How to paint a car with your own hands: useful tips

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

During the operation of the car, its appearance eventually loses its former luster. This is due to both precipitation (rain, snow) and dirt on the body. In serious cases, it may be necessary to completely paint the car. The question arises: where can I paint the car, spending a minimum of money on it? The first option is to use the services of professional craftsmen. However, such a service will result in a round sum of money. Painting can be done at home, while the results of the work will not differ in any way (with the proper and correct approach).

Preparatory work

The first thing to start with is the workplace. It can be either a garage or a specialized hangar. In any case, the room should not be dirty, dusty and damp. This is due to the fact that moisture and dust, falling on the body, destroy the integrity of the paintwork. Because of what the paint will not last long. When visually inspecting, it is important to pay attention to everything, even to minor points. Responding tothe question of how to paint a car with your own hands, it is important to remember that the car must be thoroughly washed.

The most vulnerable places: fenders, racks, bottom, thresholds. They should be cleaned very carefully. External inspection includes the search for obvious flaws. It can be corrosion, swollen paint bubbles, serious dents, deep scratches and chips. If such flaws are found, additional equipment will be required: welding and grinder. All problems are solved on the spot, before the paint is applied.

Cleaning the work surface

The next step is to remove all elements that cannot be painted. This applies to windows, bumpers, door handles (hood, trunk), spoiler. You can try to protect individual parts of the body with adhesive tape and film (some glass accessories that cannot be removed without significant damage to them). At this stage, straightening occurs. This is the process of leveling the surface of the body. For this, a conventional and pneumatic hammer is used. To paint the car completely and ensure the durability of the paintwork, you need to get rid of all the bumps. The surface of the hammer must be completely smooth. Otherwise, traces will remain on the details, which will be visible when painting over.

Features of straightening

When straightening, special attention is paid to metal bends, thresholds and places where deep scratches have appeared. Dirt accumulates here, and rust can form after painting. It is important to remember that if the car has already beenonce subjected to body repair, you should not completely get rid of dents. The fact is that after straightening, the metal seems to be stretched. Therefore, only straightening will not give positive results. To protect the wheels, it is best to purchase special covers.

Grinding work

Grinding is carried out using a grinder and sandpaper. Significant chips and scratches are best treated with a planer for metal. Places that are most corroded are cleaned with a grinder. These are the wheel arches and the bottom. The rest of the body is cleaned with a grinder. When answering the question of how much it costs to paint a car completely, it is important to consider your own skills and abilities. If there is no experience in cleaning a metal surface in preparation for painting, then it is better to use the services of professional tinsmiths. They will perform both straightening and primary preparation. However, painting costs will increase substantially.

After cleaning, the metal surface must be completely free of paint. If in some places the latter is held firmly, you should use a special sponge (scotch brite). It allows you to get rid of the glossy sheen on the body. This is enough to apply a new coat of paint.

Features and types of car body fillers

Putting work is carried out in several stages - applying 3-4 layers. After each layer, the body must be sanded. This is done because afterpaint removal in some places the metal became thinner. If you paint the car at this point, the coating will not last even a year. There are several types of putty. The most popular is soft putty. It is applied to all types of metals and is applied in an equal layer, filling in irregularities and roughness. If the body is seriously damaged, dents (and even holes) can be repaired with fiberglass putty. Such material is very durable, but it is difficult to process it. You can work with him only with the appropriate skills.

In general, the question of how much it costs to paint a car completely can be answered in different ways. It all depends on having the right tools. For example, buying a grinder (from 800 rubles to 2500) and an air hammer (price from 1000 to 3000 rubles) will cost a significant amount. As for the putty material, it is presented in sufficient quantities on the construction market. Putty consumption (for a medium-sized car of the "sedan" class) will be 1.5 kg per square meter. Based on this, at least 7 kg of material will be required to carry out quality work. Do not forget about the primer. The car as a whole will need about 700 grams. The total cost of preparatory work for leveling, priming and putty (with economical use) will be 7000-9000 rubles. Depending on the quality of the straightening and the choice of the type of putty, the final cost may vary greatly.

Technology for applying putty

To work, you will need a rubber spatula. After purchasing the right amount of putty, you can get to work. It should be noted that each manufacturer indicates on the packaging the period during which the applied material must be dried. After applying the final layer, the body is polished. You can use a grinding machine or carry out the procedure with sandpaper. Ultimately, the surface to be treated should be smooth. If this effect is not achieved, the grinding work should be repeated. In exceptional cases, when the putty is applied unevenly, it is better to re-sand. In this case, you will protect yourself from uneven paint overlay on the car body.

The answer to the question of how to paint a car with your own hands, having the necessary elements with you, is quite simple. With a proper and responsible approach, the end result will be no different from the work of professional painters. In addition, money will be saved that can be spent on painting other elements of the car, such as rims.

Priming works

The last stage of preparatory work is the primer of the body. Some deliberately skip this stage (for example, in order to save money). However, the main advantage of the primer is the additional protection of the body from moisture. Most primers are acrylic based. This material does not allow moisture to pass through, which increases the life of the paintwork.

The question arises: how much does it cost to paint a car when carrying out priming work? Each element of the car will take a different amountprimers. So, the consumption for processing the hood will be approximately 450 ml, for the bumper 250, for the rest of the elements - about 150 ml. Based on these averaged data, you can calculate the average price for a body primer. In any case, the result - complete protection against moisture and rust - will have a beneficial effect on the process of strengthening the paint on the treated surface.

Primer application methods

The primer is applied with a compressor. It will take 2 layers. The first layer is indicative. Enamel and solvent are added to the primer. All this is applied to the body in order to identify irregularities when applying putty. These pores should be removed immediately with sandpaper. The second layer is the main one. Produced to protect the body from corrosion and moisture. This completes the preliminary stage. It is necessary to leave the car in a dry place for a day to “seize” the primer. The next day, you can proceed directly to painting.

Car spray painting

The most economical and effective option is to spray paint a car. In what color to paint the car, the owner of the car decides. Now in the automotive markets a huge selection of colors and all kinds of shades. The main advantages of this method of painting is the convenience of applying paintwork to the surface of the car. In this way, uniform coating can be achieved even in hard-to-reach places (for example, in wheel arches or in the bottom of a car).

Painting begins with degreasing the work surface. It's doneby applying a solvent to all parts of the treated metal. Then you can apply paint. It is better to experiment on unnecessary material. It is important to understand how the paint falls on the surface, from what distance it is best to spray it. The vast majority of spray cans allow you to spray paintwork from a distance of at least 30 cm.

Shake the can well before use. The first layer is applied fairly quickly. It is important to ensure that there are no missing elements on the body. One layer is not enough. You must wait 30 minutes. During this time, the paint will dry. Then a second layer is applied. If defects and irregularities remain, a third layer will be required. Then, using a can of varnish, 2 layers of coating are applied. It is important to ensure that there are no smudges, otherwise it will give the impression that the body is painted unevenly. In general, when answering the question of how to spray paint a car, it is important to consider that paintwork should be applied smoothly. It is also necessary to allow time for the bodywork to dry before applying the next layer.

Give an auto matte finish

More and more cars are being painted matt. Now there are a huge number of such shades. The most popular are black, brown and white. You can apply a matte color only to some parts of the body. In this case, there is nothing left but to paint the car with a can of the desired color.

Mattiness can be given by using the appropriate varnish. The procedure is carried out in severalstages: varnish is applied to the old surface of the car in order to hide the glossy shine of the old paintwork. Then, using a spray can with the desired matte paint, spraying is carried out on the body of the coating. This procedure is practically no different from the usual repainting of a car.

The most expensive and spectacular form of painting is the addition of a velvet sheen. This gives the car a “roughness”, which is felt when you touch the body. Thus, you can paint the car in a matte color in any way possible. You can perform this procedure yourself. Or - if finances allow - with the help of professional painters.

Features of body coloring with liquid rubber

Liquid rubber differs in that it is applied to the surface of the body relatively easily and dries just as quickly. This is due to the peculiarity of the composition of the paint. It is based on a polymer-bitumen substance, which, when exposed to the external environment, instantly hardens and forms a thick protective film. This nuance should be taken into account when determining the place where the painting will be done. In general, you can paint a car with liquid rubber both on your own, withstanding all temperature conditions, and with the help of professional painters. The latter option, however, will affect the wallet of the motorist. It is not considered by us.

The advantage of this method of painting is also that it can be applied by aerosol method or with a regular brush. When sprayed, an even and dense layer is obtained, which is difficult to achieve when working with painting tools. Considering that the composition hasdense base, it should be diluted. In most cases, ordinary solvent will not work. The best option is branded solvents recommended by the rubber paint manufacturer (this information is located on the label). Rubber paint is applied in 3 layers. The break between them should be at least 10 minutes. At the end, you need to leave the car in a warm place for a day. After it, you can start polishing to give shine. So, when answering the question of how to paint a car with your own hands, it is important to remember that it will take a long and painstaking work. Only in this case can the best result be achieved.

Car painting tips

To achieve the best result, it is best to paint each element of the car separately. If this is not possible, care must be taken to ensure that the paint does not get into open areas that are not to be painted. This applies to plastic, wipers, wheels. In all cases, the visible parts of the body are covered with a film or tape. So, to paint the car with rubber, you will need to purchase wheel covers. This is the only way to prevent corrosive liquid from getting on the tires.

Before work, it is important to calculate the right amount of consumables. This applies to both paint cans and solvents and putty. In critical situations, when the car has significant damage to the body, additional tools will be needed: a hammer (for straightening), welding, sandpaper, adhesive tape. In general, the question of how to paint a car with your own hands is relevant for thosewho does not want to pay for a dust-free and uncomplicated work to specialized car painting centers.

Conclusion

The answer to the question of how to paint a car with your own hands is quite simple - you need to be patient and consistently follow all the steps discussed in the article. In this case, you can not only avoid typical mistakes, but also save significant funds that would have been spent on eliminating defects that have arisen during work. Another important question. How much does it cost to paint a car if you use only improvised means? The final cost will depend on the selected consumables and the degree of wear of the equipment. So, when painting with a spray can, it must be taken into account that the consumption will be about 200 ml on average for each element of the car. The average price of such paint varies from 150 to 300 rubles (it differs in different regions). The volume of one can is 200 ml. In general, painting a car body will take about 2 liters of paint. This is an average price and it depends on the technology and the thickness of the layers. So, the cost for the purchase of cans will be 3000 rubles. Taking into account the solvent and hardener, the price will increase to 5500-7500 rubles. Thus, this figure will be 10 times less than if you used the services of professional painters.