The Basics Of Painting A Car From Home

A car cannot be painted well just anywhere. There are exceptions, but it also depends on what kind of finish you are looking for. Do you want El Cheapo job? Or maybe you just want a super sick paint job.

You have to find a place out of the weather, with good ventilation, plenty of room for you to maneuver, proper lighting and electricity. Your garage is probably a great place to start but be careful for safety issues (water heaters or furnaces that could cause a fire hazard because of paint fumes). Assemble everything you will need for the job and organize it so everything is easy to reach and not in harm’s way.

The Basic Equipment and Materials You Will Need
for painting a car from home is a Paint sprayer
Paint
Sand paper, sanding blocks
Safety goggles and gloves
Masking tape
Hand tools to remove trim etc. before painting
 
Before You Begin Repair all body dents or blemishes so they won’t be visible after you paint and remove all rust from the car.

Take off the chrome or plastic trim on the car.

This is fairly easy. Today nearly all body panel moldings found on cars can be ”popped” off and back on easily. But do not force them off if they are resistant. Go to an auto supply store and pick up the special tools they sell to remove them more easily. You don’t want to damage the melding or chrome.

Next, sand the paint.
You have to sand it down either to the bare metal or the original primer, and at least enough to create a surface that your new paint will adhere to. For the very best results, sand the paint down to the bare metal, which will mean you’ll have to reprime the surface before you can apply paint.

Then meticulously clean all of the car’s surfaces. 

Use denatured alcohol or mineral spirits because you don’t want any oil whatsoever on the surface when you paint.

Cover all surfaces that you want to remain paint-free with masking tape and paper.
This usually means windows, glass, trim, handles, grills and mirrors. Take care to make sure there are no pin pricks or perforations in the paper and that the masking tape is smooth and adheres well. Otherwise overspray from the paint gun will get through them and ruin the job.

Applying the Paint Prime the surface with a good primer.
If you have removed all of the car’s paint down to bare metal, you should use a corrosion resistant, etching primer. Also be certain to prime well all surfaces you used body filler on or surfaces that you removed rust from. Take the time to do a smooth transition on these areas. Make sure to apply plenty of paint to fill all scratches or pits that might remain on the body from sanding, etc. 

Check the directions on the primer and allow enough time for the primer to dry thoroughly.

Now sand all of the primed surfaces until they are completely smooth. Watch out that you don’t sand too much and expose the bare metal again. With a wax/grease remover or acetone, thoroughly clean all surfaces that you primed to remove any dust or oil that has settled on it during priming and sanding. 

Now you are ready to apply the finish paint to the car. Follow the paint manufacturer’s directions. See if a hardener or catalyst is recommended to be used with the paint. Thin the paint properly for the particular equipment you are using.

Allow the paint to fully dry. Next apply Clear-Coat for a deeper, glossier look.
There are other finishing touches and techniques you can use once you’ve reached this point, but these are the fundamental steps you need to follow to get a good paint job on your car and in the process save hundreds of dollars by doing it yourself! 

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WOW, I did That!

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