What to Know Before Spray Painting Your Car

Seeing your car gets scratched or dented is a heartbreaking moment for any car owner. Luckily, there are ways to fix such blemishes. Spray painting can be a great option for you if you want to restore the beauty of your car.

If you consider yourself jack-of-all-trades or find yourself obsessed with DIY projects, then you can try taking it on. It’s also a good idea to get the help of panel beaters. Their extensive knowledge and use of cutting-edge technology will restore your car’s condition.

However, if you’re still wanting to do this as a DIY project, then this post is for you. Here, we will outline the steps of spray painting your car.

But first, let’s take a look at a few things that you need to consider when spray painting a car.

Things to consider:

• Light paint can seem much tidier than dark one. The darker ones can fade over time, making your car exterior look dull.
  
  
• An unglazed metallic paint is hard to polish and difficult to maintain.
  
  
• Having a thorough knowledge of what tools and equipment you’ll need will help you throughout the project. For spray painting your car, you’ll need an orbital sander, filler, sanding block and abrasives, spray gun, primer, base colour, hardener and protective gear.
  
  
• Spray painting needs the right conditions to succeed. That means you should work in a dust-free room and avoid painting the car at below 15°C or above 25°C.
  
  

Steps for spray painting your car:

Repair exterior damages: You don’t want to accentuate any imperfections on your car’s exteriors. So, before you begin, it’s a good idea to fix visible dents and address rusting. However, if the damage is severe, it’s best to get professional assistance.

Sand the panel: Use 600-grit sandpaper and sand down your entire car using circular motions. When you notice the old paint is beginning to peel off, switch to 1500-grit sandpaper and thoroughly rub it down until rust and blemishes are gone. This can be a time-consuming process. If you’re short on time, then take your car to the professionals.

Use silicone cleaners: Degreasing your car is essential in the repainting process. With silicone cleaners, you can completely remove dust and bacteria on your exterior.

Wash your car: It’s essential to clean and polish your car after a repainting job. If you want to, you can also get a professional car wash. It’s also possible to wash your car by hand. If you choose to go this route, make sure to set aside enough time to get satisfactory results.

Disassemble the parts: Lamp, side rod, washing nozzle, wiper door handle, hubcap and the antenna need to be dismantled before you go ahead with the job. This way, you damage these parts when you start spray painting. Also, this will allow you to identify parts that need a replacement. However, if you’re not an automotive enthusiast, then you’ll need the mechanic’s help to dismantle some of these parts.

Cover the surface where you don’t want to paint: After removing the required components, cover the surrounding area with quality crepe tape.

Test your spray gun: First and foremost, wear proper protective gear when using a spray gun. Paint can cause respiratory issues.

When you’re wearing protective gear, shake the paint can for at least three minutes to help the pigments of the paint blend properly. Afterwards, you should find a test surface like an old panel or some cardboard. Apply paint on it to see the consistency of the paint.

Start painting: Hold the can parallel to your car’s surface. Make sure to keep a distance of least 30 cm away from your car.  Carefully, pull down the spray button and apply the paint over the surface evenly.

Apply at least two coats of paint with a 10-minute break in between. Remember, you need to move the can at a consistent speed for the best results.

Again, sand the surface: To get the finished look, make sure to sand the surface. After that, clean it with a clean rag. That way, you can remove any powdery residue.

The bottom line:

Spray painting your car can be overwhelming. However, the information above should make things a little easier. But if you find it difficult or if your car was damaged in an accident, then it’s wise to hand over this work to a professional smash repairer.