cleaning roughness off window garnish, sill area

[Grdpa's 50 Dodge]

I polished up the stainless trim and it looks a lot better.  The rest of the window surround is wood grain look and where the window sill  is for lack of better term,,,where you would rest your arm on an open window,,,

 

It looks like somebody poured coke on it 40 years ago and dried in a dirty crusty stuff.  Tried wet wash cloth for a long time,,no better,,,tried simple green,, no progress,,,then tried a plastic scrubber pad and it took a little off.  Rubbed longer and it looks like it is pitted thru,,,and pin hole spots of brown paint is showing like bare metal.

 

Is that a sign the metal is bubbling and rusting from under the paint???  Other side is painted nicely and not rusting clear thru whole thing.  It just LOOKS like this rough patches should just scrub off but it doesnt want to.  it is off the car for best look I can get

 

The scrubber pad isnt scratching the paint so thought it was okay.  Any one else have roughness patches that LOOK dirty???

[Andydodge]

That is probably rusting under the paint from 30yrs of grandpa's arm resting there.....my 1940 Dodge window opening has a similar tho' not as bad problem........I've had it since 1971 so its to be expected.....lol....andyd

[mrwrstory]

I believe the wood grain is a combo of multiple layers of paint.  Top ones being applied by hand or roller.  You're probably seeing erosion of just the top layer.  No fix, other than total redo, that I can think of.

[james curl]

Yes my windshield gasket leaks and lets rain or any water run across the top of the dash washing the wood graining off in those areas.

[desoto1939]

The wood graining technique uses a base cost of paint.  Then there is a plate that has the specific grain design that you want to use on the modling. Then you pull across the plate the color of the graining that you want the wood affect to be onthe molding.  The grain effect is transfered via a soft rubber roller on the modling and this is do in sections.  After the oil or water based grain has dried then you spray is with ( users preference at this point) a high gloss, or mediuk gloss or flat gloss  urethane spray.  This then sets the grain so it will not move or rub off.   

 

Now you have the  base coat the grain effect. To darken the  color then apply a regular wood stain on the metal on top of the  gloss. Let this dry also can wipe of some to get the wood staingin affect, or let it dry then stain again to get a darker color.  When you get the color that you want then respray witht he finish top coat of the clear to set it.

 

The grain-it company based in Florida who is the company that has taught all of the other professional out there that do this process has a homeowners kits with all of the various grain plates and rollers and base stains.

 

I have done a couple of window garnish moldings. it is now a hard job but takes time to master, rmember if you do not like the way the grain looks you then wipe off the grain and then do it again. This can only happen prior to spraying the clear coat. If you spray a clear coat then you have to strip or bead plast the moding all over agina and start from scratch. 

 

This is a fun project to do if you have the time and want to save some money.

 

Rich HArtung

Desoto1939@aol.com