Properly polished aluminium can in fact have the reflective properties of chrome but as with so many of these things, it takes time, patience and a fair amount of effort to find the mirror...

However, there is a standard procedure that will get you there. So long as you don’t try to cut any corners and follow through the process, you should be really pleased with the end results.

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Ensuring you are in a well-ventilated, well-lit, workshop, and of course, using protective gear like latex gloves and goggles, having removed the wheels from the car, give them a thorough inspection for wear and tear. If necessary, refer to our previous blog about how to repair alloys.

Cleaning

Thus satisfied, first, clean the aluminium with a proprietary cleaner containing Trisodium Phosphate. This is a degreaser, cleanser and stain-remover that will prep the surface, adhering to the manufacturer’s instructions for use. Allow the aluminium to dry thoroughly before continuing.

It’s up to you whether you remove the tyres; I always recommend it for ease, as they can be quite bulky with tyre on. But if not, just mask the tyres up as you would normally. I would tend to use plastic rather than paper though, as it’s a wet process.

Glasspaper Sanding

You can either do it by hand, or purchase a comprehensive set of glasspaper heads for your power tool, be it a drill, a Dremel, or such like. I don’t have to tell you though that it’s essential you manage to cover the entire wheel comprehensively, so if you are doing it using a power tool, be sure you don’t miss the inside of curved edges and seek to produce a uniform finish to each of the levels of grit.

If using a power-tool, using a spatula, spread an abrasive compound onto the surface of the grit pad as evenly as possible. I would recommend you do it by hand though, as the action you are wanting is in straight lines, rather than circular.

It is also important to make sure the next level of grit is worked perpendicularly to the previous one, which may prove difficult using power tools. You can also apply pressure to a surprisingly sizeable surface area with just your hand.

Using a relatively coarse 220-grit glasspaper, add a little car soap before soaking it in water. Give your aluminium parts a thorough rub down. Keep the paper and the aluminium parts lubricated with plenty of water.

Finer Grade Papers

Continue sanding using the same method with glass-paper of finer grade. Moving up through 400-grit, 600-grit then 800-grit, 1200-grit and lastly 2000 grit, rinsing and washing the wheel in clean water and lightening your touch as you go.

With each grade of paper, you should be erasing all the lines from the previous grit so that by the time you get to the superfine 2000-grit, the aluminium will be exceedingly smooth. Having a bunch of clean paper or towels nearby will be very handy here, so you can wipe down and see how you are getting on.

Drying

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This part, I do recommend a power-tool. Use clean towels to completely dry every inch of the aluminium. Ensuring the wheel is thoroughly dry, leaving to air dry in the sun if necessary, check there is no remnant grit left on the surface, or it will be picked up by your buffer tool.

Buffing

Using gentle circular motions, buff the aluminium with the use of a buffing pad and brown cutting compound. Cutting compounds, like glasspaper come in different grades of abrasion. You can also buy proprietary ‘aluminium polish’. After you buff using the brown cutting compound, using a clean, new buffing pad, rebuff with rouge cutting compound. After each level check you’ve done a good job in removing the marks from the previous process.

If using polish, let the polish set for a few minutes before using polishing cloths to buff the surfaces. At this point, your aluminium really should be looking for all the world like chrome.

Sealing

I’d recommend at this juncture that you now consider protecting all your good work with a premium quality aluminium sealant, as aluminium reacts with air to form an oxide coat and then proceeds to corrode, if left to its own devices. Don’t forget, wheels take a lot of punishment, not only from whatever’s on the road, but also superheated brake dust, which will react with the aluminium if allowed.

Tweeting

Allow the sealant to dry thoroughly before putting your rims back onto your ride, then taking photos and tweeting your success far and wide.