Division one — Wheels
Alloy Wheel Refurbishment in Wickford, Essex
A complete refinish, not a touch-up. Wheels come off the car, tyres come off the wheels, and the old finish is chemically stripped back to bare aluminium. Then we repair, powder coat and oven-cure — so what goes back on your car is a properly rebuilt wheel, not a painted-over one.
This is the job the workshop was built around. Every refurbishment starts the same way: wheels off, tyres off, valves out, and the wheel goes into a chemical strip that takes the old lacquer, paint and primer off completely. That step is what separates a real refurbishment from a smart repair. Anything sprayed over an old, failing finish inherits that finish's problems — and comes back within a year.
Once the wheel is bare we can actually see it: kerb damage, corrosion pitting, hairline cracks, buckles, previous filler. We deal with the structure first — welding, straightening, machining — then the cosmetics. The face is repaired, and the bare wheel is degreased and keyed by hand to give the powder something to grip. We do not shot-blast: the chemical strip already leaves clean, bare aluminium.
Powder coating is an electrostatic process: dry powder is charged, sprayed onto the earthed wheel and then baked in an oven at around 200°C, where it flows out and cross-links into a single continuous skin. It is dramatically tougher than wet paint, it does not run or sag, and it goes into every recess of a complex spoke design evenly. Most of our wheels get a colour coat and a clear lacquer — two passes through the oven, with no primer coat. Looked after sensibly — normal washing, no harsh acidic wheel cleaners — a powder-coated finish lasts comfortably fifteen to twenty years.
Then it is rebuilt: new valve, tyre refitted, balanced, and back on the car torqued to the manufacturer's figure. We hand it back with a note of what that figure is, and we ask you to re-torque after the first 50 miles.
Common questions
How long does it take?
Standard powder-coated wheels in by 9am are usually ready the same day, provided they are 17in or under, in a standard colour, and nothing hidden turns up once the old finish is off. Diamond cutting, custom colours and larger wheels normally need the car for a day or two.
Do I have to do all four?
No. We refinish single wheels all the time and match to the rest of the set. A full set is better value per wheel, but if one corner is kerbed, one corner is what we will do.
How long will the finish last?
Looked after correctly — regular gentle washing and no harsh, acidic cleaners — a powder-coated finish can last fifteen to twenty years. We send you off with a simple care guide. Diamond cut, polished and split rims have a shorter, finite life whatever anyone does, and we explain why rather than hide it.
Can you match my factory colour?
Yes, in almost every case. Bring the paint code if you have it. If you would rather go somewhere else entirely — gloss black, anthracite, bronze, a specific RAL — that costs no more than putting it back to standard.
Book it in
We are on Andersons Industrial Estate in Wickford — two minutes off the A130, twenty-five from Southend, half an hour from Romford. Call or send a photo.