The secrets of a great car paint job

On the finishing side of the car paint job you should make sure the body shop will not use lacquer putties and fast-dry lacquer-based primers, to fill body scratches and imperfections. These products are likely to shrink shorlty after the car paint job is completed and the body imperfections will show up again. Better quality products should fill scratches, without shrinking and with much better adherance and durability. Examples of such high quality epoxy-based high-build primer surfacers are Morton's Eliminator and Dupont's URO Primer-Filler. If welding work is performed before the car paint job the body shop should use special weld-through primers, which are applied before the pieces are actually welded. The benefits will again be better adherance and durability.

It goes without saying that the finishing coat is vital to a car paint job well done. The new paint technologies now available in the market will, by all means, provide for a better finish. Traditional paints, such as lacquers and enamels, lack durability and adherance. The new 2-part polyurethane paints have better resistance and can match the glass-smooth shine of the best hand-rubbed lacquers. Colors of polyurethane paints also have great depth and richness provided the finishing system includes a base color followed by a high-gloss clear coat. Talk to your body shop about new technologies before making a decision on your car paint job, ask around, speak to paint suppliers. Know what your body shop will put on the vehicle !!

If your car paint job is somewhat more modest and you are looking at making touch-ups, this also merits a discussion of the process. Most people will go to the dealer, buy a tube of car touch up paint and apply on the area affected. Well ... that is not quite what's recommended !! Instead, wash the area requiring repair with dish soap and water and dry up with a clean cloth. Use a thinner to remove the wax, oil or grease film residues.

If the area is rusted sand gently with metal sand paper, then apply a rust remover and complete the treatment with a rust converter.

If the area is rust-free (you are working on bare metal) first treat the area with a metal conditioner, apply a first coat of primer, let dry 10 minutes, then apply a second coat. Let dry 45 minutes before applying the finishing coat.

At the finishing stage, first make sure the color paint is well mixed (this is kind of obvious but HO ! so important). Apply two coats, always brushing in the same direction. You might need a third coat, you will have to judge if the second coat was enough to obtain a close to perfect color match.

Wait a good 10 days then go to the final stage of this car paint job. Apply a fine polishing compound on a very wet soft cloth to polish out the surface repaired. DO NOT rub the thing to death !! You might go through the color. Finish off with waxing and polishing.