Adding a new coat of paint to a car can bring it new life. It is a wonderful feeling to take a car that is showing signs of age and give it a brand-new makeover by painting it. Painting has an additional benefit as well. It can also help to protect the automobile from rust and other ill effects that the weather and elements can cause.
There are two basic types of paint that can be used for a car. The first type is acrylic paint. The second type is water-based paint. A benefit of water-based paint is that it is better for the environment; however, it is mostly used for car detailing and the paint is not so tough. The type of paint used most often in auto body shops is acrylic enamel.
There are things that you need to do to prepare your car before you will be ready to begin painting. For example, before you begin to paint you should first fix any damage that exists on the body of the car. This includes rust and dents and other areas that are in need of repair.
Next you should sand off the old paint until just the bare metal can be seen. Before sanding the car, you need to make sure that the sandpaper you will be using has the correct grit, or degree of roughness. It is recommended to use 80 grit sandpaper in order to be able to uncover the bare metal of the vehicle that is under the paint it currently has. Also. It is best practices and highly recommended to use a sanding block for your sanding.
You also need to reprime the surface of the vehicle. (A primer is a preparatory coating applied to the vehicle which helps ensure that that the paint will be more durable and stick better to the surface of the car.) Also sand down the newly primed surface.
You shouldn’t forget to thoroughly clean and wash the car’s surface that the paint and primer will be applied to. Any dirt that cannot be cleaned with soap and water must be removed with a grease or wax remover. Give the car time to dry before you begin painting.
Don’t try to get the job done faster by spraying a lot of paint on the car at one time. This probably won’t work out well. It is better to apply several lighter coats using slow and even strokes. After each coat of paint that you apply to the car allow enough time for it to properly set before you apply another coat. This usually will take around 20 minutes.
In order for the car to end up looking as good as it can, it is a good idea to apply a second coat of paint. Obviously, you need to wait until the first coat has dried. After you apply this second coat you should wait until the paint is totally and completely dry. It usually takes approximately 48 hours for the paint to completely dry.