Hello! Today we will talk with you about how the preparation of the car for painting is carried out and whether it is possible to do all this with your own hands, in a garage or at home.
We will act step by step, trying to address all issues from A to Z. If I miss any points, you can leave feedback, add me in the comments. In addition, I recommend watching visual videos, as well as taking into account the recommendations of the automaker on the selection of paints and varnishes.
You can paint a car or its individual parts with different paints and compositions. But processing technologies provide for a phased application of funds. In no case should you just paint it on dry with ordinary enamel, and then leave the car without additional processing. It is not fundamentally important that you are going to paint with hammer paint, raptor, enamel or varnish; before painting, you must definitely complete some preparatory measures.
If you know any secrets, have personal experience, including unsuccessful ones, write in the comments.
Primary preparatory activities
Most often, when it comes to self-painting a car, all work is carried out in the garage. Among other things, the preparation of the garage is far from the least important in achieving a positive result.
I advise you to start with general cleaning of the premises. Try to get rid of dust and dirt and provide good ventilation. Walls, ceiling and floor should be covered with polyethylene so that dust does not accumulate. The cleaner it will be inside the room where it is planned to carry out the preparation, and then the painting work itself, the better the result will be. Always be prepared for extraordinary cleaning, replacement of polyethylene, etc. In dirty stages, it is not necessary to cover everything with protective films. Otherwise, monkey labor is guaranteed to you. Save your energy, time and money.
The standard set consists of car spatulas, trowels, spray gun, sander and protective film. You will also need auxiliary tools for dismantling parts, cleaning, grouting, priming, etc.
Never take cheap tools and consumables. They can fail at the most crucial moment. Saving on them in fact can provoke additional unnecessary costs.
Grinding is a material that is perfectly replaced by ordinary bars for dressing and sharpening knives. There are a large number of different abrasives on the market. Be sure to prepare different grit sandpaper. The question of what kind of sandpaper is needed can be answered quite simply. Coarse, medium and fine for surface finishing. The primer will be applied with a spray gun. There are mobile and professional spray guns to choose from.
If you plan to paint the whole car or the main part of it, it is better to get a professional device. A mobile spray gun is enough for partial painting. Use films and masking tape to protect all parts.
Preparing the body for painting
Alas, but I can hardly describe the whole process in maximum detail and in detail within the framework of one material. Therefore, I recommend watching video tutorials useful for beginners.
The preparation procedure begins by removing the old paint. Correct painting necessarily provides for this stage. Otherwise, if you paint over the old layer, the surface will turn out to be uneven and ugly. Also spots will appear soon. To get rid of the paint, you need a sander. In theory, sandpaper will help, but you will have to rub it for a long time and painfully. Better a power tool. Sanding takes a lot of time and effort. Be prepared for this. Upon completion of the procedure, remove all debris and dust, wash the body.
Before painting your car, be sure to wash the car thoroughly one more time.
At the next stage, the body is revised. It is necessary to inspect all doors, fenders, pillars, sills, bottom and places where different parts are connected.
It is in these areas that traces of corrosion and rust appear most often. It is highly recommended to get rid of them. Rust is removed with abrasive materials, grinder, welding. Of different kinds will help in this difficult matter. Additionally, I advise you to read about on the body. Sometimes you have to cut out a part of the body and cover this area with patches. It all depends on the specific situation. Hopefully, you have nothing serious, and the body has not turned into one continuous hotbed of corrosion.
If there are dents and irregularities on the body, you will have to additionally deal with straightening issues. After completely cleaning the metal, use an effective degreaser. In garage conditions, they actively use 3M materials.
Use White Spirit, diesel fuel, or kerosene as cheap but effective solvents. The best among the options presented is considered to be White Spirit, which has undergone preliminary hydrotreating. Use protective gloves and goggles.
Primer and putty
After completing all the previous steps, a putty may be needed. By skipping this stage, the body, after applying fresh paint, will have irregularities, drops and other problems. The putty is applied in several layers, and in the gap between them, the surfaces are sanded.
Different compositions can be used as filler materials. There are several of the most popular ones. The price for them is somewhat different, but the choice should not be made according to the price tag.
- Software. Suitable for processing and painting small body parts. The material is extremely versatile;
- Fine. If you have defects on the body that you want to paint over, this putty is used as the last layer;
- An aluminum-based compound is considered a favorite material among body repairmen. Easy to use, evens out irregularities well;
- Fiberglass mixtures. They cover irregularities of any size, but it is difficult for a beginner to work with them.
It doesn't matter if you paint the car with metallic or regular paint. Preparation is always carried out using approximately the same technology.
- To achieve an even distribution of the putty, use automotive rubber spatulas;
- Before applying the material, be sure to go over the body with an emery cloth or sander;
- Each layer must dry, after which it is sanded;
- If there are large flaws and irregularities, it is better to close them with putty, which includes fiberglass. 4% high quality hardener is added to the mixture.
After finishing puttying, you still have to prime the bodies.There are also some nuances here.
The primer acts as a base for the subsequent application of paint and varnish. Also, primers help to increase the service life of the metal, making it more resistant to external influences, damage and corrosion.
The body should be primed after thorough cleaning of the garage and washing the body itself. There should be no dust and dirt.
Primers are:
- Passivating. Possess protective properties, protect against moisture penetration;
- Protective. Such compositions protect against corrosion even in situations where the paint layer itself has been damaged;
- With inert particles. The cheapest composition with the weakest protective parameters. Better not to use.
Remember the golden rule. Achieving good results with a cheap primer will not work.
It is extremely simple to prime the body. You need to place the composition in the container, add a little solvent and hardener. The manufacturer always indicates the proportions directly on the packaging. Use a clean wooden stick or spatula to stir the mixture. Pour it into a spray gun and spread it over the surface.
To eliminate chips, scratches, as well as after the repair of individual significantly damaged body elements, as a rule, a partial painting of the car is required. Usually, this is the final stage of body repair, and full painting is used much less often.
What is local car painting for?
Car paintwork is short-lived, and will age from exposure to ultraviolet rays, while the appearance loses its original function.
The damage primarily threatens the car with corrosion, and in winter, heating-cooling cycles, the chemical activity of the roadside layer, and high humidity can become such factors for the development of corrosion. Therefore, it becomes the first necessity to restore the protective layer of the car. With a small area, local painting works are used.
This type of work requires an accurate selection of the shade of the composition for coloring. Much also depends on the method of applying the paint and on the equipment. It is important to take into account that coatings from different manufacturers may be incompatible, and this will lead to the rejection of a new layer in the future.
Today, you can easily use the services of paint shops, but this requires significant costs. You can carry out a partial painting of the car with your own hands and at the same time significantly save money. However, it requires certain knowledge, care and patience, on which the result will depend.
Preliminary preparation
First, wash your car well, and only then get to work.
Painting of chips can be carried out in two ways, the choice, which depends on the area of damage and its step. The first method is called "touch-up" and is used when scratches on plastic parts are minor. For "retouching" a special pencil with a container is usually used. The pencil is filled with one-component paint and varnish liquid, with the help of which the part is painted over.
The second way is local painting of the car. For this method, you will need some tools, namely: a spray gun and a compressor. Preparation is required before starting the procedure. If there is a dent, you need to straighten it, straighten it, and only then start cleaning the surface. With the help of a grinder, all existing irregularities on the painted surface are sanded. The cleaning process is very important, since the strength of the layers of enamel and varnish will depend on the carefully carried out work. The old coating must be removed as carefully as possible, for this they use an electric drill with a nozzle, or special chemical washes.
Next, it is necessary to putty in thin and even layers until the part takes on its original shape. Use a staple when filler, so the layers will lay down evenly. During drying, the putty shrinks, therefore several coats must be applied.
The next step will be a primer, which is reproduced using two-component acrylic. It is necessary to apply the primer in three layers, while biding time for drying for each layer. After the final drying of the primer, the area is treated with fine-grained sandpaper.
The primer is selected to match the paintwork of the car. Such a procedure is necessary to protect the metal of the car from external influences, and to prevent the formation of rust in the future. If there is a need, after the primer has completely dried, it can still be putty once more. After that, it is necessary to apply a primer to this area again and sand it with sandpaper.
Second step
After preparing the damaged area, you can start painting. Before painting a car, you need to protect the body elements. To do this, you can use protective mixtures that are easily removed from the surface after painting. To protect small areas of the body, stencils are usually used, made of cardboard.
Partial painting of a car part requires careful selection of the required color. The selection of paint for individual areas of the car is carried out from the original factory samples, which are mixed in certain proportions. This procedure is carried out with the help of highly qualified specialists.
Local painting is done in several ways: spray, metallic, acrylic.
Spray painting is carried out at a distance of 40 cm from the surface. It is necessary to apply paint in parallel lines, and make sure that the enamel lies strictly perpendicular for an even color. After the first layer, you need to stand for 15 minutes, after which you can proceed to processing a second time.
Metallic painting is carried out in several layers, while immediately after applying the first layer, it is necessary to apply the next layer without letting dry. When the base paint dries, you can apply a layer of a colorless base, after which the next layer is already metallic.
Painting a car with acrylic requires a completely different technology. To implement a smooth transition, preliminary preparation of the surface of the area where the transition will be made is necessary. For this, the adjacent area is matted with an adhesive tape-brighter together with the paste, and then dust and dirt are removed. When painting with acrylic, a spray gun is used.
Polishing of freshly painted auto parts
After finishing the painting, polishing is carried out with a small grip of the area with the old paint. This procedure allows you to get rid of some of the implicit irregularities in the transition from the new to the old layers.
In order for the processing of the required part of the part to be carried out efficiently, it is recommended that you first check your skills. To do this, use an unnecessary body element for training in painting a car part. Careful study of some of the subtleties and guidance, as well as training will help you get the desired result in the end.
Video about local color blending:
Paintwork is a protective layer of a car body that prevents exposure to moisture, corrosive environment, chemicals. It also reduces the detrimental effect of small mechanical damage, as a result of which corrosion foci are formed.
During the operation of the car, the layer of varnish and paint wears out, loses its properties, its original shade. You can restore the attractive appearance of a car if you know how to paint a car with your own hands, a step-by-step guide will help in a high-quality performance.
Painting is a rather complicated procedure, where certain skills cannot be dispensed with. But, having studied the prepared manual, it is quite possible to perform all the manipulations at home without the involvement of specialists.
A prepared room is one of the important conditions for successful do-it-yourself painting. This can be a garage or other spacious facility, well ventilated and brightly lit. First, a thorough cleaning is carried out, which will prevent the ingress of foreign particles, dirt on the coating. Dust is swept from the walls, wet cleaning is carried out. Walls, ceiling can be additionally tightened with foil.
What tool is needed for painting:
- compressor and spray gun - recommended for large volumes of work;
- spray can - a solution suitable for local staining;
- wrenches and screwdrivers - necessary for dismantling removable elements, which will exclude the ingress of pigment or the formation of other defects;
- scraper, spatula, chisels and brushes - are used to create an ideal plane, eliminate flaws resulting from mechanical stress.
Choice of materials:
- detergent, rags - required to clean the body, remove all contaminants;
- degreaser - used for processing before applying putty, primer, pigment;
- putty, primer, sandpaper - create a basis for spraying pigment and varnish;
- masking tape, film - necessary to insulate non-removable elements;
A suitable shade is also selected. The vehicle's unique VIN code or computer program is used here. For independent work, paint is selected that dries without heat treatment. To determine how much materials are needed, take into account the amount of work, the desired result.
Body preparation before painting
To paint your car properly, you should start with a car wash. It is supposed to remove all dirt, dust with water and detergent. Taking a degreaser or white spirit, it is easy to get rid of greasy traces, bitumen. This is important, so the working compositions are better applied, do not lose their properties.
- bumpers, turn signals;
- lighting equipment, mirrors;
- shockproof protection, if used;
- handles, locks;
- rooms, wipers.
All parts are thoroughly washed and dried. Glass elements are pasted over with paper, film. Masking tape is required to seal the rubber bands.
How is the surface cleaning of parts carried out?
According to the step by step guide, before painting , cleaning of defects and grinding of the car body components is required. Good lighting is necessary for the high-quality performance of the stage. You can work in the garage or on the street.
Basic steps:
- inspecting the car, with a colored marker or acrylic paint in a spray can, mark problem areas - dents, chips, deep scratches;
- when re-evaluating, minor defects are identified and marked with a spray;
- using a chisel, coarse sandpaper, clean up problem areas;
- it is important to minimize the impact on good coverage, creating a smooth transition;
- having found dents, they are eliminated by hitting a prepared wooden guide from the inside with a rubber hammer;
- when detecting foci of corrosion, they are polished to a shine of metal.
Dust is generated in the process. It is recommended to periodically remove it to eliminate the possibility of missing defects. If the coating is old, it is advisable to completely remove it. This will give the car a better paint job, although it will take longer.
Body Putty and Sanding Guide
Irregularities remain after stripping. To paint a car with your own hands, following the step-by-step guide, you need to make the work surface perfect, because the painting will show flaws.
The putty allows you to eliminate the shortcomings, and it is better to carry out the manipulations in the garage. Before applying the material, inspect the body again, remove dirt, degrease it using special compounds or white spirit.
How is filling done:
- It is recommended to use finishing compounds (synthetic polyester), which are characterized by a fine-grained structure, which will facilitate sanding. Prepare spatulas, metal and rubber.
- Thinking about how much putty is needed, they estimate the number of defects. But you need to prepare the composition in small portions - it dries quickly. To do this, use a metal sheet, plywood, containers with a flat bottom so that the finished material is easy to get.
- The application is carried out vigorously, performing cross movements at an angle of 90 degrees. So, a flat, slightly protruding plane is created.
- All problem areas are processed. If grains appear, then the composition dries up and should not be used anymore.
- The treated areas are left to dry. How long does it take - usually 30-50 minutes, depending on temperature and humidity.
- It is easy to check dryness using coarse sandpaper. If no adhesion occurs during grinding, the composition is dry.
Further, the processed places are polished. The process begins with the use of coarse sandpaper and ends with the use of sandpaper with the lowest grain density - 600. It is necessary to constantly check the surface by touch, excluding the formation of defects. Some places will have to be re-processed.
Priming process, preparation for painting
After removing dust, degreasing the surface, paste over all the places where paint will not be applied.
- a thin layer of primer is sprayed, but they go a little on a good coating (this is the primary layer, which allows you to identify all defects);
- the flaws that have arisen are eliminated;
- a secondary layer of primer is applied after 4 hours;
Priming is a mandatory step, without which it is impossible to paint a car. It is the basis for any coating, providing a reliable bond with the metal. According to the step-by-step guide, it is recommended to choose a primer in a spray can, which will facilitate application.
The paintwork of the parts around the treated areas is sanded with 1200 grit sandpaper, which will provide better adhesion to the new coating. Thus, it is easier to paint a car completely, but the manual also applies in situations where painting is required only for individual parts.
Craftsman tips - how to paint a car with your own hands with a step-by-step guide
By properly preparing the car, garage and pigment, you can easily paint the body.
Thinking about how the master's cars would be painted, it is worth studying the guide:
- Work begins with the dilution of the pigment to optimal density. The solvent is added so that a thin thread of 1–2 mm is formed upon drawing. As a result of dripping, 3 to 4 drops per second should fall off.
- It is advisable to strain the paint, and then pour it into the tank of a pre-configured spray gun. Masters advise to choose a nozzle No. 1.4 mm, setting the pressure to 3 atm.
- If a spray can is used for work, the procedure is simplified and you can immediately paint the part.
- When it is necessary to paint the car completely, work starts from the roof, gradually moving to the lower parts.
- In this case, the spray gun nozzle is kept at a distance of up to 25 cm from the working surface.
- Sometimes, having painted the car, you may notice stains and other defects. Smooth movements, optimally selected pressure and thickness of the paint allow to exclude them.
- So, 2-3 layers are performed with short 15-minute breaks for drying. For each subsequent layer, the pigment is made more liquid.
You can't rush to paint well. With each subsequent layer, the color will be brighter, richer. Having painted the body, you need to leave it to dry completely. This usually takes no more than 36 hours.
The step-by-step guide also provides tips for performing the procedure with your own hands:
- you can work only in a respirator, additionally providing ventilation;
- so that, after painting the car, not to find traces of dust on the coating, the compressor is installed outside the painting room;
- Do not smoke in the work area as flammable substances are used.
By following the step-by-step guide, it is easy to paint your car for a high quality, attractive finish.
How to paint a car correctly: preparation and painting itself
The paintwork (LCP) of a car cannot remain in its original form forever. Over time, it loses color and brightness. The surface is covered with defects such as cracks, stains and dents. The appearance of the car and the protective functions that were previously performed by the paintwork are deteriorating.
Ideally, it is better to paint in a special box.
In addition to the effect of time and objects (objects) that leave defects, the condition of the paint is also affected by gas pollution on the roads and the use of acidic agents for washing cars. These factors become the reason for the desire to improve the appearance of your car by painting. But given the high cost of this procedure, thrifty motorists choose an independent way to solve the problem.
Can I paint the car myself?
Self-painting of a car is inferior in quality to the work done in a car service. Especially if you do not have the necessary knowledge, technology and experience. But if you do not have the opportunity to contact a specialized car service, you can paint it yourself, in your own garage. It should be understood that the owner of the car takes responsibility for the result in this case.
If you follow the necessary technologies and features of all stages, starting with preliminary cleaning of the body, ending with the painting itself, you can achieve quite a decent result. But it should be remembered that painting a car is a laborious and time-consuming process.
Preparing a car for painting with your own hands
First you need to wash your car.
- Further, the external elements are dismantled, which cannot be painted. The removed parts should be washed, cleaned and dried.
- After that, the paintwork is checked for defects. If cracks, dents or chips are found, they are marked.
- Next, the identified irregularities are cleaned using metal brushes, scrapers and sandpaper.
- Next, they proceed to the putty. To do this, you need a polyester synthetic auto putty and spatulas.
- The putty is mixed with the hardener in the proportions written on the package. After thorough mixing, the resulting mass is applied to the defective spots. Gently to get a smooth surface. It is better to putty quickly, as the stirred putty tends to harden soon. After completing the work, you must wait 30-45 minutes. so that the surface is completely hardened and dried.
- Cleaning the treated surface is carried out with an emery cloth. This stage lasts until the surface to be treated matches the surface of the body. When cleaning, the surface must not be moistened with water, as it degrades the quality of the putty.
The body is once again cleaned of dust. Places of the body that cannot be painted are sealed with paper. The entire area to be painted is polished with sandpaper (use # 1200), after which a primer is applied to it. You need to prime it in 2-3 layers, each of which is allowed to dry for 5-6 hours.
What to do if the check engine light is on - see here.
Also see what it takes to pass the license and how to successfully pass the exam.
How to paint a car with your own hands
After completing the preliminary procedures, they start painting. First, the enamel is diluted. The enamel is diluted to the desired consistency with a solvent (it is better to follow the instructions). The paint is prepared immediately in the required quantity to avoid color differences.
The process of painting according to the technology starts from the roof of the car. To evenly distribute the paint, the pressure in the paint gun is set to 3 atm. Maintain a distance of 200 mm from the paint gun to the body. The car is painted in 2-3 layers (each layer is dried for at least 15 minutes).
It must be remembered that the final color and shade will appear only after the surface is painted with the 2nd layer. Dry the car optimally indoors for 1-2 days.
After painting, a certain amount of dust may settle on the car, so the car is additionally polished. It is best to do this with an abrasive paste and a polishing machine.
See how the preparation and painting of a car with your own hands is carried out (video)
Nuances
- Painting is done in a spacious room. This will allow you to walk freely around the vehicle and maintain the correct distance from the console to the surface.
- Before work, you need to carefully remove the garage from dust and dirt, pay attention to the cleanliness of the ceiling and moisten the floor with water. Otherwise, the remaining dust will definitely fall on the body and painted surfaces.
- It is imperative to work in a protective respirator. This will help preserve the lungs and respiratory tract, as paint is an aggressive substance.
- The room should be thoroughly ventilated. Draft will help reduce the concentration of harmful substances in the air.
- It is strictly forbidden to light a fire or smoke indoors. The paint is highly flammable.
You can paint the car yourself. With the right conditions, the right equipment and the correct execution of the stages of work, this process will not cause difficulties. But, inexperience in this case does not quite lead to the result that was expected. Therefore, before starting to practice, carefully read the theory, or even better - consult a car service worker.
A competent master will be able to explain in what order the whole process is carried out and how to do everything with the minimum expenditure of time, money and nerves.
How to paint a car correctly?
Sometime there always comes a moment when the car owner begins to seriously think about the fact that the time has come to update his iron horse, or rather, paint it.
Of course, the best option would be to contact the appropriate specialists who would quickly paint the car, of course, for a fee. But what if the required amount is simply not there, and there is absolutely no desire to wait when the extra money will appear? The answer is simple - to paint a car yourself, about the technology of painting a car here.
However, remember that painting a car is a rather serious and painstaking business. And since you are going to carry out this process with your own hands, then you will have to follow a number of recommendations. So how to paint a car yourself? What do you need to know about this process?
Painting a car includes several stages at once:
- car preparation (before painting),
- filling,
- grinding,
- primer,
- directly painting and polishing.
But first of all, you should decide on the place where the car will be painted. It is desirable that this place-room be spacious, although an ordinary box or garage is also suitable, the main thing is that there must be a constant positive temperature there.
Step-by-step instructions on how to paint the car yourself.
The first stage is preparing the car for painting.
The surface of the car for the application of the putty must be prepared as best as possible. With the help of various detergents, all contaminants are removed from the surface of the body, and in the presence of grease and bitumen stains, it is necessary to use special solutions to remove such stains. By the way, the quality of surface degreasing can be checked using filtered paper: if greasy stains remain on it, then the surface must be washed again with a solvent. Remember: any grease stain on the surface of a car is a potential source of corrosion.
After the degreasing procedure, it is necessary to dismantle the front and rear bumpers of the car, the radio antenna, the decorative radiator grille and external lighting equipment. All these parts must be thoroughly cleaned from dirt.
Further, in a well-lit place, we conduct a detailed study of the paintwork for the detection of defects. If cracks, dents and chips are found, they should be marked with colored chalk or quick-drying acrylic paint.
Removal of existing paintwork can be done mechanically or chemically. For a mechanical cleaning method, you will need metal brushes, scrapers, and abrasives. They also clean out defective areas, while the transition from a defective surface to a defect-free one should be very smooth. The chemical method of surface cleaning involves the use of special cleaning agents.
If at the same time you find rust on the car, then it is necessary to get rid of it in order, first of all, remove the oxide and remove it and clear the affected area. For these purposes, you can use a grinder, drill, angle grinder, ordinary sandpaper, or etching, that is, get rid of rust by a chemical method. A ready-made composition (acid-based) for this can be purchased at a specialized store.
Car painting preparation video
The second stage is puttying.
Puttying must be carried out if there are irregularities on the surface to be treated. To carry out this procedure, you will need spatulas and putty.
Puttying is carried out as follows: the putty is mixed with a hardener, and then applied to the surface in several separate layers, 1-2 mm thick). At the same time, each such layer must dry for at least 40 minutes in a room at a temperature of +20 degrees Celsius.
Car spackling video
The third stage is grinding.
It is necessary to grind the surface dry, that is, without wetting. For sanding, you need P80 sandpaper, as well as a flat, hard sanding block. The bar must be kept along the horizon. If necessary, some areas of the car's surface can be degreased, putty and sanded again.
Car Grinding Videos
The fourth stage is priming and painting.
The car is driven into the paint brushes, pasted over, blown, wiped and degreased. Covers are thrown over the wheels.
A primer is applied in 2-3 layers, each of which is allowed to dry: the surface becomes dull and the gloss disappears.
Then the car is blown again, degreased and the smallest dust is removed. Next, go directly to the painting itself. And they start it from the roof of the car.
At the end of this stage, the surface of the car is treated with an antistatic napkin.
Car primer video
The fifth stage is polishing.
After the painting has been carried out, some amount of dust will surely settle on the car, which means that the car needs polishing.
The polishing process is quite simple: after the surface becomes matte, an abrasive paste is taken, and with its help the car is polished with a polishing machine. Read more in the article do-it-yourself car polishing.
Video on car polishing after painting
Afterword.
If you were wondering how to paint a car yourself, you probably got a detailed answer. However, do not rush to start this process, relying only on the knowledge you have just received. After all, the lack of experience in painting a car can affect the final result. In other words, you run the risk of getting far from the view that you originally expected.
Know - painting a car requires compliance with all the small nuances, so before starting to practice, if you have already decided on it, master the theory well!
For the creative: a step-by-step guide on how to paint a car with your own hands
Have an idea to freshen up your car? How to do it? You can put new rims, install a good sound or paint the body. Yes, you heard right. If you have a free week, perseverance and imagination, you can paint the car with your own hands. A step-by-step guide is provided below: check out the article before embarking on a hand-mad adventure.
How to paint a car with your own hands: a step-by-step guide
The Beginner's Walkthrough is a handbook for future creativity. Pay close attention to the advice in the text, otherwise the result may be disappointing. Reworking unsuccessful art is an expensive procedure. Therefore, do everything right the first time, the more it is not difficult.
Cooking the body
Wash your car. Be careful when cleaning the dirt - water alone will not be enough. Better take the car to the car wash and run a full marafet. You can read about how to use the self-service car wash here.
Wipe the body with mineral spirits to remove the greasy layer. Do not use gasoline or thinner to avoid damage to the coating. Remove the bumpers, headlights, antenna, radiator grill from the car. If there are additional decorative elements - remove. Your task is to get a bare body. Wash the parts, wipe them with a terry cloth and fold them in a separate place.
We clean up defects
Drive the car out onto the street and inspect it carefully. Mark the areas that have defects with a washable felt-tip pen or acrylic paint. Ordinary crayon will do. It is best to repeat the procedure twice to be sure that all defects are covered.
Take sandpaper No. 60, 80, 100. Sand problem areas to metal. At the same time, do not allow the stripping to go beyond the defective zone. The edges of the transition should be as smooth as possible. Check this by moving your hand from the edges to the middle of the work surface. Clean off any dust from the body, wipe with a cotton towel and wipe again with white spirit. Leave the car for a couple of hours to dry.
Important! After the work done, drive the car into the garage so that dust does not press on it on the street.
Aligning the body
To putty the car body for subsequent painting, stock up on metal and rubber spatulas of different sizes and polyester putty. Dilute the composition as indicated on the packaging of the material and get to work immediately. Apply it alternately with criss-cross movements to the problem area. Rotate the trowel 90 degrees before changing direction. This will provide a level surface with the rest of the body.
After the putty is finished, let the treated areas harden. This usually takes 30–40 minutes, provided the ambient temperature is above 20 ° C. To check the effect, go over the former defect with 80-grit sandpaper. If the putty is stuck, it means that the composition has not yet hardened. Grind the finished surface with No. 100 and 600 until completely homogeneous with the body.
The final touch will be to cleanse problem areas from dust with a towel dipped in white spirit. Dry. Apply a thin coat of primer from a spray can, gripping the intact edges of the body. If the defect is still visible, fix it.
Finishing preparation for painting
After the machine is cleaned of dust, cover the areas that you are not going to paint with masking tape. Cover the wheels with newspaper or plastic. The boundaries between the painted and unpainted parts must lie along the fold lines. This will hide the transition between tones. Sand the body with 1200 grit sandpaper, dust off and start painting.
Step-by-step guide: how to paint a car with enamel
Carefully study the instructions for the purchased enamel so that later it will not be excruciatingly painful. Dilute it to the desired thickness with a solvent, strain and fill it with a spray gun. Use a gun with a nozzle No. 1.4, the air pressure when supplying paint should not exceed 3 atm.
To paint, follow the instructions below:
- Start at the roof: point the gun nozzle towards the surface and apply 2–3 coats of enamel in a reciprocating motion.
- Drying between coats should be 15 minutes.
- Start painting the sides, then the hood and trunk.
- After finishing work, leave the machine to dry. In warm weather, the enamel will harden in 26–36 hours.
Safety rules for self-painting a car
For painting to be successful, be sure to observe safety regulations... They are not complicated, however, they can save you from rash actions that can lead to an accident:
- Wear a respirator. The room you are in should have artificial or natural ventilation.
- Place the compressor for outdoor painting.
- Do not smoke in the work area. Substances emitted by enamel are explosive.
To fix the step-by-step instructions, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the video. Hopefully, upgrading your car with your own hands is now as easy for you as inserting a key into the ignition. Good luck on the road!
How to paint a car with metallic: step by step instructions, recommendations
- How to paint a car with metallic paint: step by step instructions, recommendations
- Metallic painting features
- Factors affecting the metallic shade
- Metallic car painting
- Necessary materials
- Phased work
- Base coat application
- Car wash
- Sanding old coating
- Padding
- Paint application
- Varnishing and polishing
Metallic car painting technology has been known since the 60s. Now it is massively used both to completely change the color of a car, and to paint individual parts. We will tell you more about the process of such painting in the article.
Metallic painting features
Metallic paint is a one-component composition that does not require a hardener. Its peculiarity is the presence of metal particles: the color manifests itself depending on the depth of their occurrence.
Self-painting is a complex process that requires accuracy and adherence to technology, since even minor deviations from it are immediately striking. A common problem is appleiness: round spots that can appear even after all the stages of painting have been carried out. 
Causes of occurrence:
- Incorrectly diluted paint. Using a solvent or hardener of a different brand from the paint manufacturer will cause the color pigments to flake off.
- If the thinner is weak, then the level of viscosity decreases and the uniformity of the coloring pigment is lost; or the components did not have time to mix with each other.
- An incorrectly selected nozzle does not spray paint over the surface, but directs it in a spray jet.
- The coating is too thick.
- Excessive spray pressure on the topcoat.
To eliminate this defect, wet and dry grinding is carried out, and then cosmetic painting.
Factors affecting the metallic shade
The main factors that affect the metallic hue are the rate of evaporation of the solvent and how deep the metal particles are. Their even arrangement depends on how dry or wet the solvent layer is.
In the first option, the solvent will dry quickly, and the metal particles will not have time to take the position they need, the paint will become lighter, without the expected saturation. If the layer is wet, the particles will be buried too deep and the color will darken. 
Color reacts to the following factors:
- If the spray pressure from the spray gun is higher than specified by the manufacturer, less will be sprayed onto the surface itself.
- At low viscosity, the layer is thinner, and metal particles do not have time to penetrate to the required depth.
- The higher the room temperature, the faster the paint dries.
- With fast passes, less solvent reaches the surface.
- The fast solvent has a high evaporation rate.
The effect of these factors is described in more detail in the table:
Metallic car painting
Before starting painting, it is recommended to check all processes on the old part. Knowing the technology and having tried all its stages, it will be easier to get started. A popular method of application is spraying, during which unprotected areas are covered with tape and paper. The paint is applied in three layers.
Painting is often done with a technique called transition. It is appropriate when the damage is minor and only a certain part of the body needs to be painted over.
How to paint silver metallic, without appleiness: video
The execution technology is presented in two options:
- Spray paint and varnish the entire part.
- After spray painting, varnish with a transition.
Stages of preparation of parts:
- Repair damaged part of the part without hitting whole parts.
- Matt whole parts with gray tape-bright and matte paste.
- Blow off and degrease the part. Apply a thin layer of binder to it - the "foundation" for the paint, which contributes to its even and smooth layer.
Paint application technique:
- Paint over the stain without going beyond it.
- Apply paint wider than the edges of the stain, trying to smooth out the transition. This stage is performed in 3-4 approaches. Wait for the paint to dry.
- Varnish the detail. It's easier to do it as a whole, but if the damage is insignificant, then varnish with a transition.
Varnish application technique:
- Mix varnish with activator and apply the mixture to the stain. Let the layer dry.
- Reapply the mixture, expanding the margins of the stain.
- The last layer is thin. Dilute activated varnish with solvent in a 1: 1 ratio, apply it even wider than before.
- Polishing can be replaced with a solvent, but only if the process is performed by a person with experience.
Necessary materials
Before starting work, make sure that the necessary materials are at hand:
- anti-silicone - degreases the surface;
- surface degreasing wipes - complete the anti-silicone effect;
- masking tape and film - protect unprotected parts;
- scotch-bright - creates dullness and smooth color transition;
- solvent - use if necessary to wipe something;
- car putty - removes small scratches. Used at the final stage of painting;
- developing powder or aerosol - allows you to identify defects after grinding. If such have been determined, then the surface is polished again;
- anti-static, or sticky wipes - remove dust and static voltage;
- acid or phosphate primer - two-component primer for bare metal;
- two-component acrylic primer - levels the surface;
- primer for plastic - used for painting plastic materials;
- metallic paint;
- car varnish - covers the paint with a protective layer;
- polishing pastes - give the surface a shine.
You will also need special equipment:
- brushes - manual and those that are installed on a grinder and a drill. Eliminate dust, paint residues;
- vinyl nozzles - used for thorough cleaning;
- abrasive paper - removes scratches and defects.
Phased work
The process of painting a car with metallic paint is as follows:
- Car wash with car shampoo.
- Eliminate grease and corroded areas.
- Degreasing the surface.
- Creation of anti-corrosion coating, first and second priming.
- Application of paint to the surface.
- Coating with varnish.
Base coat application
Metallic paint consists of three layers. For the first layer, the paint is diluted with a solvent in a ratio of 2: 1 - it is deliberately made dry to prevent the occurrence of an unpleasant fish-eye effect. 10-15 minutes wait for it to dry out.
This stage is necessary to eliminate visible signs of the repair work carried out. If a defect occurs during the process, let the paint dry for half an hour. Gently sand the area with sandpaper and water, clean and degrease.
Car wash
Wash the vehicle with a high-pressure hose. It is best to leave the sponge and bucket aside, as the sponge spreads the remaining sand and dust particles along the surface. Make sure that the environment is also clean. 
Sanding old coating
Grinding is a lengthy process that takes half the working time. It can be dry or wet. Dry significantly saves time and materials: this method is less harmful to health. It is necessary for removing paint residues and rust, giving the coating a matte finish. It is removed with light circular movements. 
Padding
The primer provides additional protection and adhesion to the paint. Eliminates small dents and streaks after sanding.
Performance:
- Stir the soil thoroughly first.
- Dilute with solvent and hardener.
- Filter the mixture with a filter or gauze.
- Apply a couple of coats. Leave time to dry between each layer.
The color should not show through. A universal option is shades of gray. 
Paint application
After the base layer, two subsequent ones are applied. Dilute the paint with solvent in a 1: 1 ratio. Apply the second layer thickly. Wait for it to dry and apply a third layer in the same way.
Varnishing and polishing
Dilute the varnish with hardener and thinner. The amount of solvent for the first layer is determined by a value that is half that indicated by the manufacturer on the varnish can. Such a layer will be "croup" - and that's how it should be. Wait for it to dry completely.
For the second coat, use 10-15% solvent and apply thickly.
Do not polish immediately after painting - wait at least a month. This time is enough for the varnish to settle. The work is carried out in a dust-free room without direct sunlight, which damages the polish. Apply abrasive paste to the polishing machine and polish the surface until a glossy shine appears. 
The metallic car looks undeniably impressive. Self-painting is a troublesome and lengthy process, but if you follow the recommendations exactly, the final result will delight you!
Subscribe to our feeds on Facebook, Vkontakte and Instagram: all the most interesting car events in one place.
DIY car painting
Can I paint the car myself? This question was probably asked by more than one car owner, who at least once had to contact a body car service.
Sometimes the cost of painting an old car exceeds the market value of the car itself.
In order to fully answer this question, it will be necessary to present such a mass of information that it would require the publication of at least a full-fledged textbook. Therefore, this article is just a short step-by-step instruction for painting a car with your own hands.
Disassembly
First of all, you should dismantle those parts that either will not be painted at all, or you need to work with them separately. For example, a car is produced only when it is removed.
It is imperative to remove door handles, moldings, exterior mirrors, sealing gum on the doors, antenna (if any), wheel arch liners and mud flaps, door sills and arches, front and rear lights - in general, everything that will not be painted.
You should also carefully, without breaking, remove all kinds of emblems ("nameplates"). Gently pulling them towards you, you need to cut the double-sided tape on which they are glued with a sharp spatula. In the future, the remains of the scotch tape from the body are easily removed with a special rubber roller installed in the drill chuck.
Removal of chips and scratches
Deep chips and scratches should be removed, albeit together with old paint and primer, to metal - in other words, sanded down. Moreover, the places most susceptible to gravel impact can be immediately processed with paper with coarse grains - PP - 80-100.
You might be wondering how to remove a chipped windshield? Read the details
Sandpaper should be applied to the block. However, for workshops this is the last century, as the sandpaper is glued with the help of velcro, either on a special hand tool or on the sole of a grinder. Just chipping away chips, pressing on the sandpaper with your fingers, you will make "holes", and after painting the car will look like a crumpled samovar.
Sometimes, when removing chips, dents on the parts come to light. In this case, after cleaning the surface to metal and processing, they are leveled with an auto putty, after which they are applied.
Priming and sanding
Priming, regardless of which layer of soil is applied, must be preceded by degreasing the surface with special means such as "Antisilicon". Only those areas where the old coating has been removed to the metal should be primed.
The areas cleaned to metal must be primed, sometimes two or three times, until small irregularities are completely eliminated. In order to ensure a smooth (without steps) transition between the primed surface and the one on which the old coating remains, the border is "lighted", i.e. smooth out. In this regard, it is very convenient to make borders in places where the surface of the part forms "edges" - the transition is smoothed out more easily.
In order for the fresh primer to “adhere” to the old coating qualitatively, it is preliminarily sanded with P 400 abrasive.
The last layer of primer is sanded either by hand with PP 600-800 abrasives, or with a machine, with P 400-500 abrasives.
Old paint is also sanded or matted, otherwise the fresh coating applied to the gloss will soon begin to flake off.
The choice of abrasive depends on what materials you will have to work with later. Acrylic paints can “fill in” larger sanding scratches. In most cases, cars are now painted with nitro paint, which is varnished, or with protective paints such as. It is used to protect the car body from the effects of the external environment.
If the car has a three-layer or mother-of-pearl coating, then it is better to forget about self-painting the car - without certain knowledge, skills and professional equipment, you will inevitably screw it up.
How to make a car soundproofing with your own hands? right now!
For surface preparation for painting, see the following video:
Masking, or gluing
The purpose of masking is to prevent paint and varnish from spilling onto unpainted surfaces. The main materials for it are covering film and masking tape.
In order to avoid paint getting into the gaps between doors and other parts, a special self-adhesive foam roller is used.
In those places where it is necessary to protect the gum of the glass (front, rear, "vents"), a special tape is used to bend the gum from the surface or a piece of wire of a suitable diameter should be brought under it. This is done in order to ensure that paint gets into the area of the body covered with an elastic band. However, sometimes (especially if it is necessary) the glass has to be cut out and, after painting, pasted again.
When gluing, make sure that the film is taut. The boundaries between the old and new paintwork are usually made in inconspicuous places - at the corners of the sills, in the gaps between the hood and fenders, etc.
Car painting equipment
The technology of painting a car requires the use of not only high-quality materials, but also the use of professional equipment and tools.
So, what do you need to paint a car of high quality? Let's list the main points:
- Spray booth with good ventilation (extraction). In addition, the cell must be equipped with heaters and good lighting.
- ... Its characteristics (performance, outlet pressure, receiver volume) must ensure uninterrupted, without pressure surges, air supply. Moreover, these characteristics must correspond to the parameters of the spray gun.
- Air purification and dehumidification system. Condensed moisture trapped in the paint will tear the paint layer apart.
- Spray gun. Professional spray guns allow you to minimize the risk of dripping and other defects, but their cost is quite high - from $ 400.
- Protective overalls and mask.
In addition, to carry out work with individual elements, you will need devices that allow you to fix the removed parts, for example, a bumper or fender.
The use of tools and materials that are not professional will never lead to the desired result. For example, painting a car from a spray can:
- firstly, the pressure will constantly change, making it difficult to apply the paint evenly. In addition, the spray of paint (or torch) is not regulated in any way;
- secondly, such paints cannot be polished after drying;
- and finally, the coating will be unstable.
Such "original" methods as painting a car with a roller should not be considered at all - the car will look sloppy and repulsive.
But if you have the opportunity to use good equipment, it is still better to practice on individual parts to learn how to work with a pistol.
Small scratches in the paint can be removed with a wax crayon.
How to use a spray gun correctly
Learning how to use a spray gun takes practice.
First of all, you need to learn how to hold the pistol at a certain distance and at the same angle to the part.
Avoid chaotic movements, and apply paint in even stripes, partially overlapping them. You should also learn how to adjust the torch and determine the viscosity of the paint by eye.
It is very important to learn not to stop the movement of the hand with the gun - the paint will flow immediately.
The colorful layers need to be dried. The paint applied to the poorly dried layer will flow, and from the “dry” layer will subsequently flake off.
How to paint a car with your own hands, see the following video:
Painting of individual elements
Painting of plastic parts
The biggest parts are the bumpers. To work with them, you need to remove them and place them on a special stand. Very often the lower part of the bumper is not painted in the color of the car and can be disconnected from the main one. It is also required to remove the parking sensors and the radiator grill if it is made in the same product with the front bumper.
The part that is painted in the color of the car is subjected to the same processing as the metal parts - it is sanded, primed and then painted with the same materials as iron. The exterior mirror of a car is painted in a similar way.
Unpainted parts of the bumper can be painted black with special plastic paint. True, the coating will differ from the factory one - it is very difficult to calculate the viscosity of the paint and the pressure in order to achieve an acceptable surface roughness.
Painting car sills
The difficulty in painting the thresholds lies in the fact that the car must be hung out in such a way as to be able to work with a pistol. To do this, you either need to put it on supports or lift it with a lift. In the latter case, the thresholds will not have to be painted in the chamber, which is risky in terms of dust adhesion, and complications may arise with warming up the room.
However, a black anti-gravel coating is often applied to the thresholds, without then painting them to match the color of the car.
You can learn about the ceramic coating of the car body from
Painting with transition
This method of painting is used in cases where there are difficulties with the selection of the desired shade.
For example, you want to paint the front fender of a car, but you get a strong contrast in color compared to the door and hood. In this case, the latter are also partially colored, and as you move away from the wing, the paint layer fades away, and even further - only a layer of varnish remains. The transition formed by layers of old and fresh varnish is subsequently polished.
Also, painting with a transition is used when repairing rear fenders, because it is impossible to paint the rear fender of a car separately, since there is usually no such part - the iron is stamped immediately with the roof pillars and sills. The transition in such cases is done in the narrowest places - on the roof rack and on the threshold.
Of course, this is a simplified description of the process. In fact, even sanding when painting with a transition has its own subtleties. For example, that part of the part where only varnish is supposed to be applied is sanded with one abrasive, while the places for the paint coating are sanded with another. A special solvent is added to the paint in place of the transition, which makes it possible to achieve an imperceptible "stretch" of the color.
How to polish a car after painting
Immediately before polishing, it is required to remove small irregularities (dust particles, adhering insects, etc.) with P 2000 sandpaper.
It is done using a polishing machine with a foam disc attached to it. The work is carried out in three stages - pastes of various sizes of abrasive grains. Each paste corresponds to a polishing wheel of a certain color. After each stage of work, the residues of the paste should be thoroughly washed off.
Video on how to properly polish a car after painting:
It should be polished, remembering that you can overdo it and remove the varnish from the paint, especially at all kinds of corners - the "edges" of the hood, doors and fenders.
One has only to look at the prices of auto repair shops engaged in painting, as there is a natural desire to do such work on their own and with less financial losses.
In addition, according to the practice and explanations of competent motorists, do-it-yourself car tinting is feasible in garage conditions, but if you have the desire and zeal to acquire new ones or demonstrate your abilities. This procedure involves several sequential steps.
Preliminary preparation
- Preparation of external and internal surfaces. Car tinting involves first removing any dirt, grease and rust from the surfaces to be painted. For cleaning, you can use white spirit and household detergents. The use of gasoline and strong solvents is undesirable.
Then you need to remove and wash the decorative grille, front and rear bumpers, headlights and sidelights. It is worth removing the antenna and partially the shockproof protection. On the surfaces that have been opened, it is also necessary to remove dirt.
- Elimination of defects of the old painting.
In order to properly tint a car with your own hands, it is worth getting rid of the flaws of the previous painting. For this purpose, the vehicle must be installed in a well-lit room or outdoors. This will allow you to find all the defects on the surface.
Moreover, the inspection must be carried out several times so as not to miss any damage. In order to thoroughly process all defects, it is worth making well-visible marks.
Tinting a car from a spray can on your own also provides for cleaning the surface to bare metal with a screwdriver or chisel. It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that the cleaned places should have a smooth transition to the untreated surface.
A similar effect can be achieved by using sandpaper with a grain size of 60 to 100. After cleaning, you must carefully remove the formed dust with a clean cloth moistened with white spirit. To completely paint the surface, the old paint should be completely removed.
- Leveling the surface with putty.
To get rid of more serious damage, you need to prepare the following tools and materials:
- metal and rubber spatulas of various sizes,
- anti-corrosion compound,
- polyester synthetic putty.
Putty is applied to areas with severe damage, for example, before touching up the rust on the car yourself. For such areas, two-component automotive putties are used. Recommendations for their preparation are indicated on the packaging.
Before applying the putty, an anti-corrosion compound is preliminarily applied to the treated areas. The finished mixture should be applied with strokes in different directions. At the end of this work, you should get a smooth surface with a slight bulge.
At a temperature of about 20 degrees, the putty dries up after 45 minutes. Before painting the machine, sand it with 120-600 grit sandpaper or an orbital sander. It is important that this procedure is carried out dry, without the use of any liquids.
Perfect touch-up of the car depends on the thoroughness of surface preparation- dust removal using the same white spirit. In addition, it is necessary to cover areas that cannot be painted with newspapers, paper, wallpaper and masking tape.
The main stage is painting
The most inexpensive and simplest touch-up agent is spray paint. Even at the initial stage, it is worth deciding on the scale of painting. It can be local or capital. Still, do-it-yourself bumper tinting and full coloring has a similar technology.
To begin with, it is worth clarifying the color number of the car and, according to it, choose the desired shade of the spray.
Before , how to tint a car from a spray can, you need to take the trouble and borrow old car parts, for example, at a junkyard or at a scrap metal collection point to practice. It is better to master all the subtleties of painting a car in advance than in the process or, even worse, at the end.
- Spray tinting.
Experts recommend applying the basecoat first and then spraying the paint. Before you touch up the car with your own hands, you need to shake the can for 3 minutes. During touch-up, the bottle should be kept at a distance of 30 cm from the surface of the machine. The paint must be applied in 2-3 layers.
Each subsequent layer should be larger in area and volume. Drying time for one of them is approximately 25 minutes. It is worth considering the fact that paint dries faster in well-heated rooms.
If the top layer is dry, it is too early to think that the composition is dry inside too. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly observe the drying time of each of them. To speed up this process, it is permissible to use a building hair dryer. Partial touch-up should be done strictly within the prepared matte area.
- Surface coating with transparent varnish.
The varnish composition is also available in the form of a spray and is applied in the same way as paint. It is advisable to use products from one manufacturer. In order to hide the transition from the new coating to the old one, you need to blur their boundaries. For this purpose, it is worth using an aerosol solvent.
- Surface polishing.
A dry car must be polished with a protective or abrasive polish. The latter is considered more effective, but the protective polish is easier to use. Teflon or wax is used for protective polishing.
During polishing, the car should be indoors, so that sunlight does not dry out the composition in advance. A small amount of polish is applied to the surface of the machine, then thoroughly rubbed with a suede cloth.
Having mastered all the subtleties of tinting a car, you can not only save well, but also achieve amazing results, mastering a new craft for yourself.
