Best Caliper Paints: Show Off Your Stopping Power
Add some character to your wheels with our top picks for best caliper paint
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There are many upgrades you can buy for your car to personalize it. Painting your brake calipers is one of them. In fact, many high-end automotive manufacturers distinguish themselves with painted brake calipers. If you want to achieve a similar look with your own car, check out our buying guide for the best caliper paint.
Dupli-Color Black Brake Caliper Aerosol
Rust-Oleum 12-Ounce Red Caliper Paint Spray
POR-15 Red Caliper Paint
Benefits of Caliper Paint
- Affordable upgrade. Typically, most upgrades to your vehicle can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. Caliper paint is quite cheap. You can still achieve a personalized look without having to break into your piggy bank.
- A personal touch. Expressing your style with caliper paint is easy. There are a wide variety of colors to choose from and designs to display. In fact, you can even paint each caliper a different color. The calipers can accent your wheels and truly make your paint job pop. The possibilities are endless.
- Little mechanical knowledge required. Beyond knowing how to remove your wheels and tires, all it takes to paint your calipers is a bit of tape, plastic, and time. Even if you do need to remove the calipers to cover the entire surface, you can easily reinstall them later.
- Temporary change. One of the best features of caliper paint is that you can easily paint over it if you change your mind about the color. All you have to do is buy another can or two to achieve the new look.
Types of Caliper Paint
Aerosol
Typically, aerosolized spray cans of caliper paint are enamel-based. They come in 11- or 12-ounce cans and can be of any finish. Whether you want metallic, matte, gloss, or any other types of finishes, there’s quite a variety to choose from. Most aerosol caliper paints require a few coats for a finished look so application time is longer. Unless specified, aerosol caliper paints aren’t necessarily designed for high-heat environments.
Dipping Cans
To use a dipping can for your brake calipers, you will need to remove them from the vehicle. This is not something you have to do with brush-on kits, vinyl film, or aerosol cans of caliper paint. However, using a dipping can can increase the uniformity of the caliper paint, and you’ll likely only need one coat.
Epoxy
While epoxy caliper paints are more chemically volatile than other types of caliper paint, you do get more in terms of durability. Though the application process requires safety measures to protect your skin from the caustic chemicals in epoxy caliper paints, the finish is long lasting and more durable than other types. Brush-on kits typically use epoxy-based caliper paints to encourage the pigment to adhere to the surface of the caliper.
Vinyl Film
Armed with a heat gun and razor blade, you can easily apply vinyl film to your brake calipers to get a complete and uniform look. These kits come with sheets of vinyl that meld to your brake caliper via heat. Simply trim the edges to remove excess film as you shape the film onto the caliper. Applying vinyl caliper paint film can be harder if you aren’t experienced with a heat gun, but it also requires much less drying time.
Top Brands
Dupli-Color
Part of the Sherwin Williams family, Dupli-Color shares in the paint brand’s proud heritage. The Dupli-Color branch was founded in 1938 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. If you like what Dupli-Color has to offer, check out its Ceramic Torque ‘N’ Teal Engine Paint. It’s a great way to spiff up any engine bay.
Rust-Oleum
Founded in 1921, Rust-Oleum has been creating solutions for vehicles both land- and sea-bound. Calling Vernon Hills, Ill., home, Rust-Oleum’s product lineup includes a number of innovative solutions, from Specialty Rust Preventative Caliper Paint to Chevrolet-specific Orange Engine Enamel.
POR-15
Headquartered in New York, POR-15 has been in the industry since 1977. Designed specifically for your rust-covered surfaces, POR-15’s products help prevent rust from spreading as much as they improve the overall look of your vehicle. Its High Temperature Heat Resistant Paint is just one example of what they offer.
VHT
With over 10 years in the industry, VHT (or Very High Temperature) creates, you guessed it, high-temp paint for all your automotive needs. Also part of the Sherwin Williams family, VHT is headquartered in Ohio. Check out its Gold Brake Caliper Paint if you’re looking to add some bling to your ride.
Eastwood
Based out of Pennsylvania, Eastwood has been serving its customers for over 40 years. The company offers a variety of products for your every automotive need, so check out its wide selection. You may even find products like the Eastwood Long Lasting Heat Resistant Caliper Paint.
Caliper Paint Pricing
- $5-$20: For less than the price of an oil change, you can purchase aerosolized and dipping cans of caliper paint. Most aerosol cans are 11-12 ounces, no matter the type of finish. Dipping cans in this price range are typically 8 ounces.
- $20-$50: If you prefer dipping cans, there are rust-preventative coatings available at this price point. Most brush-on kits can be found in this price range as well. You can also purchase vinyl film for around $25-$50.
- $50 and up: Any paint available over $50 is typically going to be high temperature or a name brand. Some brush-on kits are priced around $60-$65, but you won’t necessarily be paying for higher quality.
Key Features
High Temperature
While you may not realize it, your brake calipers heat up very quickly. In fact, they can reach incredibly high temperatures within just a few minutes, regardless if you’re driving in the dead of winter or the heat of summer. High-temperature paint is crucial to use because, without that factor, the paint you applied could flake off and even melt within seconds.
Durability
The best caliper paint should be long-lasting and durable. Whether you choose an easy application method or spend an entire weekend on painting your calipers, it’s probably not something you want to be doing as often as you change your car’s oil. Save yourself some time and money by choosing caliper paint that will last for a few years.
Easy Application
Along with durability, the best caliper paint should be easy to apply. That means if you’re using a dipping can, the paint should adhere within a few dips. Aerosol cans should direct the pigment, and brush-on kits should include precision brushes that allow for detailed application. While some processes may require you to take the caliper off the vehicle, they shouldn’t require any other form of disassembly.
Fast Drying
No one wants to wait hours and hours for the paint to dry. The best brake caliper paints should dry within an hour or two at the most. Most aerosol cans need a few minutes between coats in order to form a solid layer, which can also be true of brush-on paints.
Full Coverage
Along with drying quickly, the best caliper paints should apply well with only two or three coats at the most. You’ll likely have to apply at least two coats in order to establish a base layer and then ensure coverage, but any extra layers beyond that shouldn’t be necessary. This is especially true for brush-on and dipping cans of caliper paint where the paint itself is likely more concentrated.
Other Considerations
- Paint Type:Besides the various types of caliper paint and delivery methods we described above, there are also different types of paint bases, such as enamel and epoxy. There’s also vinyl film. Enamel paints can be high temperature, but typically epoxy paints withstand heat better. Vinyl films may not perform as well, depending on what temperature they’re rated for.
- Quantity:It’s a good rule of thumb to purchase at least two cans of aerosolized caliper paint. If your calipers are much larger than your fist, you’ll likely need more paint than that. Racing calipers can have anywhere from four to eight pistons, so the higher the piston count, the more paint you’ll likely need.
Best Caliper Paint Reviews & Recommendations 2020
We chose the Dupli-Color Black Brake Caliper Aerosol as our top pick for the best caliper paint. This 12-ounce aerosol can of black caliper paint allows you to easily resurface your brake calipers for a cleaner, more polished look. If you’re going for a stock look or want to change it up a bit by adding a pop of color, Dupli-Color has a variety of shades to choose from.
This particular product offers a complete package. Each can is fitted with an EZ Touch conical nozzle, which guides the pigment where the nozzle is directed for better coverage and less waste. The ceramic resins within the caliper paint can withstand temperatures up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Dupli-Color reports the caliper paint is dry to the touch in 30 minutes and ready to handle within the hour, which makes painting your brake calipers a relatively quick upgrade. Once applied, the paint is resistant to both chipping and brake dust, so you won’t have to repeat the process all over again any time soon.
Our biggest concern with Dupli-Color’s Black Caliper Aerosol lies in the fact that it’s not necessarily designed for high-temperature applications. While 500 degrees Fahrenheit is certainly quite intense heat, environmental factors may cause your brakes to become even hotter than that. However, Dupli-Color makes it easy for anyone looking to paint their calipers.
Manufactured in the United States, Rust-Oleum’s Red Caliper Paint Spray won our value pick for the best caliper paint. Though we featured the red caliper spray product, Rust-Oleum offers multiple shades to create the look you’re going for.
Rust-Oleum packages this aerosol spray in a 12-ounce can, which should be plenty to cover at least two brake calipers, depending on how big they are. The paint is specifically designed to resist brake dust deposits and high temperatures. In fact, Rust-Oleum boasts its caliper paint can withstand temperatures up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Such heat resistance works out well in competitive situations and in hotter climates. This high-temperature brake caliper paint stops rust as well, so you won’t have to worry about your brakes crumbling beneath you. Rust-Oleum fits their spray cans with any angle spray technology, giving you the ability to maneuver around your calipers for better overall coverage. A comfort-tip spray nozzle makes the entire experience that much more enjoyable.
The only concern we have with Rust-Oleum’s Red Caliper Paint Spray is that it’s not necessarily advertised to be resistant to chemicals. Anything sprayed on or around your brakes could potentially strip paint away, whether in small portions or complete sections. At the same time, it’s easy for nearly anyone to shine up their brake calipers with Rust-Oleum’s caliper paint spray.
This product from POR-15 is caliper painting made easy. Simply dip in your calipers, hang them to dry, and repeat for additional coverage. You can also paint the pigment on by hand for better coverage and a more even finish. There are many colors to choose from as POR-15 doesn’t just offer the red paint we are featuring as our honorable mention pick.
We chose the POR-15 Red Caliper Paint because it’s a versatile product that offers a lot of benefits when it comes to painting your brake calipers. These 8 ounces are likely enough to paint around four calipers of moderate size. As we mentioned, you can dip the calipers in the paint after cleaning them or use a brush to apply the paint in as many coats as you like. Either way, the paint itself provides excellent coverage in just a few coats. You can expect a durable, ceramic-like finish that’s impenetrable up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
One drawback of the POR-15 Red Caliper Paint is that you will have to remove the brake caliper from your vehicle before painting. It is possible to paint your caliper by hand using this product if you leave the caliper on the car, but you aren’t guaranteed full coverage in that case. That being said, this product from POR-15 is easy for almost anyone to use.
G2 paint has a heat resistance up to 980-degrees Fahrenheit, one of the highest available. You brush on the paint, which dries harder than aerosol alternatives and does not flake. It comes in 11 wear-resistant colors and includes everything you need to paint your calipers. It's designed to protect against dirt, road salt, brake fluids, and loose gravel.
The paint is very durable and doesn't fade. The kit comes with enough paint to do at least three coats per caliper on one vehicle, and it's simple to use. It produces excellent results, and the coating is thick and durable, making your brake calipers pop. You just need to make sure you thoroughly clean the calipers and prep your vehicle before application.
However, the included brush is not very precise, so you may need to purchase a better one. Also, you need to constantly stir the paint because it can coagulate and cause an uneven application. If you choose to add the decal, you need to cover it in a high-quality clear coat spray epoxy so it doesn't wear off.
Dupli-Color's paint kit includes paint, caliper cleaner, a paintbrush, masking tape, a stir stick, and instructions. Since you apply the paint with a brush, you don't need to remove the calipers from the vehicle. It's also ideal for rotors and drums. The paint dries to the touch in 30 minutes and can be handled in one hour. It protects against brake dust and chipping and won't flake, crack, or peel.
Using a brush instead of a spray is easier when it comes to prep work, and it produces a thick and durable coat. The color does not fade, and the paint produces a smooth, factory-looking caliper. The kit provides more paint than you will need, so you won't run out. It's a great value for what you get.
One downside is the included brush isn't the best quality, and you may want to use a better one. There have been some complaints that the paint doesn't dry very well and stays tacky for a few days. Also, the red paint may not be as bright as you expect.
VHT's caliper paint is heat-resistant up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit, dries quickly and does not fade, chip, crack, or peel. It dries to the touch in 30 minutes and fully overnight. It cures under normal braking operating temperatures. The paint is designed for calipers, rotors, and brake drums and provides optimal results when used with a primer and clear coat.
This paint sprays on really well provides good coverage, and the color looks great, particularly in bright sunlight. There are a variety of color options in addition to red, including bright yellow, gloss black, and gold. The spray can and nozzle are good-quality, and the paint goes on smoothly. The paint is easy to apply, and one can goes a long way.
However, proper preparation is vital for the product to adhere and cure properly. If you don't use a clear coat, the paint can absorb brake dust and fade to a dusty color. It's also not as thick or durable as brush-on paint. Another downside is that brake cleaner may remove the paint from the calipers.
Foliatec is a German-based company. Its brake caliper lacquer is resistant to heat, chemicals and corrosion. There's enough in one kit to paint four brake calipers or two calipers and two brake drums. There's no need to remove the calipers to paint them. The kit includes the paint, brake cleaner, a hardener, a steel brush, spatula, and disposable gloves.
The brush provides a more precise application compared to an aerosol spray. The lacquer hardens in about two hours, and then you can reinstall the wheels. It takes about five days for the lacquer to completely harden. If you want to repaint the calipers, simply scrape off the old paint and reapply with new lacquer. The end result is an easy-to-clean, long-lasting gloss.
Like all of the products in this list, proper prep is essential. You need to remove dirt and rust with a steel brush and clean the calipers thoroughly before applying the lacquer. One downside is that this kit is a little expensive compared to some other brands.
Eastwood's caliper paint is also safe for use on brake drums and comes in red, black and silver. You can paint the calipers without taking apart the brake assemblies or use it on new components before installation.
The paint is heat-, UV-, and chemical-resistant and can withstand temperatures up to 650 degrees Fahrenheit. After application, it's easy to wipe away brake dust and road grime, keeping your calipers looking like new. The product comes with enough paint for four calipers.
However, if you want the paint to be more durable and glossy, you need to purchase Eastwood's urethane activator, which hardens and cures urethane and ceramic paints. You should also buy the pre-painting prep aerosol because it's vital to thoroughly clean the calipers before applying paint. These added products can increase the cost of the process.
Tips
- When using aerosolized caliper paint, make sure to work in a well-ventilated area. Even dipping cans and brush-on kits can be harmful if inhaled for too long. You should also use gloves as you paint to avoid transferring any pigment and harmful chemicals on to your skin.
- One alternative to commercial caliper paint is powder coating. While the process takes much longer and can be expensive, powder coating is more durable. If you want to powder coat your existing calipers, you’ll need to remove any brake fluid, grease, and rubber seals—basically everything but the metal calipers themselves. You can also purchase brand-new calipers to install as well.
- Most of the colors available for caliper paint will appear as they look on the cap or label. However, you may want to try out the color on a scrap piece of metal. To get the most out of this method, tape off three sections of a scrap metal piece and spray one, then two, and then three coats.
- If you’ve never applied caliper paint, try using aerosolized paint first. It’s the easiest to apply and doesn’t require you to remove the caliper from the vehicle. Alternatively, you can also try brush-on kits for the same reason.
- The best time to paint your calipers is when you’re replacing the brakes; that is, if you’re a DIYer or garage mechanic and have the ability. You can easily remove the calipers when you replace the pads and rotors. As long as you can keep your car off the road for a day, the whole process shouldn’t take too long.
- Painting your brake calipers can be a great way to spiff up the exterior of your car. If you’re selling your vehicle and want to make a quick upgrade without spending a lot of money, caliper paint can be a great option. It gives the exterior of your car a lift and doesn’t take much time at all.
- Make sure to clean the brake caliper thoroughly before you apply any paint. This may require the use of a wire brush or scrubbing pad to loosen stuck-on debris. The cleaner you can make the brake caliper, the easier it will be for the paint to adhere in a uniform layer.
- When painting your brake calipers, make sure to tape off anything you want to preserve. You can use masking tape or painter’s tape, along with some plastic or large sheets of packing paper. Any decals you want to keep intact should be taped off as well.
FAQs
Q: Do I need to buy a clear caliper paint to apply for added durability?
A: Most available caliper paints will include some form of clear coat in the formula. Spray paints may benefit from clear coat spray since they are more prone to chipping than other types. However, you can also substitute applying a clear coat with adding another layer of paint.
Q: How many calipers can I paint with one aerosol can, dipping can, brush-on kit, etc.?
A: The answer really depends on how much paint you purchase and in what form. Most manufacturers will tell you what amount of coverage you can expect from their products. Caliper paint kits will typically include enough paint to cover four calipers.
Q: If I own a larger vehicle, do I need more caliper paint than sedans?
A: Large vehicles tend to have bigger brakes because there’s more weight to stop, but performance vehicles can have larger brakes as well. Owning a larger vehicle doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll need more caliper paint.
Q: Does caliper paintwork on other parts of my vehicle?
A: Caliper paint can work on some other parts of your brake system. However, you should always check to see what brake parts the manufacturer lists before painting any other components besides the calipers. Some paints may not be suitable for anything but the brake calipers.
Q: What can I use to clean the brake caliper before I paint it?
A: There are a number of products out there that you can use to clean your brake components. To remove brake dust and grime, pick up a brake cleaner similar to what you’d use if you were replacing your brakes.
Q: Do I need to use a primer before painting my calipers?
A: Priming your calipers isn’t necessary as long as you clean them before applying paint. Most paints are self-leveling, and even if you choose a brake caliper paint kit that you brush on the paint should settle into the cracks and crevices.
Q: How do I remove old caliper paint?
A: It really depends on what your old caliper paint was made from, but typically caliper cleaner can remove most of the top surface contaminants. You can then work from there to get down to bare metal with sandpaper or even abrasive sponges used for deep cleaning.
Q: Do I need to remove my brake lines, brake pads, and entire brake system before painting my calipers?
A: Yes and no. There are certain types of caliper paint that require you to remove the calipers from your vehicle, but there are just as many methods that don’t require disassembly.
Final Thoughts
Our top pick for best caliper paint is the Dupli-Color Black Brake Caliper Aerosol. It’s an easy solution to adding a splash of flair to your brakes.
Choose the Rust-Oleum 12-Ounce Red Caliper Paint Spray if you’re working on a budget but still want to add personality to your ride.
Why Trust Us
Our reviews are driven by a combination of hands-on testing, expert input, “wisdom of the crowd” assessments from actual buyers, and our own expertise. We always aim to offer genuine, accurate guides to help you find the best picks.
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