Instructions for Car Body Painting

Car painting may be a hobby or a profession. With training though, anyone can do it.

Painting a car is better left to the professionals, but with enough foresight and some training, anyone can do it. Some people take it up as a hobby and others turn it into a trade. Painting a car requires a sizable monetary investment so you will have to weigh doing your own auto body work with a professional painting your car for you.

Things You'll Need

• Protective goggles
• Respirator mask
• Nitrile gloves
• Sandpaper
• Blue painter's tape
• Primer
• Spray gun (high- volume; low-pressure)
• Automotive paint
• Clear coat auto spray
• Copper wire

Instructions

1. Wash the body of your car, then wash the car with a grease-and-wax remover. Attach a copper wire from the car to the ground below the car to ground the car and prevent dust from clinging to the car during the painting process.

2. Sand down the body of the car. Cover the metal, lights, wheels and undercarriage near the wheels with thick paper. Tape down the paper with the blue painter's tape. Unfasten ornate car decorations if you can to avoid getting paint on them.

3. Pour primer into the spray gun and then spray the primer onto the body of the car. Sand down the primer to smooth it out. Do not sand down the primer until you reach the metal, just sand down the primer until it is smooth and even.

4. Pour urethane automotive paint into the spray gun. Spray the automotive paint onto the body of the car--keep the nozzle of the spray gun 12 inches away. Spray in even, thin coats. Allow the coat of paint to dry for 15 minutes. You may need to apply a second coat if it is not an even coat. Pour clear coat into the spray gun. Spray the clear coat onto the body of the car in the same way you did the automotive paint. Apply three coats in total of clear coat; allow 15 minutes to dry between each coat of clear coat. Let the final coat of clear coat dry for 90 minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• Spray urethane paint cans can be used instead of a spray gun

• Buy your spray gun from a paint supply store as opposed to a regular tool and hardware Store.

• The type of paint you buy will dictate which spray gun setup you use. Reference your automotive paint instructions on which set-up to use.

• Well ventilated and wind-free environments are ideal to paint cars in.

• Cover all parts of your body that might come in contact with the spray paint.

References

• Express Paint: FAQ
• Learn Auto Painting

Resources

• Paint for Cars