Preparing your car for painting is one of the most important aspects of car painting, but it is sometimes a step that does not receive the attention it deserves. Proper preparation prevents many of the problems that may occur in the future, as some of them occur in the stage before painting and therefore cannot be corrected.
Choose a suitable location for painting
The first step before starting to paint your car is to choose a suitable location to do the job. It is recommended that the location be large enough to facilitate circulation and to allow access to all parts of the vehicle without hindrance.
It is also important to have a well-ventilated area, because even with the use of a mask, the raw materials used for painting are often made up of toxic substances. Furthermore, a location without adequate ventilation will cause paint particles to remain in the air, which can harm the finish of the work.
Therefore, paint booths solve the main painting problems. Click here and find out about the best solutions and automotive painting booths
Identify the area to be painted
The first step in preparation should be to identify the area to be painted, as this will determine not only the amount of paint to use, but also which areas should be preserved. For proper preparation, it is necessary to “mask” the area that will not receive the paint with some kind of protection that prevents it from being contaminated, preferably made of some material that the paint will not penetrate, such as thick plastic, for example.
Identify the correct color of the car
For work in an isolated area, it is vitally important to know the correct shade of paint to be applied, since any difference in tone will compromise the service. There are subtle changes in colors that vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, so to know the correct color, you need to find the color identification plate for the car. This plate can be located in several places, and depends on the model of the vehicle, with some of the most common being:
- Inside driver's side door sill
- At the bottom of the hood
- On the floor under the driver's seat
- Inside the glove compartment
- No firewall
Prepare the site based on
This is a very important phase that requires a lot of technique and some equipment. It is up to each person's preference which base to use and there are numerous types of them on the market – polyester putty, plastic putty or quick putty – and they are responsible for filling damaged areas that need to be painted.
Quick putty (acrylic): This material has a high filling power and is a great option for finishing areas with minor damage. It does not need to be catalyzed, that is, it is a material that dries by evaporation and thus becomes more susceptible to damage after repair.
Plastic mass: must be used with the catalyst, and for this the solution must be mixed in the correct proportion. In most cases it can be applied to bare sheet metal and properly sanded surfaces.
Polyester mass: It must also be catalyzed, but the material contains a compound similar to that of the mass itself. This makes it easier to use compared to plastic material.
Sand the area
After application, it is necessary to sand the area with water or a sander, so that there are no protrusions in the structure of the bodywork. For this task, it is recommended to use a rigid block as a base for the sandpaper. The best way to do this is to sand according to the shape of the piece, applying moderate pressure so as not to damage the surface. electric roto orbital sanders They are also effective alternatives, given their agility that optimizes working time.
Clear the area
After sanding, it is essential to clean the area, as the dust that results from this process can reduce the quality of the finish. To do this, thoroughly clean the selected area before applying the paint so that no particles end up damaging the quality of the paint. Clean all surfaces carefully, using turpentine or denatured alcohol to ensure that there are no oils (including body oils from fingers and hands) on the car.
