Paint My Car

Paint My Car is one of one of the most misconstrued parts of our hobby. It can be an overwhelming procedure to sand off the paint on your car, yet it's one of those jobs that things need to worsen to get far better. Below are the basic steps and methods for Painting your car.


Paint My Car


Prep work - There are a few ways prepare your vehicle for paint. Each approach relies on just how extreme you're opting for your paint work or restoration. The most common techniques are found listed below.

Strip to bare steel - This really is one of the most "right" method to prep a car for a repaint, especially a traditional or "older" car. This method will certainly allow you to reveal any possible rust or deterioration that will certainly should be addressed before you place on any kind of topcoats. Below are one of the most usual techniques used to remove a vehicle to bare steel before paint.

-Removing or Cleansing Disc-- These been available in a couple of sizes as well as are good for eliminating paint in large areas (hood, roofing, fenders, etc) or in small areas (like body lines, engine bays, etc) without harming the steel.

-Media Blasting-- Media Blasting is a preferred approach to quickly get rid of paint, primer, as well as rust by firing the steel with pressurized carefully ground rough media. This technique calls for an air compressor and extreme care have to be required to prevent contorting the body panels.

-Chemical Stripping-- This technique is applied by cleaning the liquid pole dancer on the metal. You need to after that permit the chemical to gradually soften and lift the paint. You can then utilize a scrape or cable wheel to remove the softened paint. We recommend utilizing a DA sander to "break the surface" prior to using the pole dancer to assist quicken the procedure. Providers are additionally offered to have a car "dipped" in a acidic remedy that will certainly get rid of all prior layers as well as completely bring the car to a real "Virgin" state.

Mess up and also Fire - This approach isn't really one of the most ideal, but it's common in quick repair services or repaints. We suggest avoiding this method unless you understand the base finishings left below are solid and the metal is devoid of rust. You must abrade the large surface areas with 400-600 grit sandpaper on a block or with a DA sander prior to you use any kind of new finishes to the vehicle. The structure left by sanding the surface area will certainly offer the brand-new coverings something to adhere to when applied.

-Air Sander-- Using an Air Sander or DA Sander will permit you to swiftly abrade the existing paint and also give the surface the texture needed for the guide or paint to "attack" into. This method is the quickest for a "scuff and shoot" yet it also has the tendency to leave an irregular surface that will certainly affect the ended up paintjob (wavy surface). For the best results we suggest using a DA together with a block sander.

-Block Sanding-- This is the slower, much more labor intensive estate of preparing an automobile for paint, but it allows you to leave a level, uniform base for paint to be applied to. There are a wide variety of block sanders, ensure you choose the ideal block for the form you're sanding.


Fixing Body Damage - Prior to painting a car we suggest trying to fix any damages discovered on the body. This consists of rust, damages, painting chips, etc. The more time you spend fixing damages on the car, the far better your last paintjob will certainly look when done. Below are a few of the crucial approaches and tools needed to fix body before a paintjob.

-Hammer and Dollies-- Making use of a hammer and dolly is one of the most fundamental means to repair damages and also one of the most typical. By hammering on the damaged location while holding the dolly behind the broken area (or beside it called hammering "off-dolly") you can bring the metal back to its initial shape. We 'd recommend picking up a basic hammer and also dolly package like these we offer: Beginners as well as seasoned veterinarians alike could gain from grabbing a duplicate of The Key to Steel Bumping to help find out the best ways to appropriately attack a damage with a hammer and also dolly.

-Stud Welder-- A stud welder is an additional technique used for drawing damages in steel. This procedure is straightforward, but does take some method to perfect. It involves making use of a device to detect weld small pins to the damaged area. You then use a slide hammer to pull the pins and also dented metal out. Once you have drawn the dent out you could cut the pins off as well as grind the surface smooth. We recommend utilizing this approach on panels where a dolly cannot support the panel. If you currently have a MIG welder you can conserve money and time by purchasing a MIG stud weld set.

-Blow Up Damage Eliminators-- These are like balloons on steroids. Place the inflatable dent remover behind a dented or damaged body panel as well as gradually inflate it. The pressure of the damage remover pushing between the dinged up panel and the inside structure of the body will certainly require the reduced or dented areas up. This works well for superficial damages, yet will certainly not secure deep or creased damage. Check out our alternate damage removal tools below:.

Body Filler - Once you've dealt with the damages or damages to the most effective of your ability, you prepare to apply body filler over any type of small flaws in the body. Body Filler is most frequently offered in a "plastic" version, however lead or metal kind fillers are available for specialized repairs. In addition glazing putties can be used for filling tiny pinholes or small imperfections as they are thinner and flow out easier than typical body fillers. For more severe fixings where normal body filler cannot be utilized, reinforced fiberglass body filler can be related to "accumulate" a damaged or "reduced" location. We recommend utilizing body filler sparingly and just to smooth out small blemishes in the body. It ought to not be made use of to fill out bodylines or trim openings as it could fail over time. Prep the location (bare metal or epoxy primer) with 60-80 grit sandpaper so the filler has a great structure to comply with.

Primer -After you have actually removed off the old paint, dealt with body damage, and abraded the surface area, you could now go on to sealing up the surface by using a guide to the vehicle before applying shade. The type of primer you utilize depends upon exactly how much you've selected removing the old paint. Below are the typical kinds of guide made use of when repainting a car.

Epoxy Guide - Epoxy Guide is just one of the most flexible guides available as its suitable with many other coating. It serves for use over bare steel or existing coatings. Epoxy guide is needed when you have any type of bare metal exposed on your task. We suggest very first abrading the entire location you're primarying with 80-120 grit sandpaper. Surface areas coated with epoxy guide could also have plastic body filler used over it if appropriately prepared. The only major drawback is that numerous Epoxy Primers are not California VOC certified. Make certain you inspect compatibility with other primers, as some guides (self etching guides for example) do not play well with epoxy primer.

Self Etching Primer - This guide is most frequently a lacquer based primer that uses acid to etch bare, clean metal. It leaves a great base for urethane primers and also leading coats as well as is optimal for tiny place repair services. When used over properly prepared steel it has very good bond qualities. Although it cannot be used around or over enamel based layers as it can trigger training. Do not apply body filler over top of self-etching guide as it may cause splitting up of the filler in time. We recommend fining sand the metal with 80-120 grit sandpaper prior to using Self-Etching Primer.

Sprayable Polyester Primer - This primer is as near to sprayable body filler as you could obtain. It builds extremely well, fills up minor imperfections in your bodywork, as well as can be block sanded level like your body fillers. This can be applied over your epoxy or self-etching primer and also body filler. Use poly primer as your last action in the "bodywork" stage to get your panels laser-straight.

Urethane Primer Surfacer - Urethane Primer is the next layer you need to make use of after epoxy or self-etching primer as well as filler. This is where you will really desire the bodywork to become great as well as flat. Urethane Guide Surfacer can be made use of alone over existing coverings if you're doing a "scuff and shoot" type paintjob. We recommend completing the surface area with 180-220 grit sandpaper prior to using urethane primer.


Color and Leading Coats - At this point you've fixed all of the old dents, rust, and also damage, and also you've primed and obstruct fined sand the whole area you're Painting. Now you're ready to set the shade and (if you so wish) clearcoat. We'll cover the steps and items you'll should obtain a fresh, shiny layer of paint and clear on your car listed below. The surface area you lay paint over has to be abraded in steps from 320 to 600 before you use paint. Make sure to make use of PRE or comparable paint prep as well as a tack fabric to get rid of any type of oil or deposit remaining from preparing the vehicle for paint.

Solitary Phase Paint - This sort of paint is the simplest to use and also the most budget-friendly as it does not need a clear coat. Single Phase Urethane paints still have UV resistance and can radiate just like a clear-coated car if preserved appropriately. All cars had a type of solitary phase paint up until the early 1980's when the basecoat-clearcoat system was established. You'll want to use 2-4 layers of paint relying on the desired final appearance as well as the kind of paint you're splashing (some metal paints could call for even more).

Basecoat-Clearcoat Paint - As pointed out above, in the early 1980's many car suppliers changed to a basecoat-clearcoat paint system. This paint has now become one of the most prominent as well as common to use when repainting a car. The basecoat alone does not have UV resistance and also has no sheen when used. Once you use the clearcoat the color is sealed in and the paint ends up being "glossy". The good feature of basecoat-clearcoat is that it's even more flexible when completing the surface area for an excellent, glass-like look. Damp sanding as well as making use of a multi-stage buffing system will certainly remove most blemishes in the paint (pests, dust, orange peel, etc). Basecoat-clearcoat likewise offers more defense over a solitary stage paint after it's ended up in case of a minor scuff, scratch, etc as the clearcoat serves as an added obstacle over the color.

Waterborne Paint System - Waterborne paint is quickly becoming the criterion in the autobody sector, particularly with a bulk of the big auto makers utilizing it on new automobiles. It's likewise slowly beginning to trickle right into the DIY paint market. Waterborne paint systems utilize water to put on hold the paint or shade fragments in your paint. The big distinction in between solvent based paints and waterborne is that waterborne needs air flow to dry versus a chain reaction that takes place in solvent based paints. Or else the application of waterborne paints undergo a similar process to standard solvent based basecoat-clearcoat systems because you lay a guide, a sealer, shade, after that a clearcoat and wet sand and also aficionado the paint for the last finish. It's still relatively brand-new in the DIY market, but keep an eye out for this in the years to coming as VOC legislations become tighter.


Finishing a Paintjob - If you've reached this factor you're on the home stretch and also this is the most fulfilling. In these actions you're doing a similar process to just what you did when you did your initial bodywork and also block sanding of the primer. You're basically trying to obtain the paint and or clearcoat as level and smooth as feasible by taking out any type of flaws. Below are the basic steps.

Getting rid of dirt and imperfections - Whether you're splashing in an expensive high-dollar paint cubicle or outdoors, you'll most likely encounter a paint run or a rouge piece of dirt that will make its method right into your clearcoat and also create a headache. In this procedure you take a "nib data" and scrub it over the flaw to get it from the clear as well as flatten the paint before you start sanding the whole car. This will leave the clearcoat looking dull, yet can be fixed in the following step.

Shade Sanding - This step is very simple, you're making use of a fining sand block, a bucket of soapy water, and also progressively greater grit sandpaper to ravel any kind of minor flaws in the paint including orange-peel (structure in the clear layer), minor runs, drips or droops, etc. If you have actually splashed a variety of coats of clear you could begin with more aggressive sandpaper like 600-800 to promptly remove the orange peel and also major imperfections. Keep in mind to keep the surface area wet and check your progression usually. Locations that have been correctly sanded and squashed out will certainly be dull as well as low places will certainly remain glossy. Maintain functioning those areas until they are entirely level as well as boring looking. From there you can work your means up using 800-1000-1200-1500-2000 till the panel is level as well as smooth without any major flaws. We suggest using a level sanding block on relatively level locations or where you should get up near bodylines. A versatile fining sand block can be made use of on curved areas to keep also pressure externally.

Cutting as well as Rubbing Paint - This is the last as well as most satisfying. In this phase you are using a multi-speed rotating buffer to slowly ravel the finish and highlight the gloss in the paint and or clearcoat. Just like shade sanding, you'll be functioning your method up from a hostile cutting substance and pad up until you get to a final foam pad and rubbing substance. The number of actions you take right here depends upon the last radiance you're seeking. A quick DIY task can be as simple as a woollen pad and a reducing compound followed by a final buffing substance with a foam pad, while a professional job will certainly require numerous actions of substances and also pads along the way. You could locate a full line of reducing as well as buffing supplies BELOW.

This article simply scratch the surface of the globe of paint as well as autobody, however ideally it offers you an understanding of exactly what is associated with Painting a car before you begin. Constantly remember that the preparation job is just what makes a paintjob truly fantastic, so invest the additional time block sanding and making certain everything is as straight as possible before you place shade on!