Repainting your own car is a big step. If you’re even considering it, it’s to be hoped that you either have experience of respraying cars yourself or else know someone who does.
Supposing you decide to take the plunge, your first step is to stock up on all the things you’ll need to get the job done, starting with an airless paint sprayer.
However, there are some contingencies in which a newbie might decide to take on the project. Let’s see what they are.
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You Can’t Afford a Professional Paint Job
Take a look at what the professionals do. Apart from the paint and the equipment to apply it, they have specialized painting booths, experienced personnel, and businesses to keep running.
Making a profit means charging rather a lot for the use of all these people, materials, and equipment.
If you can’t afford that, you might decide it’s worth giving it a try at home – but be aware that the results are likely to look very far from professional.
You Can’t Afford to Replace Your Car Yet
You know that you probably need a new car, but you can’t really afford it.
You’re hoping to get just a few more years out of the old jalopy, and to do so, you need to treat rust, maybe replace a few body panels, and get the whole thing resprayed so that it’s protected from further corrosion.
Before you decide that you’ll take this route, do check how bad your bodywork really is. Sometimes, the costs associated with owning an old car just aren’t worth it.
If your car is in very bad condition, it’s best just to bite the bullet and get another car because a respray isn’t going to solve your problems.
You Don’t Mind Taking a Risk
You’re not too worried about looks. You’d like a good result, but if it isn’t that great, you can live with it.
If you have help from a buddy who has experience respraying cars, you improve your chances of achieving an OK-looking result.
If you’re going in as a first-timer on a solo job, you’re likely to make mistakes. Still determined? Here’s a quick how-to to get you started.
How to Respray Your Car
Get your car into a closed, clean environment and use PPE to protect yourself from dust and fumes. Now it’s time to start prepping your car for paint.
Start by sanding off all the old paint layers. Remove all signs of rust and corrosion and use a body-filler to smooth off surfaces.
Mask off parts you don’t want to paint, and apply a primer. Smooth it off with fine sandpaper. Mix your paint and apply it using spray painting equipment.
Apply several coats, leaving each one to dry before applying the next one. Smooth off the results with fine sandpaper. Now, apply the clear coat. Buff up any imperfections and finish with a coat of wax.
Sounds easy? It isn’t, but if you don’t mind using your own car as a testing ground, you may even get it right. Research each step in greater depth and find out about the techniques the professionals use to get a smooth, even coat of paint.
Do expect this to be a big, time-consuming project. Don’t expect to be entirely thrilled with the results. It takes a lot of practice to do a neat job.
However, even on a first try, you should be able to get a “nice from far” effect. Good luck!
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