Spray Paint Car

There is a lot of work that goes into painting a car. However, with all of the television shows, such as Overhaulin’, West Coast Customs, and Powerblock, it appears to be much easier than it is. In this article, I will give you a few tips for painting a car that will make it easier for you, but it still requires effort on your part.

First, you must realize that this type of work is not for everyone. In fact, I have students that enroll in my auto body class that are surprised to learn the amount of effort it takes to repair and paint a car. I have watched several YouTube videos where someone is demonstrating how produce results using Rustoleum and a paint brush. Well, maybe that method will work for a farm truck or tractor… that is not going to cut it in the real world. It does take effort and time to do this correctly more than 1 or 2 hours for sure.

With that said, for the other gear heads out there, like me, the effort is not painful. If you love this type of work, the effort is fun and gets into your blood. So if this is not a hobby you enjoy doing, you may want to find something else that is.

Painting A Car

The first thing you want to keep in mind when painting a car is to clean the vehicle. Over time, the car collects contamination from the environment and waxing. These contaminates can cause a lot of problems for us in the refinish world. Contaminates such as silicone and oil is on the top of the painter’s bad list. Many times the problem can be eliminated by an old fashion hand wash will do the trick. Remember, since wax and silicone are our enemies, don’t use a car soap with wax in it. We want to strip the wax, not protect and add to it. Dish soap will also work if it does not have added ingredients for keeping your hand soft. Once washed, wipe the car down with wax and grease remover to assure all traces of contamination are off the paint surface.

What Condition Is The Paint In

If you are lucky you can sand and paint the painted surface. However, there are a few reasons that will cause you additional work. If the surface is peeling, you will need to strip the paint off and start over. If it is just the clear coat peeling, you may get by with just sanding all of the clear coat off and starting the paint process from there. Another thing to keep in mind is how thick the paint is. If the coatings are over 12 mils thick, you will need to strip some of the coatings off, so you do not keep building up the mil thickness. Ask the paint store where you buy your paint to check it for you. They should have a mil thickness gauge. If the car is a factory paint job, or if it does not have any paint problems, you are safe to prep and paint.

Sand and Paint

To paint a car, I am going to give you a wet sanding method, as you are probably a DIY car enthusiast without every tool under the sun. To do this all you need is some 400 grit wet or dry sandpaper, a squirt bottle of water and some elbow action. Sand the entire surface you are painting with 400 grit sandpaper. Be certain to sand edges extremely well, as this is where paint will peel if not sanded properly. Once the entire car is sanded, wash the car again to assure it is completely clean. Allow to air dry or use compressed air to speed up the process, and now you are ready for paint.

Spraying Primer Sealer, Base Coat and Clear Coat

If you did not do any body work and there is no bare metal, you do not have to use primer sealer. However, if there are spots where you sanded through leaving the car surface different colors, I would use a coat of primer sealer to get a uniform color before spraying base coat. If you can any bare metal, I would hit it with self-etch primer in a rattle can before painting as well. Oh, and of course, don’t forget to mask before spraying! Now you are ready to spray base coat and clear coat.

Each brand uses slightly different methods and flash times. The best thing to do is to ask for technical data sheets from the place you buy the paint. They will be able to provide these for you, and it will tell you exactly how to spray their specific products.

That is it; now it’s time to go out to the garage and get started painting a car yourself.

I have been doing body and paint repair for over 20 years. The past eight years I’ve been teaching this to students, and now I am ready to teach you too.

I hope you give me the opportunity to teach you more about auto body and paint repair. I will be delighted to teach you what I know to help you complete your car project or to gain the knowledge.

For more information visit How To Prep a Car or The Garage Butler

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Paint protection film is a layer of thermoplastic urethane applied to the painted surfaces of an automobile to protect the paint job from chips, splatters, and small abrasions. Is is also commonly used on airplanes, motorcycles, electronic, cell phones and other electronics. Almost all automotive manufacturers have approved the usage of paint protection film on vehicles. It is also commonly referred to as Clear Bra which was the original manufacturer.

It is recommended by manufacturers to entrust the application of the product to certified Vinyl Wrap and Clear Bra professional shops as the installation requires unique skills and techniques to get it to look right and last the life of the film. Many Window Tinting and detail shops also perform the installation.

The primary purpose of Clear Bra is to prevent scuffs, rock chips and other types of vandalism which cause damage to a vehicle’s paint and body. It is commonly applied on the front facing portions of cars, trucks, and SUVs. It may also be used on the full body of a vehicle to provide maximum protection for the vehicle’s factory paint.

Originally developed for use in military applications, it is now commercially available for public use. The automotive industry took note of the benefits offered by the paint protection film and began applying it to race cars to protect the expensive carbon fiber and fiberglass bodies. Originally the film was thicker and tough to install because the thick film was designed to protect helicopter blades from sand erosion.

The film available on the market today is specifically designed to be flexible and conformable to a vehicle’s body. There are many options available in the market with specific types manufactured primarily with the technical capability to offer top level protection and even self-healing capabilities.

Why use Paint Protection Film?

Scratches on brand new or well-maintained vehicles not only destroy the look of your car, truck or SUV, they reduce the resale value. To prevent a car from suffering at the hands of vandalism or road debris, paint protection film is the perfect solution.

Clear Bra has the strength to withstand the hazards on the road such as debris, rocks, sand and cement. It will shield the areas on the vehicle where it is installed and keep the body looking like it did the day you applied the film. Many of the premium films have self-healing properties so the film will heal itself when damaged by scratches and cracks. Another great application is to protect your vehicle from children playing near the car and scratching the paint surface with their toys.

Which Paint Protection Film Brands are the most trusted?

The most reliable brands of paint protection film on the market today are the original Clear Bra, 3M, Suntek, and Xpel. Xpel and 3M are the preferred films used in our shop due to their self-healing properties and industry leading warranties. In addition to full rolls of film, many of these manufacturers offer the DIY enthusiast pre-cut kits that are unique to a vehicle’s make, model and year.

Today there is no shortage of cheaply made films imported from places like China and India and sold on sites like eBay and Amazon. Always be wary of any material that does not come from a reputable manufacturer. Cheap paint protection film will not protect your vehicle, and often the cheap adhesives used in this type of material will damage your factory paint when you attempt to remove it.

How is It Applied?

There are many types of installation for paint protection film. Most installers do not have plotters. Therefore they have no choice but to apply the fill directly from the roll and cut the material to length on your vehicle. Reputable installation shops that have invested in plotters use specially designed software to create a pattern for the shape of the panel on which the film is to be installed and have it plotted or cut with precision. A plotter can also be used to modify the cut pattern to fit custom patterns such as aftermarket body kits and bumpers.

A popular installation technique for the DIY customer is a pre-cut kit. A pre-cut kit can be ordered by your vehicle make, model, and year and comes ready to install out of the box. The downside of a pre-cut kit is if you damage one of the sections of material during installation, you’ll have to purchase an entirely new kit. Pre-Cut Kits are also not available for any custom parts you have on your vehicle such as an aftermarket bumper, body kit, or spoiler.

When you are looking for a Clear Bra installer, it is imperative to select a reputable shop with good reviews. The installation requires cutting near your car, truck or SUV’s paint with razor blades. An impatient or unskilled installer can quickly cause substantial and irreversible damage to your expensive vehicle.

Where can the Film be Applied?

Paint protection film is manufactured to appear practically invisible to the naked eye to maintain the appearance of your vehicle. It can be applied to any area of the car however it is mostly recommended for portions of the car that are susceptible to damage. The most common areas are the side mirrors, front bumper, and hood of your vehicle. Another area that Clear Bra can be used is door edges as they are prone to wear and tear from the constant opening and closing. Protecting door edges offers an excellent shield against chipping and scrapes which often happen in parking lots.

It may also be applied to door handle cups because they get damaged from constant use. The scratches and scrapes can are prevented through the application of an invisible film of Clear Bra on the door handle cups.

Benefits of a Paint Protection Film

Clear Bra is flexible and stretchable as well as long lasting. It is almost invisible and can be molded to fit any surface of the vehicle. It seals the painted surfaces to give a long lasting glossy appearance and shiny exterior. Clear Bra is a branded self-healing coat which is resistant to scratches and cracks. It puts up a tough defensive front to damage of any kind which in inevitable when it comes to cars.

To learn more about Clear Bra / Paint Protection film, you can visit our website at http://www.apexcustoms.com

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