How do you prepare car to be painted?

Answer 1

Remember this "if it feels like a brick it will look like a berick". Straightene all dents with filler and prime with a quality primer like condar from ditzler or some 80s from dupontuse a 220 grit sandpaper no courser for all chips and scratche, feather those out until they are smooth, doesn't take long. (If you try hard enough without interuptions you can sand a whole car in about one hour) Use the primer to fill in the scratches and chips let dry, sand them down with 320 paper or your 220. (the courser your paper the more scratches will show. Blow out everything possible starting with trunk, hood, and doors open. Blow out the door jambs gas cap door, cowl vent panel if it keep blowing out dirt from an area keep lowing until it stops. Remove any chrome or emblems you can get to as best as YOU can. Now lets mask the car up. Use aquality tape and paper, lets use 3/4 in. 3m tape and go around every smallthing left on, window chrome, door handles if chrome (and if they are the flip up kind, don't forget the rubber underneath them). Use some 2 in. tape inside the doors both sides the car part and the door part inside th trunk and the hood, (you are trying to keep overspray down) Once you have done that it is called outlining lets get the paper, usually a roll of 18 inch paper works wonder to cover your windows, bumpers ( if they are crhrome, grille etc.. Make it as neat as possible with no wrinkles as they can hold dirt use a razor blade to trim excess off. Now use some 00 steel wool to get around areas wehere the sand paper couln.t get door handles near the trim etc. blow the car off again and now use a degreaser available where you bought your paint. pour on one paper towel to wipe on and use another to wipe off. Did you feel any rough spots. "if it feels like a brick it will look like a brick" now tack it off with a tack rag and apply yopu sealer. let flash dry for 1/2 hr. the mix your paint of choice and follow the directions