How To: Paint your own car - The Basics
10-25-2006, 08:19 PM
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How To: Paint your own car - The Basics
Painting a car is something no one wants to try, but everyone is capable of doing. Body shops tend to charge upwards of three-thousand dollars to paint an auto and up to one-hundred dollars to fix each dent. If you can successfully paint your car with less than five-hundred dollars, then why not give it a shot?
The first step into painting is to decide what you want. People usually know they want their car painted, but how? Decide what color you want. Decide if you want under the hood painted, the door jambs, engine bay, and wherever else you can think of.
Once you know what you want, go buy the supplies. The typical supplies to paint a car are: a paint gun, a primer gun, an air compressor, various grits of sand paper, a gallon of primer, a gallon of paint, a gallon of clear coat, oil and water separators, and masking tape. If you are fixing dents you may also want to pick up a gallon of body filler and some metal glaze.
You have your supplies now, so get started. Begin by removing everything in the way of painting. This can include door handles, window moldings, emblems, headlights, and taillights. Once everything is out of your way begin to sand the surface with 200 grit and paper to get ready to wet sand for the paint of primer coat. Primer only needs to be applied to areas that are bare metal, or have not had primer or paint on them yet. Your old paint will work as an excellent primer. Once the entire car has been sanded and primer has been applied to the areas that need it, grab your 400 grit sand paper and a water hose. Run the water over the entire area you are sanding until you have sanded the entire car. The car should be a dull color and feel very smooth. Though it may feel smooth it needs to be smoother or the sanding marks will show through the paint. So now grab a sheet of 600 grit sand paper and wet sand the entire car again. Once this is finished you are ready for paint.
Before painting, make sure all dust is swept out of the area you are painting in. Some times you may wan to run some water all over the floor to prevent dust from flying into the air and getting into the paint. Make sure all the areas you do not want paint on such as glass and the wheels have tape over them. Wipe all surfaces that are going to be painted with wax and grease remover. Make sure all settings on the gun are where you want them to be and hook your water trap to the gun. Light coats are better than heavy coats if you think you may run the paint, so do not be afraid to turn the paint feed to low. Keep your air pressure at 20-30 pounds of air pressure for proper spraying. Spray the car from top to bottom using overlapping passes. This will prevent uneven coverage. Once you have a good coat of paint on the car, stand back and make sure it looks even, if not apply another coat. If it looks good then mix your clear coat according to the directions on the can.
Clear coat needs a slight tack coat before spraying a thick coat on. After the paint has dried for fifteen to thirty minutes you should be ready. Cleaning the gun and mixing the clear usually takes fifteen minuets, so you should be ready to spray the clear by this time.
Spraying clear is like paint, but you want to lay it thick. Apply one light coat and one the second pass hose it on like you are watering flowers. If any runs appear in the clear coat you can wet sand these out later and buff them to a brilliant shine. After you have the clear coat applied to your desired thickness, allow it to dry overnight sitting still.
The next day, pull the car out of the shop, booth, or wherever you painted it and park it in the sun. This will “bake” the paint like body shops do in their “car ovens”. After the clear has fully cured which is usually a week or so, you can begin wet sanding out imperfections and buffing or polishing to make it look like the mistake never happened.
Now with the $2,500 you saved you can go buy some aftermarket parts, or invest the money. Whatever you want to do with it, go do it.
The first step into painting is to decide what you want. People usually know they want their car painted, but how? Decide what color you want. Decide if you want under the hood painted, the door jambs, engine bay, and wherever else you can think of.
Once you know what you want, go buy the supplies. The typical supplies to paint a car are: a paint gun, a primer gun, an air compressor, various grits of sand paper, a gallon of primer, a gallon of paint, a gallon of clear coat, oil and water separators, and masking tape. If you are fixing dents you may also want to pick up a gallon of body filler and some metal glaze.
You have your supplies now, so get started. Begin by removing everything in the way of painting. This can include door handles, window moldings, emblems, headlights, and taillights. Once everything is out of your way begin to sand the surface with 200 grit and paper to get ready to wet sand for the paint of primer coat. Primer only needs to be applied to areas that are bare metal, or have not had primer or paint on them yet. Your old paint will work as an excellent primer. Once the entire car has been sanded and primer has been applied to the areas that need it, grab your 400 grit sand paper and a water hose. Run the water over the entire area you are sanding until you have sanded the entire car. The car should be a dull color and feel very smooth. Though it may feel smooth it needs to be smoother or the sanding marks will show through the paint. So now grab a sheet of 600 grit sand paper and wet sand the entire car again. Once this is finished you are ready for paint.
Before painting, make sure all dust is swept out of the area you are painting in. Some times you may wan to run some water all over the floor to prevent dust from flying into the air and getting into the paint. Make sure all the areas you do not want paint on such as glass and the wheels have tape over them. Wipe all surfaces that are going to be painted with wax and grease remover. Make sure all settings on the gun are where you want them to be and hook your water trap to the gun. Light coats are better than heavy coats if you think you may run the paint, so do not be afraid to turn the paint feed to low. Keep your air pressure at 20-30 pounds of air pressure for proper spraying. Spray the car from top to bottom using overlapping passes. This will prevent uneven coverage. Once you have a good coat of paint on the car, stand back and make sure it looks even, if not apply another coat. If it looks good then mix your clear coat according to the directions on the can.
Clear coat needs a slight tack coat before spraying a thick coat on. After the paint has dried for fifteen to thirty minutes you should be ready. Cleaning the gun and mixing the clear usually takes fifteen minuets, so you should be ready to spray the clear by this time.
Spraying clear is like paint, but you want to lay it thick. Apply one light coat and one the second pass hose it on like you are watering flowers. If any runs appear in the clear coat you can wet sand these out later and buff them to a brilliant shine. After you have the clear coat applied to your desired thickness, allow it to dry overnight sitting still.
The next day, pull the car out of the shop, booth, or wherever you painted it and park it in the sun. This will “bake” the paint like body shops do in their “car ovens”. After the clear has fully cured which is usually a week or so, you can begin wet sanding out imperfections and buffing or polishing to make it look like the mistake never happened.
Now with the $2,500 you saved you can go buy some aftermarket parts, or invest the money. Whatever you want to do with it, go do it.
10-26-2006, 10:18 PM
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Re: (iPnTegRa)
As far as sanding the primer. F**K hitting it with 200....more like 320grit DRY, then a block and 400 DRY....when blocking large areas of primer, if your kinda new at it, you can always take a can of black spraypaint, and LIGHTLYmist a coat on. When you begin to block the primer, look at the black spraypaint, if its gone, its probly flat, if thers a spot where all the spraypaints still there, theres more than likely a dent. Theres really no need to wetsand 400, ESP. if you hit it with 200, it wont remove the rough scratch. After blocking the entire area, you dont really HAVE to wetsandwith 600, i sometimesdo, if its a really important job, or if i'm really worriedabout scratches. I seal everything i paint, so scratches arenever an issue. I usually paint right over the 400grit with no problens, just be SURE to remove all of the 320 grit scratches....and esp. the 200 ifyou use that. 
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10-26-2006, 10:35 PM
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Re: (jdmjaser)
this is true. lol, i just called my old teacher theother day and asked to borrow the booth. old bastard wants 50% of whatever i get. i was like F U...then he tells me "C'mon, you know how much teachers make" lol....funniest teacher i've ever had. He'd smack us in the shins with weldingrods if anyone fell alseep in class....or honk an airhorn.
10-27-2006, 05:37 AM
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Re: (ExSohcEk)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ExSohcEk »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">As far as sanding the primer. F**K hitting it with 200....more like 320grit DRY, then a block and 400 DRY....when blocking large areas of primer, if your kinda new at it, you can always take a can of black spraypaint, and LIGHTLYmist a coat on. When you begin to block the primer, look at the black spraypaint, if its gone, its probly flat, if thers a spot where all the spraypaints still there, theres more than likely a dent. Theres really no need to wetsand 400, ESP. if you hit it with 200, it wont remove the rough scratch. After blocking the entire area, you dont really HAVE to wetsandwith 600, i sometimesdo, if its a really important job, or if i'm really worriedabout scratches. I seal everything i paint, so scratches arenever an issue. I usually paint right over the 400grit with no problens, just be SURE to remove all of the 320 grit scratches....and esp. the 200 ifyou use that. </TD></TR></TABLE>
When painting black, it is almost nessacary to do this or when you look at it up close you will see small scratches.
</TD></TR></TABLE>When painting black, it is almost nessacary to do this or when you look at it up close you will see small scratches.
10-27-2006, 06:55 AM
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Re: How To: Paint your own car - The Basics (ctownintegra)
Thats it sir, you figured it out, we only use $500 to cover materiels and our labor, we drive the car in a special room and it changes color and bam, huge profits
Anyway, on any real good job you can spend between $1000-$2000 on just materials if you want a high end job.
Lots of good solid misinformation in here
Body work is to be done with the proper tools but we will assume you guys all got the thousands upon thousands of dollors worth of tools you can end up using on just one car.
You DO NOT use bondo or anything that says BONDO.
Use evercoat products, no shrinking, no pinholes.
fiberglass is for weld joints where you sectioned in panels and major damage and shouldnt be used to much as you should be able to work the dent out enough.
Filler is for filling.
Finishing glaze is for finishing off the filler or fiberglass.
I usually pull and repair my dent to where they are good enough for just a coat of glaze.
I rough in my fillers with 80 grit on a DA, then block them to shape wiith 180 grit.
Primner is to be layed heavy and vary EVEN and instead of using guide coat mix a little color of paint with the primer and dust it on to help with blocking, and is to be blocked out with 320 and if you want or feel its needed wetsand with 600 to remove all 320 scratches you may have left.
Piant us to be layed with a "dry" look and a 75% overlap, and you need to do the roof, hood and trunk first starting from the middle on them to avoind a dry line then move to sides.
Clear coat you get in there and lay it wet, you need to se it flowing out as its laying and its a fine line between perfect and running if you dont know what your doing.
When done right without even wetsanding you can get better then OEM paint.
I disnt just make this stuff up.
I have attender and graduated auto body school, attended multiple secondary training, including PPG painter training.
Anyway, on any real good job you can spend between $1000-$2000 on just materials if you want a high end job.
Lots of good solid misinformation in here
Body work is to be done with the proper tools but we will assume you guys all got the thousands upon thousands of dollors worth of tools you can end up using on just one car.
You DO NOT use bondo or anything that says BONDO.
Use evercoat products, no shrinking, no pinholes.
fiberglass is for weld joints where you sectioned in panels and major damage and shouldnt be used to much as you should be able to work the dent out enough.
Filler is for filling.
Finishing glaze is for finishing off the filler or fiberglass.
I usually pull and repair my dent to where they are good enough for just a coat of glaze.
I rough in my fillers with 80 grit on a DA, then block them to shape wiith 180 grit.
Primner is to be layed heavy and vary EVEN and instead of using guide coat mix a little color of paint with the primer and dust it on to help with blocking, and is to be blocked out with 320 and if you want or feel its needed wetsand with 600 to remove all 320 scratches you may have left.
Piant us to be layed with a "dry" look and a 75% overlap, and you need to do the roof, hood and trunk first starting from the middle on them to avoind a dry line then move to sides.
Clear coat you get in there and lay it wet, you need to se it flowing out as its laying and its a fine line between perfect and running if you dont know what your doing.
When done right without even wetsanding you can get better then OEM paint.
I disnt just make this stuff up.
I have attender and graduated auto body school, attended multiple secondary training, including PPG painter training.
10-27-2006, 07:10 AM
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Re: (jdmjaser)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jdmjaser »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">or you can let me panit it at school....ahahhha</TD></TR></TABLE>
hey dude i'll come up to washington if u could paint my car for free!
hey dude i'll come up to washington if u could paint my car for free!
10-27-2006, 09:37 AM
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Re: (DA_Reza)
Nicely put kid-honda. I didnt really try to make sense of the body work aspect of it, because i'm a painter, i can fix small dents, but i usually dont try to tackle heavy body work. As for Bondo, i used that word because i figured not to many people would know if i called it Rage, or Evercoat, lol. Personally, i block with 320, then 400. i spray Standox, which is a pretty think paint, i dont know if any of you have used this, and it sprays right over 400 scratches no prob. PPG is some good paint as well. I've used that for about 2 years, but my shop just switched to Standox. i kinda like it, but i dunno yet, we'll see once it gets colder.
10-27-2006, 02:58 PM
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Paint is nearly free, mixing it at the shop.
We are using Everglaze Metal caot to finish off the Autobody Lightweight filler.
Sure, it may cost some people more, some people less. either way, you save a ton doing it yourself.
We are using Everglaze Metal caot to finish off the Autobody Lightweight filler.
Sure, it may cost some people more, some people less. either way, you save a ton doing it yourself.
10-27-2006, 05:46 PM
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Re: (kid-honda)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kid-honda »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thanks alot.
Looking for any workers? I have wanted to move to chicago for awhile now
</TD></TR></TABLE>
LOL, funny you should ask, i'm moving back to Jax, Fla tomorrow, not a whole lot of money to be made here in the winter.
Looking for any workers? I have wanted to move to chicago for awhile now
</TD></TR></TABLE>LOL, funny you should ask, i'm moving back to Jax, Fla tomorrow, not a whole lot of money to be made here in the winter.
10-27-2006, 06:47 PM
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Re: (ExSohcEk)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ExSohcEk »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
LOL, funny you should ask, i'm moving back to Jax, Fla tomorrow, not a whole lot of money to be made here in the winter.</TD></TR></TABLE>
You must be more of a custom shop? cause winter is where the money is for collision
LOL, funny you should ask, i'm moving back to Jax, Fla tomorrow, not a whole lot of money to be made here in the winter.</TD></TR></TABLE>
You must be more of a custom shop? cause winter is where the money is for collision
10-27-2006, 07:49 PM
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to the OP are ytou a bodyman?, i am and i have NEVER wetsaned any car before primer and or sealer., and i dnt even wetsand after primer, if you pay attention to the primer/sealers falsh time you can shoot color right over the primer/sealer w/ no sanding in between, my dad and i have done this countless times(35 year bodyman) and we have yet to have a customer complain aobut he paint, or it falling off or flaking ect. but its a pretty decent write up, there is alot mroe cleaning and metal prep that you left out tho 
10-28-2006, 07:43 AM
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Re: (kiddcarbuff)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kid-honda »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
You must be more of a custom shop? cause winter is where the money is for collision </TD></TR></TABLE>
That i am, but wheni moved here i seriously went to like 70-80 bodyshops, in this area and surrounding areas, couldnt find a single place hiring, and they were ALL dead. I know in FLA, between thanksgiving and christmas its slow, but not that dead.
You must be more of a custom shop? cause winter is where the money is for collision </TD></TR></TABLE>
That i am, but wheni moved here i seriously went to like 70-80 bodyshops, in this area and surrounding areas, couldnt find a single place hiring, and they were ALL dead. I know in FLA, between thanksgiving and christmas its slow, but not that dead.
10-28-2006, 08:04 AM
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Re: (ExSohcEk)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ExSohcEk »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
That i am, but wheni moved here i seriously went to like 70-80 bodyshops, in this area and surrounding areas, couldnt find a single place hiring, and they were ALL dead. I know in FLA, between thanksgiving and christmas its slow, but not that dead.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Same here when I got to MLPS I couldnt believe a few million peole couldnt produce more work
That i am, but wheni moved here i seriously went to like 70-80 bodyshops, in this area and surrounding areas, couldnt find a single place hiring, and they were ALL dead. I know in FLA, between thanksgiving and christmas its slow, but not that dead.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Same here when I got to MLPS I couldnt believe a few million peole couldnt produce more work
01-14-2007, 06:43 AM
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Re: (luffy.)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by luffy. »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">cliffs NOW</TD></TR></TABLE> 
01-31-2007, 07:43 PM
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nice write-up
This really help me out...
I got my car painted 1 year ago and there were lot of thing that I didn't like... but about four months ago I got a big BIG scratch in the rear panel, then I got couple of dents here and there that the.... and finally someone just dented my fender and scratch my bumper.... so Its time for me to get my hands on some body-shop work.. with the help of my 7hp, 60 gal compressor I feel like painting my car my self... I've learned something in past years, If i want something done the way i want it... I'll do it, just like I did my full wire-tucked
I got my car painted 1 year ago and there were lot of thing that I didn't like... but about four months ago I got a big BIG scratch in the rear panel, then I got couple of dents here and there that the.... and finally someone just dented my fender and scratch my bumper.... so Its time for me to get my hands on some body-shop work.. with the help of my 7hp, 60 gal compressor I feel like painting my car my self... I've learned something in past years, If i want something done the way i want it... I'll do it, just like I did my full wire-tucked
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