The Auto Body Preparation Process for Painting

Whether a professional or an amateur paints your car, the most important part of the entire process is not the actual painting, but the preparation process. The highest-quality paint won't look good on a car that wasnt properly prepared, and even inexpensive paint can look good on a car that was. There is a specific preparation process to get a car body ready for paint.

Instructions

1

Sand the body of the vehicle with a dual-action sander and 220-grit sandpaper. Hold the surface of the sander flat against the surface of the vehicle and apply light pressure. Sand the car down to the bare metal or the base layer of primer. Remove all old paint completely.

2

Change the sandpaper to 390-grit and sand the entire car again. This smoothens the surface and removes any remaining old paint.

3

Place masking tape and paper over all parts of the car you dont want to paint. Cover the window glass, lights, grill, trim, door handles, wheels and door locks.

4

Spray a thick coat of primer, also called a guide coat, on the entire car. Let the primer dry for 30 minutes. Use a long sanding block and 400-grit sandpaper to sand the entire car. Keep the sanding block flat against the car. Move it along the surface back and forth, leading with a long edge of the block.

5

Look for low areas on the surface. They show as dark spots through the primer since the long block wont sand them. Repair these spots with body filler and repeat the steps on this area until it is smooth and level.

6

Sand the entire car with 600- and then 800-grit sandpaper and water. Keep the sandpaper soaking wet while sanding to completely smooth the surface. Rinse the car and let it dry.

7

Wipe the car with wax-and-grease remover and a microfiber towel to remove any fingerprints or grease from the surface. These contaminants could cause defects in the paint.