Need A New Paint Job? Here’s How the Process Works

Cars get a lot of wear and tear being on the roadways. It doesn’t help that they also spend a lot of time exposed to the elements. Over time, a once beautiful paint job can become lackluster. The clear coat begins to peel as the car ages, and it leaves a dull hue exposed. Thankfully, cars can be painted and restored to their former glory. Have you ever wondered how to paint an automobile? Here is a guide that shows you what goes into this labor-intensive task.

Paint Removal

Before your automobile can be painted, the old paint must be removed to reveal a clean surface. There are a couple of ways that this can be accomplished. The easiest way to remove this coat is to sand it away. According to Advanced Blasting, sandblasting is the first step to giving you a good foundation for a new paint job, removing old paint and rust for a smooth surface to work with.

Once the car has been sanded down, any dents or imperfections in the body must be addressed. Using an auto body filler, a specialist fills in the rust, dents, and scratches to make them even with the other surfaces. When the patched areas dry, they must be sanded too. A coarse, abrasive disk is the best grit to use to ensure the best possible finish.

Priming

After the car has been sanded, it must be washed to remove any dust. Any trace of dust particles that gets into the new paint finish can ruin the entire coat. Next, it’s time to prime the vehicle. There’s a lot of work that goes into this process because all the windows and trim must be taped off to avoid overspray. Using an air sprayer, the first coat of primer is applied. It can’t be sprayed too heavily because drips can cause problems for the paint. According to Eastwood, there usually are a total of three coats of primer put on the vehicle. Priming is just as important as painting, and up-and-down strokes should be used to ensure each area gets equal coverage.

Painting

Painting is the final step in the process. Your car will probably need three or four coats. Before the last coat of paint is applied, the car must be lightly sanded to remove any residue and to prepare for the clearcoat. According to Detail Xperts, a clear coat is applied to the vehicle to seal in the paint and ensure it has a sheen that is both beautiful and protective.

It can take several hours from start to finish to fill dents and rust, sand, prime, and paint the vehicle. Since it’s such a labor-intensive job that requires special tools, it’s best to leave this work to the professionals. Painting a car requires patience and an eye for detail. However, the result is worth the effort.

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