Painting rubber mats?

[RichardPercival]

Since rubber mats are only available in anthracite from Mercedes now, I wondered if anyone has tried painting them?
I believe there are spray can paints from companies like rustoleum specifically for flexible surfaces like this.
As I cannot find brown rubber mats anywhere now, I wonder if this might be an option.

[thelews]

It can be done.

[badali]

I had an upholstery shop spray mine for a 108.  They matched the base color and cognac specks for the heal pad on the drivers carpet.  I'll have to look for some photos when I get home.  It can definitely be done.

[Pawel66]

I had the door sill rubber mats painted blue. But I took it to professional - base preparation, type of paint - I think you need to be experienced to do it right.

It is a place highly exposed to wear.

[wwheeler]

SEM. They have lots of rattle can paint for this and works well. I have used that on countless soft interiors parts. If it is soft vinyl, you will want to get the SEM vinyl Prep. If hard plastics, use an adhesion promoter. SEM has one of those as well.

Because these are floor mats, I am not sure how durable the paint will be. For arm rests, door panels and that sort of thing, works magically. A pro shop will use a spray gun but not sure their paint is any better than the SEM.

[badali]

This is the mat before and after we cut a piece from a grey 113 mat to make a new heal pad.

[zoegrlh]

Brad the heel pad looks great. I take it the rubber is painted?  I replaced the carpeting in my Pagoda some years ago during restoration. Got the carpeting from GAHH, I have leather interior, so I had GAHH put same color leather trim around the carpet pieces. Also I had an original MB drivers side carpet that had little to no wear, because previous owner placed a carpet pad over the original carpet. Since the original carpet and interior color, Rot 3004, was a little darker then compared to the new “dark red”, so I changed out all of the carpets. Well when I had the driver’s side carpet cut by GAHH I sent them the rubber heal pad that has the MB star as well as the part number molded on it, to be sewn to the new carpet. It gave the car a little more originality. Bob