Professional interior plastic refinishing processes designed to restore color, finish, and consistency using controlled, non-retail coating systems and in-house color formulation.

 

What this service is

This service focuses on recoloring and refinishing original automotive interior plastic components that have faded, discolored, mismatched, or suffered surface wear over time. The objective is to restore a uniform, factory-appropriate appearance while maintaining correct texture, sheen, flexibility, and tactile feel.

Each component is evaluated individually to determine plastic type, condition, prior coatings, and overall suitability for refinishing before any coloring work is performed.

​

​

Our process philosophy

Interior plastic coloring is widely misunderstood and often oversimplified. We do not approach this service as a cosmetic spray application, nor do we rely on consumer or retail products.

​

Our processes are built around professional-grade interior coating systems specifically engineered for automotive plastic substrates. These systems are not aerosol products and are not typically available through consumer retail channels. When properly prepared and applied, they are designed to adhere to plastic substrates through a combination of chemical and mechanical adhesion, allowing the color and finish to wear with the component rather than behave like a brittle or unstable surface layer.

​

These systems are also not solvent-based in the way many consumer and aerosol products are. As a result, they do not produce the strong residual solvent odor commonly associated with spray-can finishes and exhibit more stable cured behavior, without the overly slick, rubbery, or artificial feel often seen with solvent-heavy coatings.

Process focus

• Plastic type identification and substrate evaluation

• Controlled surface preparation and application specific to each plastic type (every plastic type has a different prepping and application procedure for different prepping chemicals and priming)

• Use of professional, non-retail interior coating systems

• In-house color formulation and finish control

• Texture and sheen consistency management

• Cure control and post-finish inspection

​

​

“Dye” vs. coating — a technical clarification

Interior plastic coloring is frequently referred to as “dye,” but from a material science standpoint, true plastic dyeing is not how modern interior refinishing works.

​

A dye, in the strict sense, penetrates and permanently alters the internal structure of a material. Most finished automotive interior plastics are not chemically receptive to true dye penetration once manufactured. As a result, plastic recoloring is accomplished through surface coatings rather than true dyes.

​

Many products are correctly labeled and marketed as coatings, and that terminology is accurate. However, despite this, the word “dye” is still commonly used — including by some professional shops and hobbyists — as a general or informal descriptor. In other cases, products are marketed using terms such as “vinyl, carpet, and plastic dye.” This wording can be technically defensible because the same product may function as a true or partial dye for carpet fibers and, to a limited extent, certain vinyl materials. That same product does not act as a dye on plastic, where it functions strictly as a surface coating.

​

This distinction is often misunderstood or overlooked. We are not addressing it here to speak down on other shops, products, or individuals. We address it because our standard is to be factually correct and precise. When terminology is misunderstood or loosely applied, it can set false expectations about how a product behaves, how durable it is, and what a customer should realistically expect long-term. That misunderstanding also contributes to the spread of inaccurate information within the industry.

​

We could choose to use the word “dye” because it is familiar and comfortable to many consumers. However, we do not believe in using terminology simply because it is widely recognized if it is not technically accurate. Not out of disrespect, but because the underlying facts and science matter. Clear, correct language leads to proper understanding, realistic expectations, and better outcomes on both sides of a project. That is more important to us than securing a job by using a term that is comfortable but incorrect.

​

The difference lies not in the name, but in the formulation, surface preparation, and bonding mechanism. Our processes rely on coating systems designed to properly adhere, flex, and wear with the plastic substrate rather than sit on the surface as a brittle or unnatural layer. These systems have also been validated for chemical durability, resisting breakdown from common interior exposures where many interior coatings prematurely soften, degrade, or fail.

​

​

Performance, testing, and finish quality

The coating systems we use have been evaluated through controlled shop testing and extensive real-world use and compared directly against widely marketed products commonly used by hobbyists and many professional shops. While no coating system is indestructible, the performance difference is substantial — not only in resistance to normal wear, but also in chemical stability and long-term finish behavior.

Finish quality is equally important. Many consumer and aerosol-based products produce a surface that looks or feels artificial — overly slick, rubberized, or inconsistent with surrounding plastics. Our systems are selected and applied to achieve a finish that looks and feels natural, maintaining appropriate texture, sheen, and tactile response consistent with original interior components.

​

​

Material quality, validation, and continuous testing

The materials used in our interior plastic coloring processes are professional-grade systems designed for commercial and industrial application and are not typically available to the general public. These systems are selected through ongoing evaluation, controlled testing, and real-world performance rather than marketing claims.

Products are assessed for adhesion, flexibility, abrasion resistance, chemical durability, color stability, and long-term wear under conditions representative of actual vehicle interiors. When supply systems are updated, reformulated, or when new products or techniques emerge, we perform direct comparison testing against our existing in-house processes as well as against heavily marketed consumer products. Only systems that demonstrate measurable improvement across the full process — from preparation through long-term performance — are incorporated into our workflow.

​

​

In-house color formulation and color database

We do not rely on pre-selected or off-the-shelf interior colors. All colors used in our interior plastic coloring services are formulated in-house.

​

We maintain a private color database built from years of formulation work. This database includes OEM interior colors, custom variants, and one-off formulations created for individual projects. Colors are developed through a combination of measured color data, visual evaluation, gloss control, and real-world application testing on the intended substrate.

​

For older vehicles — including the OBS Ford platforms we commonly work on — many colors are formulated using excellent-condition original parts or verified NOS (new old stock) components as references. Each formulation is documented and retained, including scanned color values, mixing formulas, gloss units, visual observations, and how the color behaves once applied to specific substrates. This allows for consistency, repeatability, and accurate color matching beyond what pre-mixed or retail systems can provide.

​

​

What this service is not

This service is not a spray-can refinish, a cosmetic touch-up, or a temporary color change. We do not use consumer aerosol products or retail “plastic dye” systems. Interior plastic coloring is not intended to make components immune to wear, damage, or aging.

​

​

Material reality notice

All interior plastics are subject to wear, UV exposure, environmental conditions, and mechanical stress over time. While our coloring processes are designed to significantly improve durability, consistency, and finish quality, no coating system can eliminate future wear or prevent aging under all conditions.

​

​

Next steps

If your project may require interior plastic recoloring or refinishing, please review our estimate request process and contact us with details about the specific components, current condition, and your goals for the finished interior.