About Car Painting Preparation
- Auto-body prep requires a number of tools. A clean and well-ventilated area is a must--a garage works well. Three types of primer are necessary, including a high-build primer, a guide primer and a primer sealer. Sandpaper, grits and sanding blocks in various sizes are also necessary tools of the prep process.
- Prepping a car for paint is a multistep process. Before starting, the car must be washed and dried, and all exterior emblems on the trim must be removed. Rust removal and patching of all dents and dings must follow. Then the car must be sanded down. High-build primer is then applied and allowed to dry. A guide coat of primer in a different color is then applied and block-sanded to reveal any low points. The final coat of primer is put on, then followed with a primer sealant.
- The prep portion of an auto-body paint job is 90 percent of the work and will likely take several days. Weekend warriors can get the work done in one weekend, but it will likely take between 14 and 18 hours to complete the job from start to finish. To complete the job in a single weekend, it is best to apply the primer coats at the end of the day so they have ample time to dry before the next step and you are not wasting daylight waiting for paint to dry.
- According to an auto-body repairman with 30 years of experience, those with little experience with car restoration should attempt to prep a car for paint only if the car has minimal dings and dents. Those owning cars with large dents or significant damage should seek out a professional painter to do the job. It is also suggested that anyone who plans to prep or paint a vehicle should wear protective material, including a face mask, gloves and protective eyewear.
- To get a smooth paint job, the prep work must be perfectly executed, but certain colors amplify imperfections more than others. Dark colors, such as black, navy blue or graphite, tend to amplify poor prep work more than colors such as white, silver or champagne. If you plan on doing the prep work yourself or do not wish to deal with extensive body work, a lighter color will be more forgiving.
