How to Sand & Primer a Car
A new paint job can revitalize the look of your car and bring up its market value. You can save a lot of money by painting the car yourself instead of taking it to a garage. However, applying the paint itself is the last step in the process. The car must first be prepared. The prep work, the sanding and priming, will determine how the paint job will turn out. Therefore, the sanding and priming is an important part of the painting process which cannot be overlooked.
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Things You'll Need
- Sponge
- Car wash soap
- Screwdriver
- Dust mask
- Power sander
- Sandpaper (100 grit)
- Air compressor
- Soft cloth
- Newspaper
- Masking tape
- Spray gun
- Primer
Instructions
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1
Wash your car thoroughly. Wipe your entire car down with a sponge and soapy water. The car must be clean so that you don't rub dirt into the metal when you are sanding it.
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Remove all of the plastic trim and protruding parts from the body of the car. These parts can get damaged inadvertently from sanding and may prevent you from being able to access some parts of the car for sanding. Examples of parts that should be removed are plastic bumpers, antennas and emblems.
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Sand the car with a power sander to remove heavy scratches. Put on your goggles and your dust mask. Apply firm even pressure while using a back and forth motion to prevent further scratching the machine. Use the sandpaper to access areas the power sander was unable to reach, and to remove the finer scratches to accomplish a smooth finish. Push the sandpaper back and forth in a straight line to effectively get rid of the fine scratches.
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Spray the dust off the car with an air compressor. The air compressor is very effective in removing trapped dirt particles and the dust left behind from the sanding. Spray the entire surface of the car directly with the air compressor. Wipe the surface down with a dry soft cloth.
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Tape over all the car parts that you do not want painted. Cover the windows, sunroof, headlights, mirrors and tires with newspaper or cloth. Secure them with masking tape along the edges and check to make sure they are held tightly in place.
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Paint the car with primer. Spray the car using long, even bursts from the spray gun. Cover the entire surface of the car. Double check your work to ensure you did not miss any spots. Let the primer dry.
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Tips & Warnings
Always use a dust mask when doing sanding of any kind, because it is possible for the dust to get into your lungs.
Work in a well ventilated area or outside to safely complete this task.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit car image by sasha from Fotolia.com
