How to Paint a Car With Urethane Enamel

Older car with enamel paint.

Painting a car with urethane enamel will give the car a fresh look. Before starting the job, determine what type of paint was on the vehicle originally, so that the urethane enamel paint reacts correctly. This must be done because certain paints will not react properly with urethane enamel, such as acrylic-based paint. Of course, if the original paint is going to be sanded down to the metal, determining the current paint is not necessary. Once you determine the type of paint that is needed and finish prepping the car, the paint can be applied. Painting the car is time-consuming, so it is important to have patience when taking on this project.

Things You'll Need

• Hammer
• Phillips-head screwdriver
• Flat-head screwdriver
• Automotive soap
• Bucket
• Water hose
• Sponge
• Grease remover
• Rag
• Weatherstrip tape
• Duel-action orbital air sander
• Primer paint
• Paint gun

Instructions

Prepping the Vehicle

1. Determine what type of paint was originally used on the vehicle. Newer model vehicles use urethane enamel paints, while older vehicles use acrylic enamel paints. The type of paint and color can be found on a code that is on the vehicle's identification tag or by using the vehicle identification number.

2. Remove any trim from the exterior of the vehicle using a variety of garage tools, such as a hammer, Phillips-head screwdriver or flat-head screwdriver. Trim includes anything that will not be painted, such as bumpers, grills and mirrors. Safely store these items in a box so that they can be put back onto the vehicle once the painting process is completed.

3. Clean the exterior of the vehicle by pouring about 5 oz. of automotive soap into a bucket. Fill the bucket half-full with water using the hose. Use the sponge to wipe away any dirt that might be on the exterior.

4. Remove any leftover grease or wax that might be remaining on the exterior after the body wash. Pour a dab of grease remover onto a cloth rag and apply to the body in a circular motion.

5. Tape any external parts that are not going to be removed, such as the windshield, with weatherstrip tape. This tape will prevent any damage to the vehicle during the sanding and painting part of the process.

6. Sand down the paint to at least the original coating that was on the vehicle using the duel-action orbital sander. This sander requires a minimum of 120-grit sand, which will easily take off the paint from the body. Removing the paint down the the original coating will allow the primer to stick to the body. Use a rag to wipe down the body after the sanding process is over.

Painting the Body

1. Paint the vehicle's exterior with a primer using the paint gun. The gun should be kept about 10 to 12 inches from the vehicle. Apply two to three coats of primer to the vehicle, allowing time in between each for the paint to dry.

2. Remove all of the protective tape from the car. Wipe down the car with water and dry it. This will prevent contaminants from getting on the primer.

3. Remask the parts of the vehicle not getting painted. Once again use the weatherstrip tape to cover any glass or body panels that will not be painted with the urethane enamel coating.

4. Fill the paint gun with the urethane enamel paint. The paint color can be the original color of the car that was determined in the vehicle identification number or vehicle tag, or it can be another color of personal preference.

5. Paint the body by starting at the top and working your way down. Hold the paint gun about 10 to 12 inches from the body and paint in a parallel form. Overlap each spray pattern of the previous pass, but do not apply so much paint that it runs. Paint the entire body or the parts that need to be painted so that there is an even, thick coat. Allow the paint to dry for a minimum of 24 hours. Only a single coat is required during this step if the paint was thickly sprayed on. If you can't see the primer through the first coat, no other coats of paint are necessary; however, most of the time at least two coats of paint are required to hide the primer and give the car's body extra protection.

References

• Learn Auto Painting: Acrylic Enamel Paint
• Paint for Cars: Automotive Car Paint Steps, Tips, and Trick