Carbon hydro dipping
Carbon-effect and custom finishes dipped onto trim, mirror caps and interior parts, for a factory-look upgrade without the cost of real carbon.
- 10+ years experience
- Genuine quality materials
- Specialist finish
Trusted across Staffordshire, the Midlands, Cheshire, Shropshire and Derbyshire
Hydro dipping, or water transfer printing, wraps a printed film around a three-dimensional part to give it a whole new finish. We use it purely as a styling service for vehicle parts: a carbon-fibre look, or a custom pattern, applied to the pieces of your car that a flat wrap or paint struggles to cover cleanly.
We dip the parts that lift an interior or engine bay: dashboard and console trim, door inserts, gear surrounds, mirror caps, engine covers, badges and grille details. Because the film forms around every curve and edge, complex shapes come out looking moulded in carbon rather than covered, which is exactly where dipping earns its place alongside our wrapping work.
The finish is built in stages. Each part is removed, cleaned, keyed and base-coated in the right ground colour, because the base sets how the pattern reads. The film is floated and activated on water, the part is dipped through it, then rinsed, dried and sealed under a UV-stable clear lacquer and cured. That lacquer is what makes the difference between a novelty finish and one that survives heat, handling and years of use.
Dipping is a cost-effective alternative to genuine carbon parts, and more consistent than trying to wrap small, awkward components. It is not a coating for whole panels or structural parts, and some pieces are still better wrapped or painted. We'll always tell you which route suits each part rather than dipping everything for the sake of it.
Bring us the car, or just the parts you want finished, and we'll talk through patterns, base colours and what will genuinely look good on your vehicle, then quote the work clearly before we start.
Send us a few photos of the parts over WhatsApp and we'll come back with honest advice and a price.
Real carbon look, any part.
How it works
How we approach every carbon hydro dipping job, from first look to final inspection.
- 01
Assess & quote
Tell us the parts, we plan the finish.
- 02
Prep & base
Parts cleaned, primed and base-coated.
- 03
Dip & pattern
Carbon film applied and wrapped to shape.
- 04
Clear & cure
Sealed under clear coat, cured and returned.
Good questions, answered.
Still unsure? Call the studio on 01785 818804.
Removable styling and trim parts work best: interior dash and console pieces, door inserts, gear surrounds, mirror caps, engine covers, badges and grille details. We dip parts we can safely take off and refit, rather than whole body panels. If you are not sure whether a piece suits dipping, ask and we will tell you.
No, and we are always upfront about that. Hydro dipping applies a printed carbon-effect film that gives the look at a fraction of the cost, and it forms around shapes that real carbon parts do not exist for. Where you specifically want a genuine structural carbon component, we will say so.
The pattern is sealed under a UV-stable automotive clear lacquer and cured, so it stands up to heat, handling and sunlight far better than an unlacquered dip. Interior parts in particular last for years with normal use. Looked after sensibly, it wears well.
Both, as long as the part can be removed and refitted safely. Interiors are the most popular, but mirror caps, badges, grilles and engine covers dip beautifully too. Exterior parts get a UV-stable clear coat so they cope with weather and sunlight.
It depends on how many parts are involved and the drying and curing time between stages, which cannot be rushed. Most jobs are a few days, since the lacquer has to cure fully before parts go back on. We confirm timing when we quote.
Whatever suits you. You can bring the car and we will remove and refit the parts, or drop off just the pieces you want done. Some trim is fiddly to remove properly, so we are happy to handle that end to end.
Yes, and we always do. Every dipped part is sealed under a UV-stable clear lacquer and cured, which is the step that turns a novelty finish into one that survives real use. It is not an optional extra with us, it is how the job is done.
A properly prepped, dipped and lacquered part resists fading and peeling well, especially inside the car. Exterior parts live a harder life in the sun and weather, so we finish them to cope with that. As with any finish, sensible care helps it last, and we will give you a few pointers.
Other services
Everything else we do, all under one roof in Stone.
Ready for carbon hydro dipping?
Send your details and we'll come back with honest advice and a clear price. Or call the studio and talk it through.
Hours
- Monday to Friday09:30 to 16:30
- Saturday & SundayBy appointment