General Dying or Painting Capotta

[vvatc]

Ciao rigazzi,

So, I bought a new top for my Giardineira. The old one was leaking throught the seams. However, I'm pretty sure it can be salvaged. After I clean & repair it, I would like to either paint it or dye it....but I've never painted or dyed a rag top before.

Does anyone have any experience it painting or dying the top? And of course, all the usual questions you would expect from somebody inexperienced at such work. Such as what kind of paint? How do you prep the material? etc...including all the questions I don't know what to ask because I don't know what I'm doing!

Any and all advice is welcome.

My plan, btw, is to turn my black soft top into the Italian flag - green, white and red. So I'm thinking giving the top a good cleaning and then painting over the black would be easiest...but what do I know...

Grazie,

Bud

 

[oopsadaisy]

Hello and welcome!

I must admit I never heard of anyone trying to dye a soft top before.

My biggest doubt (especially the Italian fiag idea you mention) would be whether it would be possible to do this in three different colours, and keeping them separate an accurately aligned.

Also, being as they are black to start with, presumably you wuld have to bleach it first.

Painting might work, but be careful to use paint that won't crack or wrinkle.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on!

 

[vvatc]

I've done a little research since my original post and I think painint is gonna be my best bet. There's several types of paint for canvas that are weather proof and don't crack. I may wait a couple months until I move back to the States to get it done...