Consider This While Getting Started

The first thing to consider when looking at new paint for your vehicle is to determine how to handle the paint that’s already there. Many experts believe that a car’s original finish is an excellent foundation for fresh paint. However…the reality is that if you’re not completely familiar with a car’s history…there are problems lurking within the refinishing process. When you evaluate the car…the more layers of paint, filler or bad welds, rust etc. that exist…the more it becomes a necessity to strip to bare metal. Most restoration specialists and high end hot rod builders prefer to start with a completely clean slate…bare metal.

The Finishing System

	Step 1 :: Grinding Discs | Gold Sheets | 36-60 grits The mechanical removal of old paint from a vehicle is hard work and special care must be taken to avoid gouging the metal. This method is necessary to start the paint preparation process. Tools such as grinders, power sanders, and dual action sanders will considerably cut down on sanding time. Resin fiber discs as coarse as 36 grit will do the job in the most extreme cases. Other options include file boards with 36 grit paper to help large areas of flat surface sanding. Also, 40 grit Gold discs are a good option… but make sure you sand in progression…eventually finishing this initial step with 80 grit sandpaper. The goal is to ensure the job you do with this all important grinding step is as perfect as it can be. A mistake at this stage can ruin a lot of subsequent work.
	Step 2 :: Sanding | Gold Sheets | 80-180 grits Once an automobile has been sanded down to metal, the true surface preparation begins. There are several steps that occur before the paint is applied…which is the ultimate goal to this project. Using body filler builds a smooth foundation for paint. Prior to using the body filler, sand the area with 80 grit to remove any remaining paint, primer and rust, 1-2 inches past the damaged area. When sanding an area down to metal, plastic body filler (bondo) is needed… because the paint around this area is higher than the metal…and if this were to be painted…it would look like a dent. Thin layers are filled over the repair area. Once dry, sand with 80 grit and feather edge with 180 grit and/or finer. Feather edging means sanding old paint in a much larger area around the repair in order to cut down the taper from a high area of old paint and a low area of bare metal.Once you feel comfortable with the consistent level of the surface, it is time to move to the next step.
	Step 3 :: Finishing | Waterproof Sheets | 220-600 grits Apply 2-3 coats of a quality primer to cover the entire repair area. Make sure you use a quality sandable primer to avoid scratchy finish work. Some of the low end primers are really flat paint and adhesion, coverage etc. will be inconsistent. Primer can also be used to fill in low areas of bare metal… bringing it up to the level of the existing paint. The quality primers will dry in 30-45 minutes and then wet sand with 220; 320 and 400 grit. Sand in between coats until the old paint shows through. This process builds up the low areas. Finally, after the last primer application…wet sand with 600 grit. At this point, a sealer coat can be applied…this ensures a strong bond to the paint is being applied. .
	Step 4 :: Feathering | Waterproof Sheets | 1000-2000 grits Whether using a single stage or two-stage paint on the vehicle, there is a real need to color, sand and polish the finish. Sanding makes the topcoat as straight and smooth as possible (eliminates orange peel) and helps bring out the paint’s gloss. Orange peel is a dimpled texture that can develop on painted surfaces that resembles the skin of an orange. It is a result of paint droplets drying too quickly before they can flow and level properly. There can be many causes such as quick evaporation of thinner; incorrect spray gun setup; excessive paint etc. Sanding out imperfections, overspray etc. can begin with 1000 grit. Color sanding should start with 1200 grit and go to 1500 grit for best results. It’s called color sanding because you are sanding the actual color for single stage paint or the clear coat over the base coat for two stage paint. Wet sanding is more effective because it keeps the surface cleaner and allows the abrasive to cut more efficiently while not clogging as easily. Finally, make a couple passes over the car with 1500 grit sandpaper. Be careful…if you rub through the clear coat…or down to primer if using single-stage paint…you will have to re-paint. You are now ready to get the buffer, pads and compound out to achieve the”final, perfect reflection”. This is accomplished by hand polishing using linear passes from front to back…making any imperfection virtually unnoticeable.