The short answer
Changing the colour of a full set of four alloys in the UK typically costs £200–£450, or roughly £50–£110 per wheel, by powder coating or wet painting. A colour change is essentially a full refurbishment with a new colour, so the wheel is stripped to bare metal, repaired, recoated in the new shade and sealed, rather than just touched up. Special finishes — candy colours, multi-stage metallics or a colour with a lacquer over the top — cost more. Tyre removal, refitting and rebalancing may be added on top. Going from a diamond-cut finish to a solid colour is straightforward, but you lose the machined face permanently; going the other way, to diamond-cut, needs lathe work and costs more.
A colour change — most often silver to gloss or matt black — is a popular way to refresh a car's look. The sections below give indicative UK costs, explain what the price covers, and flag the points worth checking before booking.
At a glance
- Full set, standard colour~£200–£450
- Per wheel~£50–£110
- Special / candy / multi-stageAdd per wheel
- Tyre off + balanceOften extra
- Diamond-cut to solid colourLoses machined face
Colour change costs
A colour change is priced like a full refurbishment because that is effectively what it is — the old finish has to come off completely so the new colour goes onto clean metal and does not show the previous shade at chips or edges. Standard solid colours (black, anthracite, white, silver) are the lowest-cost; special-effect finishes cost more because they need extra coats and lacquer. The ranges below are indicative and vary by wheel size, finish and region.
| Job | Indicative cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full set, standard solid colour | £200–£450 | Strip, recolour, seal |
| Per wheel | £50–£110 | Cheaper in a set |
| Candy / multi-stage metallic | Add per wheel | Extra coats + lacquer |
| Tyre off, refit, rebalance | Often extra | If tyres must come off |
| Two-tone / diamond-cut effect | Higher | Needs lathe work |
Indicative figures for guidance only. Prices vary by colour, finish and region.
What a colour change includes
A colour change starts with removing the existing finish, usually by chemical dipping or media blasting, back to bare metal. Any kerb damage or corrosion is repaired and the surface keyed, then the new colour is applied — as powder coating (oven-cured) or wet paint — and sealed with a lacquer where the finish needs it. Doing this to clean metal is what makes the new colour even and durable, and stops the old shade peeking through at chips and edges down the line.
As with any full refurbishment, the tyre work is the part that may not be in the headline price. The tyres usually have to come off so the wheel can be stripped and (for powder coat) oven-cured, then be refitted and the wheels rebalanced, and on cars with tyre-pressure monitoring the TPMS sensors need handling carefully. Some quotes include this; others price the coating alone and add tyre work separately. Reading the quote line by line is the fair way to compare two shops on a colour change.
Things to weigh before changing colour
A colour change is largely a cosmetic decision, but a few practical points are worth weighing. First, if your wheels are diamond-cut, switching to a solid colour is easy and often desirable because it removes the recurring lacquer-peel problem — but you permanently lose the bright machined face, and going back to diamond-cut later means lathe work and more cost. Second, very dark or matt finishes show brake dust and water spotting more, and matt finishes are less forgiving to clean and to repair invisibly if kerbed, so think about upkeep as well as looks.
Third, durability follows the finish you choose rather than the colour itself: a well-applied powder coat in any colour is hard-wearing, while a cheap wet respray will chip sooner whatever shade it is. Finally, a colour change is the natural moment to also sort out any existing damage — since the wheel is being stripped anyway, repairing kerb scuffs and corrosion at the same time costs little extra and gives a genuinely fresh result. Treating the colour change as a full refurbishment with a new shade, rather than a quick respray, is the way to get a finish that lasts.
Frequently asked questions
Can you change alloy colour without removing the tyres?
Not for a proper colour change. The wheel has to be stripped to bare metal and, for powder coating, oven-cured, which means the tyres must come off. A localised cosmetic touch-up can leave the tyre on, but a full recolour cannot, so expect tyre removal and rebalancing in the job.
Is powder coating or painting better for a colour change?
Both work. Powder coating gives a thicker, more chip-resistant, oven-cured finish and is popular for solid colours. Wet paint can match a wider range of special-effect and factory colours. The right choice depends on the colour and effect you want and the durability you are after.
Can I change diamond-cut wheels to a solid colour?
Yes, and it is straightforward — the wheel is stripped and recoated in the new colour. The trade-off is that you permanently lose the bright machined diamond-cut face. Many owners do this deliberately because a solid powder-coated colour avoids the lacquer-peel issues diamond-cut faces are prone to.
Sources & further reading
Figures on this page are typical UK ranges drawn from published sources and depend on your specific wheels. They are guidance, not a quotation.