposed to black primer) will give you a deeper black, which will in turn give you a better chrome. I use Omni Automotive paint. Second tip, some folks like to use a water based barrier (such as Alclad, UVLS gloss etc) between the chrome and final 2K clear layer. I like to seal directly with 2K, but if you find your chrome is being dulled down a lot, you can try the water based barrier as insurance. Lastly, make sure you really buff the chrome well before sealing. With Alumaluster at least I am not gentle at all. Anything that is loose will float up into your clear and kill the chrome.

Hope all this helps.

 

[Starganderfish]

A really easy option is to paint it in a high gloss paint, and then rub in fine graphite powder.
You can get a pretty nice finish with this, it's pretty durable and doesn't require a lot of skill or precision to apply
It can end up a bit darker than most chromes, but depending on the colour and finish of your base coat, the results are pretty cool. Graphite powder can be bought off eBay or Aliexpress for pretty cheap.

It also tends to respond to clear coats pretty well:

 

[typ44q]

Typically I’d give my black base 30 minutes. One medium wet coat of 2K, let it flash for 10-15 mins, then a second wet coat. Let that cure overnight, then I’d chrome it. The chrome dries super quickly, it only needs a few minutes. Buff it well with a soft cloth, and then do the final seal with 2K.

One thing I will say, and I don’t always do this, if you can give the base 2K longer to cure (3-5 days) you will get a *slightly* clearer chrome. It’s not a huge difference, but it is noticeable. I only do it in special situations. If I’m just doing a “Beskar” Mando helmet for example, you don’t need that extra waiting time. It can actually make the helmet too shiny.

A few tips. Using an actual black base coat paint (as opposed to black primer) will give you a deeper black, which will in turn give you a better chrome. I use Omni Automotive paint. Second tip, some folks like to use a water based barrier (such as Alclad, UVLS gloss etc) between the chrome and final 2K clear layer. I like to seal directly with 2K, but if you find your chrome is being dulled down a lot, you can try the water based barrier as insurance. Lastly, make sure you really buff the chrome well before sealing. With Alumaluster at least I am not gentle at all. Anything that is loose will float up into your clear and kill the chrome.

Hope all this helps.

I have not used chrome paint before and this might be an obvious question for most on here but is the black base paint flat or gloss?

 

[TazMan2000]

A really easy option is to paint it in a high gloss paint, and then rub in fine graphite powder.
You can get a pretty nice finish with this, it's pretty durable and doesn't require a lot of skill or precision to apply
It can end up a bit darker than most chromes, but depending on the colour and finish of your base coat, the results are pretty cool. Graphite powder can be bought off eBay or Aliexpress for pretty cheap.

It also tends to respond to clear coats pretty well:

The thing with graphite rubs, is that you get really great results with very little work, which is good if the piece is going to be displayed in a hermetically sealed environment. Unfortunately, if it's going to be touched, that powder will rub off easily and end up all over your hands or clothing. Covering it with a clear coat of any kind, negates the chrome look immediately, and you would get a better look with a graphite gloss spray paint. For a chrome look...no way.

I've tried Alclad only once and had poor results. I've heard on more than one occasion that the trick is to NOT use the Alclad black gloss as a base, which I did.

There was a thread here discussing chrome paints, but I can't seem to find it right now. It used Acrylic Nail paints and powder, which gives an incredibly chrome appearance, but I'm not certain if this would be good for large areas.

TazMan2000

 

[Starganderfish]

I have not used chrome paint before and this might be an obvious question for most on here but is the black base paint flat or gloss?

For chromes you pretty want your base coat as high gloss and clean as possible. The glossy black is what makes the metallic pigments extra reflective.
The only one I’ve seen that doesn’t really require a gloss coat is Molotow. It’s a thick alcohol ink and appears ultra high chrome on pretty much anything. It’s super fragile though and shows every mark, fell of dust or fingerprint and doesn’t respond well to clear coats.

The thing with graphite rubs, is that you get really great results with very little work, which is good if the piece is going to be displayed in a hermetically sealed environment. Unfortunately, if it's going to be touched, that powder will rub off easily and end up all over your hands or clothing. Covering it with a clear coat of any kind, negates the chrome look immediately, and you would get a better look with a graphite gloss spray paint. For a chrome look...no way.

I've tried Alclad only once and had poor results. I've heard on more than one occasion that the trick is to NOT use the Alclad black gloss as a base, which I did.

There was a thread here discussing chrome paints, but I can't seem to find it right now. It used Acrylic Nail paints and powder, which gives an incredibly chrome appearance, but I'm not certain if this would be good for large areas.

TazMan2000

I’ve used graphite a few times and as long as it’s well rubbed in, it doesn’t really flake or dust off. It can be handled about as well as or better than most chromes. Almost all chromes react negatively to touching due to the oils and dust on fingers. I have some 3D printed Drax knives that are 3 years old, spent 13 months stored in a box and they’ve left no residue and still look great.
I posted a link above to a video where someone tested a heap of clears and found a few that work well on graphite.
Molotow looks amazing but the slightest touch or breath on it dulls the finish. Haven’t had any luck applying a clear coat over it. It’s really not practical for long term display or use IMHO
Alclad is a little tricky but as long as the coat is super glossy (I use Alclads gloss black base all the time with great success) and the metallic finish is VERY lightly dusted on, it looks stunning. They also have a LOT of different shades and tones of metallic, from light to dark to aluminium to gold.
The hardest part of any chrome finish is trying to clear coat it. Almost anything you do will dull it a little. 2k’s seem to be the most effective as long as you can master the application process.
Heaps of YouTube videos about what clear works best with which chrome. Just need to figure out what works best in each situation.

 

[PoopaPapaPalps]

I have a couple kits of the Alsa chrome paint and canned 1k clear I've yet to use. I'm really interested in how it'll all work, as I've never done this kinda stuff before, and the idea of messing it up due to some minor inconvenience as some dust or a thumbprint (or getting cancer) derailing a couple hundred bucks is the only thing that makes me hesitant about pulling the trigger on these things.

 

[Kroenen77]

I use Alclad II.Excellent chromeeffect.
But you must spray it with the right pressure.

 

[Kroenen77]

Alumaluster, Alclad, Motochrome, Duralumen, they’re all pretty similar. I personally prefer Alumaluster, but any will work.

When it comes to a good finish, the chrome paint is only a small part of the equation. The main thing is the prep work and gloss black base. Any imperfections in the surface are amplified heavily by the chrome. That means any dings, dents, print lines, orange peel, etc will detract from the final finish. I like to sand pieces up to 600-800 and then use two coats of 2K clear. Then I will shoot my chrome, and seal with one final coat of 2K clear. This applies to any of the above chrome paints, and pretty much any other ones.

And it will not dull the chrome with the clearcoat?Is it waterbased?

 

[joberg]

I did my 2OO1 Moonbus' bells with Molotow chrome pens (quite a few years ago) and I didn't have a problem with fingerprints or any other issues.
I didn't spray a clear coat of anything on them (mat, satin, gloss or high gloss). It was first sprayed with a mat black (Rustoleum) and dabbed with Molotow chrome pen after 48 hours.

 

[JOATRASH FX]

If you want an actual 'clean bright chrome' look... AK Superchrome (same as Molotow but MUCH cheaper) is superior to all the Alumaluster/Alclad types. You also don't need a gloss base... just spray one THICK coat with VERY low pressure. (High pressure will "frost" the paint. It takes a little practice, but is worth it.) Then hit it with some House of Kolor UC35 (or whatever brand you like) urethane-based 2-component clear and you're done. (For props that just need to be able to take light handling... Alclad's "Aqua gloss" is OK and goes on thin.


Orville blaster "emitter":

Grip of Gamora's knife (the gold part is a candy coat and the blades are alumaluster):

Star Lord blaster parts:

Don't get me wrong, I love the Alumalusters and Alclads too... I just tend to use them more for aluminum-look parts, or parts that need to look weathered and scratched.

 

[Astyanax]

If you want an actual 'clean bright chrome' look... AK Superchrome (same as Molotow but MUCH cheaper) is superior to all the Alumaluster/Alclad types. You also don't need a gloss base... just spray one THICK coat with VERY low pressure. (High pressure will "frost" the paint. It takes a little practice, but is worth it.) Then hit it with some House of Kolor UC35 (or whatever brand you like) urethane-based 2-component clear and you're done. (For props that just need to be able to take light handling... Alclad's "Aqua gloss" is OK and goes on thin.


Orville blaster "emitter":

View attachment 1919459

Grip of Gamora's knife (the gold part is a candy coat and the blades are alumaluster):
View attachment 1919460

Star Lord blaster parts:
View attachment 1919458



Don't get me wrong, I love the Alumalusters and Alclads too... I just tend to use them more for aluminum-look parts, or parts that need to look weathered and scratched.

This I gotta try. How do you apply the HoK UC35?

 

[JOATRASH FX]

This I gotta try. How do you apply the HoK UC35?

Airbrush, regular pressure for lacquers and such! Just clean it THOROUGHLY afterward!

 

[Astyanax]

Airbrush, regular pressure for lacquers and such! Just clean it THOROUGHLY afterward!

Thanks!

Whoooh, pricey! $80-$90 per quart!

 

[JOATRASH FX]

Yeah, but a quart will last you forever if you're just doing small prop stuff! (In maybe 5 years I've probably used half... not sure what the shelf life is!)