Have you ever thought about buying or getting a painted welding helmet for yourself? Do you have a welding helmet covered with beautiful characters and paint? If not, then why don’t you try making one for yourself?
Now if you are thinking about how can you paint your welding helmet then don’t be worried. We are here to let you know how you can customize your helmet with less effort and in a beautiful way.
Contents
Painted welding helmet
As you know that welding helmets are available on the market in basic colors. To customize them, you have to work on them.
You will see different welders at your workplace using helmets of different colors and styles. You can do the same thing. How? We are just about to tell you.
How to paint a welding helmet
Now that you are ready to customize your helmet, here are some of the easiest steps you can follow:
- Make a design first
- Gather all the material
- Detaching the lens and headgear
- Undercoating the helmet
- Painting the helmet
- Let it dry
Make a design first
First of all, you need to have an idea of the design you are going to make on your helmet. If you already have an idea of what design you are going to make, then it is well and good. However, if you have no idea what to do, then you can take help from google for better inspiration.
Collecting the material
After you decide what design you want to go with, then you must have an idea of what materials and paints you need for it. All you need to be careful about one thing that is selecting the fireproof material to paint your welding helmet. This way, your helmet will be safe from catching fire during welding.
Here is the list of materials you will be needed to paint your helmet:
- A welding helmet
- A bottle of fireproof paint in the color you want
- A paint brush
- A fireproof primer
Types of paints for painting welding helmets
You will find a variety of paints in the market that you can use to paint your welding helmet. The most preferred ones are polycarbonate paints, plastic Krylon, and Lexan.
Detaching the lens and headgear
If you are thinking about whether you should remove the lens and headgear or not before painting, then no need to be confused. You will find some people telling you that you can paint your welding helmet without removing the lens and headgear.
What if we don’t detach the lens and headgear?
Some people will tell you to just cover them with some tape and then start painting on them. But this is not the right thing to do. Even if you cover the lens and headgear with tape, the primer and paint will still penetrate through the tape. This will ruin your helmet.
How to remove the lens and headgear?
The best-recommended way is to remove the headgear and lens which is not difficult as it seems. Both of them are easily removable from the helmet and can be placed again with convenience too.
If you don’t know how to do it, then you can take help from the instructions mentioned in the user manual. In most helmets, when you try to remove lenses, they will easily pop out of the helmet. Similar is the case with headgear.
Undercoating the helmet
Ready to paint? Then apply an undercoating layer of paint to the welding helmet. Now, make sure your helmet is clean. If not, then wipe it with a cloth and then use some water to completely remove the dust from it.
After that, use a brush or a wheel and brush it all over the helmet to remove the extra dust if left. Moreover, it will also help to remove any paint or shine that might appear on your welding helmet. The next step is to apply fireproof primer.
Why use a fireproof primer?
Applying a primer before painting your welding helmet is important. It will increase the longevity of the paint. Also, it will guarantee the best condition of your helmet and make it look good in appearance.
However, you will hear people saying that using a primer is not important or it will not make any difference whether you use it or not. For this, we will advise you to not listen to such a thing.
Painting the helmet
So, now we have reached the last but the most important and most fun part of the whole process. After everything is done, are you ready to make the design on your helmet?
First, apply a coating of basic color like white or black so your design can stand out. Wait for the basic coat to get dried so you can start painting on it.
Now that the coat is dried completely, what are you waiting for? Grab your paints and a painting brush and you can draw and design all you want. You can make characters, butterflies, faces, and even patterns.
Make sure you are delicate with each stroke of paint and use the brush carefully to make your desired pattern.
Let it dry
After giving an artistic touch by painting your welding helmet, all left is to make it completely dried. Place the helmet in an open area so that the paint can firmly stick to it and can be dried conveniently.
After the paint is dried, we will advise you to apply a cover coating all over the helmet. It will give additional shine and beauty to your painted welding helmet.
Enjoy your customized helmet
So after following all the steps mentioned above, you have your customized welding helmet now. It will be unique and different from others and will make you look refreshing.
If you have already painted your welding helmet in the past, then you have some idea of how to do it. And if you have never done that, then why not?
We have given you a detailed overview of how to paint your welding helmet. Don’t think of it as a troublesome task. Just get your paints and a welding helmet and you will find out by yourself!
FAQs
How can I keep my welding helmet clean after painting?
You can easily take care of your welding helmet. You can use some rubbing compound and polish to clean the surface of the helmet. On the helmet shield, apply little wax to clean it. Make sure your head is out of smoke when you are welding something. Also, you should have proper ventilation for the helmet after welding. Lastly, keep it in a proper place after welding.
How can I clean the auto-darkening lenses of the welding helmets?
The part of the lens with the auto-darkening feature is the most sensitive part of the lens. Make sure you clean it properly and do not scratch it because scratches will damage it. Clean it using a microfiber towel with UV protection. Don’t be hard on the surface while clean. Place the towel gently on the lens and clean it with a light hand.
Can I clean my welding helmet with water?
Cleaning your helmet by putting it under water is not recommended. However, the best way to clean is to use a water solution along with a hand wash. Apply it to the helmet and clean it smoothly and lightly making sure not to leave scratches on the surface. The lens can be cleaned using a microfiber cloth to clean all the dust.