How To Paint Cars

You can save yourself some serious money if you can successfully learn how to paint cars. There are a lot of amateur auto paint artists that enjoy painting their own cars. You do not have to be a professional auto body painter to get into this hobby.

Items needed:

• Car
• paint booth (or somewhere out of the wind)
• Paint sprayer
• Air compressor
• Sand paper
• Masking tape
• Masking paper or newspaper
• Paint primer
• Paint
• Sand paper

1. Locate or purchase a paint sprayer, air compressor. If you are borrowing or renting a paint booth at a garage to paint your car, they will most likely have the air compressor and paint gun.
2. Purchase paint primer, paint, and fine grain sand paper (240 or 480 grain). For the best results, start by wet sanding the car. Wet sanding refers to getting the sand paper wet and the sanding the car with the wet sand paper.
3. Decide where you are going to paint the car. The paint will need to cure for at least 48 hours before being driven.
4. With fine grain sand paper, sand down the car. Sanding the car ensures that the paint will have a good surface to adhere to.
5. Now that the car surface is prepared, it is time to mask car. Tape paper to all parts of the car that you do not want to paint. For a professional look, remove all chrome pieces. Replace when paint has dried. 
6. Move car to the painting bay. Wearing goggles and mask, apply primer to car. Allow to dry.
7. Apply a minimum of three coats of paint to car. Allow paint to dry completely between coats.
8. Apply a clear coat finish and allow it to cure for 48 hours before driving.  The clear coat is applied to protect the paint from accidents scraps or scratches.
9. Remove all of the masking paper and tape being careful to not peel of paint with the tape. Take your time with this step; it is possible to peel a significant amount of paint off in this step if the paint has not been allowed to dry properly.
10. Replace all of the chrome that was removed prior to painting.

Tips: 

• The car with wet paint out of the wind or dust particles will become imbedded in the paint.
• Make sure your work area is well ventilated.
• Wear protective clothing and goggles when painting cars.

Resource:

Auto Paint