 PAINTING YOUR OWN CAR
Reprinted from Eastwood site—https://garage.eastwood.com Posted: June 8, 2020 By: MattM
HOW TO DO IT YOURSELF ON A BUDGET
If you’re restoring a vehicle, a major milestone in the process is when you paint the vehicle. At that stage, although still far from finished, the project really starts to take shape. Depending on your skill level and ambition, you may wish to tackle the paint job yourself.
If you’ve never painted before, the idea of painting your vehicle may seem like a fun project, or it may seem overwhelming. Although there are proper techniques to learn about spraying, nothing is out of the scope of a hobbyist who is willing to practice and learn. To get you started, Eastwood offers books and DVDs, paint guns, paints, supplies, and all the technical advice you need to paint your vehicle. When you see your freshly painted vehicle, the sense of accomplishment will be your greatest reward.
Different people have different reasons for wanting to paint their cars. Maybe you want to say you did “all” the work yourself, maybe you cannot afford to have it painted, maybe you want to learn something new, maybe you want to be certain of the work that’s going into the vehicle before and during painting…the list goes on. Regardless of your reasons, there are certain things that need to be considered for a successful paint job.
To get started, you need to develop a game plan. The key to a successful paint job is planning your steps, taking your time, and properly prepping the surface. If you’re in a hurry, DO NOT attempt to paint your car. If you cut corners prepping the vehicle for paint, it will be very noticeable in the final finish or shortly down the road. To properly paint a vehicle, there’s a lot more involved than spraying paint onto the vehicle.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
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Do you have a place to prep and paint the vehicle?
Do you have (or are you willing to purchase) the needed tools to paint a vehicle?
Are you painting the complete vehicle (door jambs, trunk area, under hood, etc.) or only the outside?
Will the vehicle be stripped to bare metal, or are you going to paint over the existing finish?
What type of paint do you plan on using? Single stage, base coat/clear coat? Urethane, acrylic enamel, acrylic lacquer, water-based?
What brand of paint system are you going to use?
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THE RIGHT PLACE
If you’re considering painting your vehicle, first think of where you’re going to prep and spray it. Do you have a dry place to store the vehicle while you are prepping it? Ideally, you’ll want to spray in a clean, dirt-free, temperature-controlled environment. Are you going to rent a spray booth, paint in your garage, or paint in your driveway? Is it legal to spray a vehicle there? All of these factors must be considered before you think about picking up a paint gun.
Tip: if it’s illegal to paint your vehicle in the area you live, you can still strip it down and prep it for the body shop. It’s a good way to save money.
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Eastwood CC500 Paint and Clear Coat Gun
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THE RIGHT GEAR
You’ll need the proper equipment to paint a vehicle. At a bare minimum, you’ll need a paint gun, an air compressor that can meet the demands of your paint gun, and a moisture separator. The moisture separator will ensure that you have a dry air supply (moisture in your air supply is an easy way to ruin a paint job). Another option is a turbine paint system, such as the 5 Stage Turbine. It does not require an air compressor, and ensures that you have a dry air supply.
There are two general paint gun designs: HVLP gravity-feed and siphon-feed. Gravity-feed guns have the cup mounted on top of the gun, and siphon-feed guns have the cup mounted under the gun. Due to environmental rules these days, most paints are formulated to spray with a HVLP gun, and luckily for home users many of these spray just fine with a smaller home compressor. For more on types of spray guns, check out this expert blog post on the Eastwood blog.
In addition to the spraying equipment, you’ll also need safety equipment like painter’s coveralls, an approved respirator, goggles, and disposable nitrile gloves.
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June 2021
