Does your Pinewood Derby car look more like a plain block of wood than a speedy racer? Every young builder dreams of a car that zooms across the track, but a dull finish won’t win any races! Choosing the perfect paint is a big deal. You want a color that turns heads, but you also need paint that sticks well and won’t chip off when the car bumps the lane dividers. Many parents and kids feel lost staring at shelves full of confusing paint types, worrying about messy application or heavy finishes that slow the car down.
Don’t let the wrong paint job sabotage your championship run! This guide cuts through the confusion. We will show you exactly which paints work best for wood, how to get that professional, sleek look, and simple tips to avoid common painting disasters. Get ready to transform your humble block into a vibrant, fast-looking machine.
Top Paint For Pinewood Derby Car Recommendations
- Acrylic Paint Sets- Camo
- Flat Black, Flat Dark Gull Gray, Flat Dark Tan, Flat Olive, Flat Camo Green Drab, Flat Tan
- Comes with 1 paint brush and tray
- Made in USA
- Lighting-Fast Lubricant: This custom blend of dry graphite lubricant with molybdenum disulfide is great for use on derby cars, and will satisfy the need for speed.
- Minimizes Friction: Applying this graphite powder to derby car axles and wheels keeps your car running smoothly, plus it will increase your speed down the derby track.
- High Performance: The PRO powdered graphite blend is specially made with derby cars in mind. It’s the ultimate graphite lubricant for winning cars on tracks around the world.
- Easy Application: A puffer tube with a pointed tip offers easy application while using this graphite powder lubricant on the axles and wheels of your derby car.
- Multi-Purpose: Outside of racing, it’s also a great lubricant for daily use on stubborn locks, squeaky hinges, bicycles, tools, sprinklers, and rusty surfaces, to name a few.
- 🎨Safety guarantee & High quality- Made of premium paint material, conforming to ASTM D-4236 and EN71 standards,HissiCo acrylic paint set is in rich pigment, creamy, non toxic and safe for adults, teens and kids’ creative art painting time
- 🖌Nice Color Blending- Acrylic paints can blend, layer and mix well to produce an array of unlimited shades for any craft projects. Each paint has a fantastic thick consistency for art paintings, which will keep brush or spatula marks well and give brilliant texture for your art masterpieces
- 🎨Easy to Use & Store- The acrylic paint set in flip-top squeeze bottles makes it easy to control the flow while applying the paint to arts painting. Comes in a sturdy nice flip-lid cardboard box, the paint set will be easy to store and safe keeping
- 🖌Multifunctional Acrylic Paint Set- HissiCo acrylic paints are versatile in canvas art, painting, scrap booking and even nail arts, suitable for most surfaces, including stretched canvas, wood, glass, card decorating, plastic, craft foam, ceramic, decorative wallpaper, terracotta, blackboard easel, paper and tin
- 🎨36 Vibrant Colors & Rich Pigment- The premium acrylic paint set with 36 unique eye-catching vibrant acrylic colors , 12 paint brushes and 1 palette will offer you vivid colors and better selections to bring your artwork to life. Those highly pigmented colors are great to produce true, consistent shades on painting art, ideal for professional artists, young aspiring artists, painting lovers and kids
- Derby car paint for derby cars
- The brand of the product is PineCar
- This product is manufactured in united states
- Officially licensed, race-legal product of the boy scouts of America for pinewood derby races
- How to make your standout racer blend in at the track.
- This set has everything you need to be the "stealth" competitor at the track.
- Includes two easy-to-use brushes and five camo colors.
- All five colors are non-toxic, water-based, and easy to clean up with water.
- Auto Lacquers will dry to the touch in minutes
- they require 24 hours for a full cure. Hold can 10 to 12 inches from work. Use full strokes. Spray 3 to 4 light mist coats. After 1 to 2 minutes dry, spray 2 to 3 even coats. Must be clear coated in 2 hours.
- BUILD YOUR DREAM CAR: Design and build a unique racer with this official car kit. Kit includes wood block, official wheels and four lead-free nail-type axels. Block measures approximately 1 3/4 in w x 7 in l (4.44 cm x 17.7 cm).
- IMAGINATION TAKES THE WHEEL: This race car craft kit lets kids design, build, and race their own custom creations. Cut, shape, and paint your car to make it your own!
- ENDLESS FINISHING POSSIBLITIES: Explore our other Pinewood Derby Gear to finish your car with weights, decals, decorating accessories and more!
- FUN AND EASY FOR EVERYONE: Great activity for boys and girls, families, adults, and groups while learning something along the way!
- EDUCATIONAL: From Science and Technology to Engineering and Math, the Pinewood Derby has been building STEM skills since 1953.
- 25 VIBRANT COLORS: Shuttle Art Acrylic Paint Set comes with 25 colors acrylic paint in 60 ml/2 oz bottles, providing the most commonly used colors and inspiring hot fluorescent and metallic colors to your art projects, ideal for painting and crafting
- PREMIUM QUALITY: These acrylic paints are water-based, have a creamy texture, and are easy to mix and layer. They have great coverage, and a little paint can go a long way on your surface
- MULTI-PURPOSE PAINT: Acrylic paints for art dry quickly and stay on surfaces extremely well, permanent, waterproof and fade resistant, suitable for most surfaces like glass, rocks, nails, walls, canvas, leather, ceramic, wood, clay, crafts and more, great for art beginners, enthusiasts, professional artists, students, etc
- NON-TOXIC & CERTIFICATED: Conforms to U.S. ASTM D-4236 & EN71-3, non-toxic and acid-free, safe and suitable for all ages
- SERVICE GUARANTEE: Your satisfaction is our top priority, please rest assured to purchase our products. If you are not satisfied with our products or have any questions, please feel free to contact us at any time
Choosing the Best Paint for Your Pinewood Derby Racer
Building a fast and good-looking pinewood derby car is a big deal! The paint job is the final touch. It protects your wood and makes your car stand out. This guide helps you pick the perfect paint for your speedy creation.
Key Features to Look For
When buying paint for your derby car, a few things really matter. You want something that looks great and sticks well to the soft pine wood.
1. Adhesion (How Well It Sticks)
The paint must stick firmly to the wood. If the paint peels, it looks bad and might even slow your car down (though that’s rare!). Good adhesion means the paint won’t flake off during a fast race.
2. Durability and Finish
Derby cars get handled a lot. Look for paints that dry hard. A glossy finish often looks the best. High-gloss paints reflect light well, making your car pop on the track.
3. Ease of Application
You need paint that goes on smoothly. Thick, clumpy paint hides the cool shapes you carved. Thin, easy-to-spread paint works best for beginners.
Important Materials: What Kind of Paint is Best?
Not all paints are made the same. For pinewood derby cars, certain types work better than others.
- Acrylic Paints: These are water-based. They clean up easily with water, which is great for kids. They dry fast and come in tons of colors. Acrylics are usually the top choice.
- Enamel Paints: These oil-based paints dry very hard and shiny. They offer a super durable finish. However, they smell stronger and need special cleaner (like mineral spirits) for brushes.
- Spray Paints (Aerosols): These are fast! They give a very smooth, even coat if you spray them correctly. Use them in a well-ventilated area. Many serious racers prefer spray paint for the smoothest look.
Factors That Improve or Reduce Quality
The paint job affects more than just looks. A smooth paint job can slightly reduce drag, making your car a tiny bit faster.
What Improves Quality:
- Priming: Always use a primer first! Primer seals the wood grain. This stops the wood from soaking up too much color paint. It makes the final color look richer and smoother.
- Thin Coats: Applying three or four thin coats is much better than one thick coat. Thin coats dry evenly and avoid drips.
- Sanding Between Coats: Very lightly sanding between coats (with super fine sandpaper, like 400 grit) removes tiny bumps, leading to a mirror-like finish.
What Reduces Quality:
- Painting Over Dirt or Grease: If the wood is dusty or oily, the paint will not stick well. The quality drops immediately.
- Painting Too Thickly: Thick paint runs, drips, and takes forever to dry. This trapped moisture can sometimes lead to a soft finish.
User Experience and Use Cases
How you use the paint matters for your experience.
For Beginners (Young Racers): Craft acrylic paints or small bottles of hobby spray paint are perfect. Cleanup is easy, and they dry fast enough so you can get back to racing prep quickly.
For Competitive Racers: These builders often use high-quality automotive touch-up paints or specific hobby airbrush paints. They focus on achieving the absolute smoothest, thinnest layer possible to maximize aerodynamics and visual appeal.
Remember, the best paint is one you can apply easily and that dries hard so your awesome design stays perfect through the final inspection and the race itself!
Pinewood Derby Paint FAQ
Q: What is the easiest paint to use for a beginner?
A: Acrylic craft paints are the easiest. They dry fast, you can thin them with water, and cleanup is simple.
Q: Do I really need to use primer on pine wood?
A: Yes, priming is highly recommended. Primer seals the porous wood so your color paint looks vibrant and doesn’t get soaked unevenly into the wood grain.
Q: Can I use nail polish instead of real paint?
A: Some people do use nail polish for tiny details. However, it is not as durable as proper model or craft paint. It might chip easily during the race.
Q: How long does the paint need to dry before I can put on the wheels?
A: If you use thin coats of acrylic, wait at least 24 hours before handling it heavily or putting on accessories like wheels. Follow the specific instructions on your paint can for best results.
Q: Does paint weight affect my car’s speed?
A: Yes, paint adds weight. However, most paints add very little weight (usually less than 1 gram). This slight weight gain is usually balanced out by the smooth finish it provides.
Q: What is the best way to get a super shiny, deep color?
A: Use a high-quality enamel or automotive spray paint. Apply a light primer, then multiple thin coats of color, and finish with a clear top coat for maximum gloss and protection.
Q: Can I paint over wood stain?
A: It is better not to. Stain soaks deep into the wood. If you stain it, you must seal it completely with a clear sealer before applying color paint, or the paint may not stick well.
Q: What should I use to clean my brushes after using enamel paint?
A: You need paint thinner or mineral spirits to clean brushes used with enamel paint. Never use water for oil-based enamel paint.
Q: Is it okay if the paint is slightly thick?
A: No. Thick paint creates a rough surface which creates air drag. Smooth, thin coats are always better for aerodynamics on a fast derby car.
Q: Where should I paint my car for the best results?
A: Paint in a dust-free area that has good airflow, like a garage with the door open, or outside on a calm day. This keeps dust from settling onto the wet paint surface.