How to Customize Your Disc Golf Discs with Dye

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

Dyeing your disc golf discs is a great way to personalize them and make a statement on the course. Here, we'll teach you how to create your own one-of-a-kind discs with just a few materials. We'll also share three different methods for dyeing discs and talk about different design options so you can let your imagination go wild. Happy dyeing!

Things You Should Know

Use synthetic fiber dyes—they'll set into the plastic that disc golf discs are made of.
Create a tie-dye effect on your discs with the paint pour method.
Make your own specific disc design using the shaving cream method.
Try the ice method to make your disc look like it's water cultured.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Paint Pour Method

1
Mix your dyes. Add a squeeze of hair conditioner to a mixing cup; it’s better to start with less since you can always use more later. Stir in a small amount of the synthetic fiber dye—about ¼ tbsp (3.7 g) should work.^{[1]
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Research source} Slowly increase the amount of dye until the mixture is the color you want.
- Wear gloves so you don’t stain your hands with any dyes you use.
- Use 2-4 synthetic fiber dyes that can dye plastic.^{[2]
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  Research source} Pick up synthetic fiber dye online or at your local craft store.
- Some disc golf retailers sell dye kits specially made to dye discs.
2
Add about 2-3 oz of acetone to the mixture. Slowly stir the acetone and dye together.^{[3]
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Research source} The mixture should start to steam a bit.^{[4]
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Research source}If your mixture is more of a paste than a liquid, add around ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of water to thin it out.^{[5]
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- Repeat the last two steps until you've mixed all the colors of dye you plan to use.
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3
Prepare the disc dyeing base. To create a base, decide if you want your designs to be runny or defined. For a runny, “tie dye” effect, use shampoo.^{[6]
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Research source} To have an easier time forming specific shapes, like big swirls, use conditioner or lotion.^{[7]
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Research source} Pour all of the substance you chose as your base onto a tin foil pan.^{[8]
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Research source} Use a chopstick to evenly distribute your base onto the pan.
4
Add drops of dye onto your base. Fill a craft syringe with one of your dyes. Squeeze droplets all over your base until you’ve emptied out the syringe.^{[9]
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Research source} Use a chopstick to spread the dye throughout your base.^{[10]
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5
Place the golf disc facedown in the mix. Gently press down to make sure that the mix completely coats the disc. Place a slightly heavy object, like a full lotion bottle, onto the center of the disc so the dye can set into the disc’s plastic. ^{[11]
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Research source} Wait 24 hours.^{[12]
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Research source} Rinse off the excess base and dye from your golf disc to reveal your final design!^{[13]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Shaving Cream Method

1
Prepare your shaving cream base. Spray a full can of shaving cream into a mixing bowl. Add about 1 tbsp (14.77 mL) of water and mix until the shaving cream has an even consistency.^{[14]
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2
Prepare your dye base. Take out a pie pan and set it down. Use a large plastic spoon to scoop all of the shaving cream base into the pie pan.^{[15]
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Research source} Once the shaving cream mounds at the top of the pie pan, use a ruler to shave off the excess. Now, you have the base to add your dye to.^{[16]
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3
Create your dye mixes. Fill a plastic cup with shaving cream and stir it with a spoon. Pour in about 1 tbsp (14.77 mL) of powdered synthetic dye and mix it into the shaving cream. Continue to add in dye until you’ve achieved the color you want. Thoroughly mix until the shade is consistent.^{[17]
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- Pick up powdered synthetic dye online or from a craft store.
- Repeat this step as needed until you have mixed all the dyes you plan to use.
4
Create a design with the dye mix and an eyedropper. Draw in the dye mix with an eyedropper. Squeeze the eyedropper to add your dyes to the shaving cream base in small dots and dashes. Get creative and make any shape that inspires you, like a star or a heart.^{[18]
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- To create a uniform tie dye spiral, draw a spiral in the shaving cream beginning with a small circle in the middle and working your way to the outside. Then, draw equally spaced lines from the center of the shaving cream to the outside edges.^{[19]
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5
Place the disc face down in the shaving cream mixture. Once you're happy with your design, gently press down to make sure the disc is completely submerged in the dye.^{[20]
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- Cover the back of your disc with plastic wrap if you don’t want to get any dye on the back side.
6
Leave the disc in the dye for at least 12 hours. Then, gently wash off the shaving cream and dye to reveal your final design!^{[21]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Ice Method

1
Set your disc in a tray that collects excess dye. Place the disc faceup on a disposable pie pan, a crafting tray, or a baking dish. Then, put it on an elevated surface like a cooling rack so that it won’t touch any runoff water from the ice you'll put on it later.^{[22]
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2
Place ice cubes on top of the disc. Use crushed ice since it won’t slip off the disc. To create a watercolor effect, completely cover the disc with ice. For more saturated and bold colors, put less ice on top of the disc.^{[23]
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3
Sprinkle synthetic powdered dye on top of the ice. Pick up synthetic powdered dye from the craft store since it’ll set into the plastic of your disc. Pour the powdered dye into a bowl, put on gloves, and pinch about 1 tsp (4.9 g) of the dye. Sprinkle the dye over the ice. Repeat the process for the other colored dyes.^{[24]
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- Use powdered dye with this method for the best results. Liquid dye will run through the ice cubes and won’t have the same watercolor effect.^{[25]
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4
Pour acetone over the ice to make a watercolor effect. Drop 1 tbsp (14.79 mL) of acetone onto the ice. As the ice melts, the acetone and the dye will mix together to create natural-looking patterns that mimic raindrops or a watercolor painting.^{[26]
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5
Let the ice fully melt into fun designs. Feel free to add additional ice or dye to make any desired adjustments to the disc's design. Once the ice has fully melted, wait at least 12 hours before removing the disc from the tray.^{[27]
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6
Rinse off the disc and enjoy your custom design. After the ice has melted and the dye has set into the disc, run it under water. Remove any excess dye, set your disc down to air dry overnight, and then show off your unique disc golf disc!