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Simple Steps to Paint Your Car

Car Painting is a time consuming multi step process that includes processes like sanding, preparing the car's body and painting. It is an art more than a mechanical work. An expert and perfect painter require lot of patience and experience for doing it. Tim's Auto Body Inc. located in Van Buren, AR suggests the following simple steps to paint your car.

Things-to- do Before Starting Car Painting

1. Suitable Place to Work

It is necessary to find the right place for car painting that has good lightening, electricity, minimal dust, excellent ventilation and room to work around the vehicle. Furnaces or water heaters at residential garages that may cause ignition of paint fumes are not suitable.

2. Collect the required equipments and material

Generally the required materials for car painting are paint, tools for sanding, polishing, painting and safety equipments. You must make a complete list of all the required resources that will help you gather all everything easily and will not halt the process during painting.

3. Remove Rust

Firstly you have to repair the rusts and dents that are visible so that they are not visible after the completion of painting. You can remove the rust by using specific rust removal processes.

4. Disassemble any Panels or Plastic Trims

Disassemble body panel moldings and any chrome or plastic trim by using the tools for removing trim. Note that, much of the panels on cars can be removed or assembled easily, but if you fail to manually remove it then do not try to remove forcefully.

5. Sanding and apply Primer

Remove the paint down to bare metal by sanding; continue sanding until best results come. After this, use an automotive primer and fill the dent or scratches with it. This step will be followed by applying finishing paint.

6. Clean the Surface

Clean the surface of your car by washing with soap and water or by using mineral spirits to remove oils and other water soluble things that you don't see.

7. Cover the Rest of the Car

The area that is not to be painted like mirrors, grills, door handles, window trim and glasses must be covered with paper or masking tape. The paper or masking tape you are using must be of good quality to minimize the risk of overspraying. Avoid the permanent coloring your room by covering your room or garage with plastic

Things-to-do after Car Painting Preparation is Done

1. Apply Corrosion Resistant Primer

Apply corrosion resistant and self-etching primer on the surface to remove existing paint. Some of the scratches and pits are left after applying the body filler in the preparation process. That will be removed by using enough primer and paint to make it smooth. There are several types of primers, out of which some require recoating. So use primer according to the instructions given on container.

2. Sand for Smoothness

Now the time is for smoothening paint runs on the surface by using a 600 grit dry/wet sandpaper. Be careful not to expose the metal again by sanding too much.

3. Cleaning

Again clean the surface with wax and acetone or grease remover to remove any oils or dust after priming. Cleaning the surface plays a vital role in painting a car.

4. Spray the Paint

According to the manufacturer's directions, spray the paint after preparing it as same as the color you want to apply. Use of automotive enamels is recommended. The paint must be thin enough to improve the smoothness and reflection.

5. Final Sanding

To make the paint perfectly smooth you must sand the final coat using 1200 or finer grit wet sandpaper. If you want to remove rest of minor imperfections and give a deeper and higher gloss look then use a clear-coat.

6. Use of Rubbing Compound

This is an important and final step in painting a car. Rubbing is a technique that is used to polish the paint. In past, rubbing was best done by hand, but today rubbing is much easier and is done using modern buffing machines and power polishers. Note that a slight carelessness in rubbing can ruin your paint.