Car painting is a complex technological process that includes many stages, from the first inspection and repair assessment to final polishing and application. protective coating for the refurbished body. The correct order and observance of all required parameters at each stage - this is a guarantee of matching the painted parts of the car with the original version, as well as long service life painted machine parts without the appearance of hidden defects in the future.
Among the most common reasons why a car owner thinks about the need to paint his car, the following can be distinguished:
- Various kinds of traffic accidents, after which it is required, and you can’t do without painting;
- Identification of foci of corrosion on the body. To eliminate them, cleaning of damaged parts and their subsequent painting is required;
- The presence of chips, scratches and dents on the car body, which sooner or later appear when long-term operation car;
- The desire of the owner to change the color or do airbrushing.
Regardless of the reason, the process of painting a car is complex and costly. Before taking your car to the workshop, you need to have a minimum set of knowledge to be sure that the paint job is done well and money well spent. Otherwise, you will have to repeat the painting procedure.
Types of painting
Depending on the technical condition car painting can be local, partial and full. If one part is damaged or a small number of body elements require replacement, then partial painting is used. The following parts of the car are most often subjected to local painting: bumper, fenders, sills, doors. The main difficulty with partial painting is to match the color of the painted body element with the rest. The advantages of this method of painting are significant cost savings, because. only the place of damage or a separate element of the body is painted. Subject to all the requirements for the technological process, traces of repair will be invisible, and the painted element will not differ in any way from the rest of the body.
If, due to an accident or corrosion, it is necessary to replace a large part of the body, then a full car painting is used. It is also used in the repair of old cars, when partial painting a large number individual elements does not allow you to achieve an exact match with the original color of the car. The cost of painting a car is determined individually and depends on the complexity of the damage. Complete car painting, performed according to all the rules, is one of the most time-consuming and time-consuming processes in body repair.
Stages of painting a car during repair
Regardless of whether a full or only partial painting is performed, there is a certain procedure for car repair associated with the need to prepare it for the painting procedure itself.
The first stage is a preliminary inspection of the car and the identification of all defects on the parts of the body that are to be painted. The more detailed the scope of work is defined, the tasks for painting the selected elements are set and agreed upon, the easier it will be to assess the quality of the work performed and regulate claims in the future.
The second stage of preparation is the longest. For high-quality painting of a car, dents must be eliminated. At this stage, depending on the initial quality of the parts to be painted (the depth of the chips, the size of the corrosion, the degree of deformation of the repaired surfaces, etc.), the work of several specialists is required. A series of actions are performed sequentially:
- Disassembly of the damaged element.
- Straightening or restoration correct geometry in the presence of initial deformation.
- Puttying and fine-tuning the body element to the desired shape.
All this is necessary if the element to be painted has small irregularities, scratches. There is a wide variety of brands of putties from the world's leading manufacturers, but basically they all belong to the category of polyester putties. These are products that consist of two components: a putty mass based on unsaturated polyesters and various fillers and additives. Specialists in the work can simultaneously use several types of fillers, depending on the nature of the irregularities. In case of elimination minor defects on a large area, sprayed putties are used, which are applied in wide layers using an airbrush. To eliminate deep dents, fiberglass-reinforced putties are used, with which a thicker layer is obtained in one pass. Most often, masters use universal putties.
4. Primer element to eliminate all minor defects.
If we install new part body, then a primer is strictly required. The color of the primer must match the final color of the machine. For example, if the car is painted light or silver colors, then the primer must be selected light, but if the final color of the car is dark, then black primers can be used. After priming, it is considered that all stages of preparing a car for painting have been completed.
5. A selection of paint.
When a car owner wants to completely change the color of the car, then only personal preferences for a particular color affect the choice of paint. Completely different requirements if a separate part is painted, which must match the original color of the car body. In this case, we select the color taking into account its intensity and brightness. This is helped by computer technology and a stereotypical color chart, thanks to which the desired number car color tint.
Modern car enamels allow you to choose any color of paint the owner needs
The enamel selected for painting, in addition to decorative requirements (matching in color and gloss), must have such physical and mechanical properties as hardness, elasticity, strength. Automobile enamels existing on the market are conditionally divided into three groups: alkyd, melamine-alkyd (ML), acrylic.
Representatives of the first group of enamels have been used since the 1950s. Such long term application is associated with their main advantages: low cost, ease of use in work, resistance to chemical and physical influences of the finished coating. The key disadvantage is the long drying time of the painted product. This is partially solved by the use of a hardener in the painting process.
The second group of automotive enamels does not need additional substances, the coating based on them is quite hard, but at the same time retains elasticity. But they dry out at a temperature of more than 100 degrees, which makes it impossible to work with these enamels without special spray booths.
Autoenamels of the third group are usually applied in two layers. The color of the coating is given by the first, base layer. Unlike the first group, when using acrylic enamels, the material consumption is much less due to a larger amount of dry residue.
When working with these enamels, it is possible to dry at 80 degrees, but at the same time, the painted surfaces will be resistant not only to atmospheric influences, but also differ in oil and gasoline resistance. Increased wear resistance of the coating, ease of use in work contribute to their widespread use in paint shops.
A high-quality coating with these enamels is obtained only if technological processes, especially observance of time on obligatory interlayer endurance.
6. Car preparation for painting: car wrapping and protection of unpainted surfaces.
There always comes a time when the car owner begins to seriously think about the fact that it's time to update his car. iron horse Or rather, paint it.
Certainly, the best option it would be to turn to the appropriate specialists who would quickly paint the car, of course, for a fee. But what if there is simply no necessary amount, and there is absolutely no desire to wait for the extra money to appear? The answer is simple - paint a car yourself, about car painting technology.
However, remember that painting a car is a rather serious and painstaking task. And since you are going to carry out this process with your own hands, then you will have to comply whole line recommendations. So, how to paint a car yourself? What do you need to know about this process?
Painting a car includes several stages at once:
- car preparation (before painting),
- putty,
- polishing
- primer,
- direct painting and polishing.
But first of all, you should decide on the place where the car will be painted. It is desirable that this place-room be spacious, although an ordinary box or garage is also suitable, the main thing is that there must be a constant positive temperature there.
Step-by-step instructions on how to paint a car yourself.
The first step is preparing the car for painting.
The surface of the car for applying putty must be prepared as best as possible. With the help of various detergents all contaminants are removed from the surface of the body, and in the presence of fatty and bitumen stains you need to use special solutions to remove such stains. By the way, the quality of surface degreasing can be checked using filtered paper: if greasy spots remain on it, then the surface must be washed again with a solvent. Remember: any spot of grease on the surface of a car is a potential source of corrosion.
After the degreasing procedure, it is necessary to dismantle the front, rear bumper car, radio antenna, decorative grille and outdoor lighting. All these parts must be thoroughly cleaned of dirt.
Further, in a well-lit place, we conduct a detailed study paintwork to detect defects. If cracks, dents and chips are found, they must be marked with colored chalk or quick-drying acrylic paint.
Removal of existing paintwork can be done mechanically or by chemical means. For mechanical way cleaning you will need metal brushes, scrapers, skins. They also carry out cleaning of defective places, while the transition from a defective surface to a defect-free one should be very smooth. The chemical method of cleaning the surface involves the use of special washing compounds.
If at the same time you find rust on the car, then you must get rid of it in a mandatory manner, first of all by removing the oxide and clearing the affected area. For these purposes, you can use a grinder, drill, angle grinder, ordinary sandpaper, or do etching, that is, get rid of rust chemically. A composition ready for this (based on acids) can be purchased at a specialized store.
Video on preparing for car painting
The second stage is puttying.
Puttying must be carried out if there are irregularities on the treated surface. To carry out this procedure, you will need spatulas and putty.
Puttying is carried out as follows: the putty is mixed with a hardener, and then applied to the surface in several separate layers, 1-2 mm thick). At the same time, each such layer must dry for at least 40 minutes in a room at a temperature of +20 degrees Celsius.
Video on car puttying
The third stage is grinding.
Grind the surface must be dry, that is, without wetting. For sanding, you need P80 sandpaper, as well as a flat, hard sanding block. The bar must be kept along the horizon line. If necessary, some areas of the car surface can be degreased, puttied and sanded again.
car sanding video
The fourth stage is priming and painting.
The car is driven into a paint brush, glued, blown, wiped and degreased. Covers are put on the wheels.
A primer is applied in 2-3 layers, each of which is allowed to dry: the surface becomes matte and the shine disappears.
Then the car is blown again, degreased and the smallest dust is removed. Next, go directly to the painting itself. And they start it from the roof of the car.
The spray gun is held at a distance of 15-25 cm from the surface. The paint is applied in horizontal, quick movements from top to bottom. 20 minutes after applying the first coat of paint, you can already start applying the second coat.
Dry the car not in the sun, but in a closed garage. Drying lasts 24-36 hours. Later due time the car is checked for any defects that, if found, can still be corrected.
At the end of this stage, the surface of the car is treated with an antistatic cloth.
Vehicle primer video
The fifth stage is polishing.
After the painting, some amount of dust will definitely settle on the car, which means that the car needs polishing.
Video on polishing a car after painting
Afterword.
If you were wondering: how to paint a car yourself, you probably got a detailed answer. However, do not rush to start this process, relying only on the knowledge you have just received. After all, the lack of experience in painting a car can affect the final result. In other words, you run the risk of getting far from the look that you originally expected.
Know that painting a car requires compliance with all the small nuances, so before you start practicing, if you have already decided on it, master the theory well!
How to paint car door openings with your own hands ...
Welcome car enthusiast, reader of the Rtilvaz.ru blog!
Today's next video is devoted to the continuation of the topic body repair- "Preparing a car for a complete repaint." Today we will consider a video lesson (part # 19) about painting car door openings.
Continuation of the theme of the master Vlad ShchCh, we are studying the technology of painting a car with our own hands using video tutorials.
In the previous video (part # 18), ground grinding techniques were considered when preparing car door openings for painting.
This series of videos will detail what materials we need today, and learn about paints, varnishes, spray guns, as well as how to properly apply paint. That is, we will learn how, we will reveal the methods and principles of applying paint and varnish.
Detail overview and work ahead
So let's get to work...
As noted earlier, today's video will be devoted to painting car doorways. The openings are prepared, the surface is polished. The process of preparing openings was discussed in detail in the previous part of the video.
The openings were washed in detail, washed also protective film, on the opening and doors, so that no foreign inclusions can get on the surfaces to be painted. If in your case the film is very dirty or it is torn, then it is advisable to change it for a new one. Namely close all parts that should not be painted.
In this case, since it was not possible to dismantle the door lock latch, it was also pasted over with a protective film.
We do not remove the doors on this car, but if you need to paint the doors themselves, as well as the pillars, then it is advisable to remove them for better work. Everyone decides for himself, depending on the circumstances.
Tools and materials that will be required for work:
- Antisilicone;
- Wet wipes;
- Sticky napkin;
- Paint - basic metallic enamel ("Antika");
- Two-component varnish;
- Measuring cups (for the base and varnish separately);
- Mixing tool (in our case, this is a knife);
- Sieve (190 Micron Fine);
- Airbrush with a star 1/3;
- Solvent "647".
Paint base enamel metallic
The base enamel paint itself is metallic, it is a one-component material that does not have any hardener, that is, it is diluted only with a solvent. It can then be applied directly to the car body.
The base is diluted 2:1. If, for example, two parts of the metallic and one part of the solvent are taken. For example, if 100 g of base is taken, then 50 g of solvent must be added.
If the paint turns out to be thicker, then you can still add a little solvent to achieve the desired consistency of the solution. Otherwise, if the paint is quite liquid in itself, then the solvent is added in a smaller proportion.
As a result, the resulting solution should resemble milk, the master says for comparison.
If the paint will be ordered at the selection, that is, by the hatch of the gas tank of the car, then the solvent is given separately. Masters at the selection already know exactly what percentage of solvent must be added for a certain type of paint.
When you do not know in what proportion to dilute the selected paint, for example, you have a part of the paint left, then in this case the paint is diluted 1:1. This is due to the fact that the selected paint is more opaque, has a bright pigment and better covers the detail.
There is always technical documentation on the paint can, which proportions to follow, which spray gun to use, and so on, so it will not be superfluous to familiarize yourself with these recommendations before work.
According to the rules, for each type of paint, its own “native” solvent is used to fully comply with the technology. For example, the base is from MOBIHEL, then the solvent is recommended to use the same from this company. However, this is not critical and there will be nothing to worry about if you take the same “647” solvent for work.
Lacquer for car painting
Car paint varnish is essential for protection base paint from various kinds of influences from outside.
For work, a two-component varnish is used, that is, in addition to the varnish, the composition also includes a hardener. It is mixed in a ratio of 2: 1, one part of the hardener must be added to two parts of the varnish. More precisely, for 100 g of D800 varnish, add 50 g of D802 hardener.
All data on the proportion and application of varnish can also be read in the "technical" on the bank where it is packaged.
The varnish itself is diluted with an acrylic thinner, since the acrylic material should only be diluted with an acrylic thinner. But you can also purchase a branded solvent for this type of varnish, information about which is also contained on the bank.
measuring cups
For work, you will need two measuring cups to separately dilute the base itself and the varnish itself. On the cups, everything is intelligibly shown in what proportion and what to pour. For example, how much varnish is needed, this is the lower risk (letter A), hardener is the second risk (letter B) and solvent, this is the third risk. Everything is clear and very easy to use.
However, you need to focus on the consistency, for example, varnish. It can be thick or, on the contrary, liquid, and based on this, you already decide on the amount of solvent to be added.
Usually 10 or 20% is taken for varnish, but if it is very liquid, then no solvent is generally added.
In any case, after the varnish has been prepared in a certain proportion, it is necessary to adjust the spray gun. It is necessary to try how the varnish lays down on any individual part or a piece of cardboard.
acrylic paint
If you paint the body with acrylic, then in this case a 2: 1 ratio is observed, since acrylic comes with a hardener. The solution is prepared in the same way as the varnish in the same proportion. In any case, a can of acrylic paint will be given technical documentation about its preparation, proportion and recommended spray gun.
On the topic of the differences between colored acrylic and a base under varnish, there is a video on the channel of the master Vlad ShchCh ...
Stir tool
It is necessary to choose a tool that will be convenient to mix all the components well. In the video, the master uses a knife. If you mix poorly, say the same varnish with a hardener, then layers will remain and this will affect the quality of the applied varnish.
This is especially true of the metallic base. Metallic itself is a metal grain (sparkles, we see on the paint) that settles to the bottom during long-term storage. Therefore, it is recommended to mix the base thoroughly for 5 or even 10 minutes in order to achieve a uniform paint consistency, and only then mix with the solvent.
paint funnel filter
We need a paint funnel filter so that there are no foreign inclusions, unmixed clots or lumps and so on in the prepared solution.
Spray gun for painting
Directly for applying paint, we need an airbrush. In this case with a 1/3 star. Since the base and varnish are rather liquid materials, just such an airbrush will do.
If you don't have in this moment spray gun with a 1/3 star, then you can use 1/4 or 1/5 or even 1/7 in case of emergency. Only the material will have to be applied more carefully to avoid smudges.
Of course, for a uniform high-quality application of paint, since it is rather liquid, it is advisable to use a tool with a 1/3 star.
What type of spray gun you will use is not critical. The technician will use a low pressure tool.
To work with varnish, a spray gun with a 1/4 star is usually used for its application, but we will only paint openings where there is a small plane and a 1/3 star is quite enough for this work.
A little advice...
For painting small parts and planes, you can purchase a minijet spray gun. It has a small size and it is more convenient for them to work when painting small areas or individual details, such as openings in this case.
Solvent "647"
Solvent "647" is necessary for washing the spray gun after the base or varnish, measuring cups, a knife, and also to remove paint from hands if it gets into it.
But also the solvent will be used to dilute the paint and varnish.
Preparation of the part for painting - remove excess dust and dirt
We figured out what we need for work, and we will begin to prepare directly for painting the doorways.
First of all, it is necessary to degrease the surface. To do this, we will traditionally use an anti-silicone degreaser and a damp cloth. We put a little anti-silicone on a napkin and gently wipe all surfaces.
This removes silicone, dust, dirt and more. We carefully wipe everything, not missing individual sections. Next, let it dry a little for 2 minutes so that the anti-silicone evaporates, this will be noticeable by the fact that the plane becomes matte again.
Then we take a sticky napkin, unfold it to make it more convenient to work, and begin to wipe the prepared plane. In this case, you should not be too zealous so that the sticky part of the napkin does not remain on the part itself.
The smallest dust remains on a sticky napkin ...
Adjustment of the spray gun for applying the base / metallic
So, we work further. The surface is prepared, the paint is diluted and poured into the spray gun. In this case, the paint was quite thick, and it was necessary to dilute it 1:1, and not as in the prescription 2:1, so that the paint optimally exited through the spray gun nozzle.
The spray gun has been set up on a separate part and is now ready to go.
Reminder…
To adjust the spray gun has three regulators:
- air pressure (at the very bottom), usually the pressure is set from 2 to 3 atmospheres;
- the supply of material (from the end) is more or less, while the supply to the first layers can be slightly reduced and when checking on the striker, make sure that the material does not drain;
- spray pattern (wide or narrow). When working with openings, the torch regulator can be set to the middle (the width of the torch is about 10-15 cm) or even slightly less.
Another important point...
Remember that when reducing the size of the torch, the supply of air and material must be reduced, since less material is needed to saturate a small torch. And also in reverse order If you want to open the torch to its full extent, then the air supply should be set to the maximum - give an inlet pressure of 3-4 atm. and open the material feed from 50 to 100%, it all depends on the paint. However, remember that to saturate the torch, you need a lot of material and air.
In any case, before starting work, we will always experiment on some piece of cardboard. This is to make sure that the spray gun is working properly and gives an even coat without streaks.
But it is also worth recalling that when painting, always use products personal protection so as not to harm your health.
Applying paint to the part - the first layer
We figured out the theory and now proceed directly to the application of paint. Painting should begin with hard-to-reach places, as well as where the primer was applied. At the same time, try to paint over as much as possible in one pass, without lingering in one place so that streaks do not form.
After applying the first layer, areas with rubbing are still visible, since the overlap in this case is about 50-70%. The first layer is also developing, as it allows you to see any flaws, and also shows traces of silicone on the part, if any.
About silicone, Vlad ShchCh has a separate video where you can familiarize yourself with this issue in more detail ...
If your car is painted with acrylic, then the painting will take place in one stage, without applying varnish, using 2 or 3 layers.
In the same case, after applying all the layers of the base paint, the master will apply another layer of varnish as the second stage.
There is some factory paint left on the door pillar of this car. The master knocked down the varnish and now when painting this area, you do not need to apply a lot of paint (layers), since its entire base is “live”.
When a similar area is painted with acrylic, then everything needs to be painted over fully, as well as on the rest of the body elements.
When painting metallic, it is necessary to give an interlayer drying of about 10-15 minutes ...
Let's continue applying the metallic directly to the doorways. Now the opening is completely painted, that is, three layers of the base were applied. All layers were applied with the same spray gun settings.
It is worth adding that before applying the next layer, the surface should be wiped with a sticky cloth, after the previous layer has dried. This takes about 15 minutes, but sometimes it can take longer if the temperature is, for example, below 20 degrees.
It all depends on the temperature in the room where the painting is being done. Layer-by-layer drying is necessary so that all the solvent evaporates from the paint.
To make sure that the paint is dry, you can use your fingers to touch, for example, the area sealed with adhesive tape, where the paint remains, it should not stick to your hand.
After drying, it is necessary to go through the surface to be painted with a sticky napkin in order to remove dust, which somehow falls on the parts to be painted. You need to wipe it very carefully so as not to damage the paint layer.
Wipe the parts with a sticky cloth only when applying the base and metallic. When applying acrylic or varnish - do not wipe the parts in any case! These materials do not dry out completely; generally speaking, they should not be touched ...
After last third layer is given time to finally dry well, again, be sure to go through with a sticky napkin and you can start applying varnish. If you do not remove the dust, then after applying the varnish, this defect will be visible.
Useful advice from the master ...
After applying the last layer of the base, do not immediately release the spray gun from the paint. This is due to the fact that when wiping with a flexible napkin, maybe some jamb will appear somewhere and it will be necessary to block this place.
Only after the entire surface has been treated with a sticky cloth, and you are convinced that there are no flaws, you can already wash the spray gun and charge it with varnish.
And one more helpful advice. If diluted paint remains in the spray gun, then since it is one-component, then it should not be poured out, but you can pour it back into the can of paint, where it was. Subsequently, the paint can be used, since it is also diluted only with a solvent.
In addition, the solvent with which you will wash the spray gun can also be poured into a can of paint, since you will still dilute it again with a solvent.
Recall that this can only be done with single-component materials. With two component materials, such actions are unacceptable, since all the paint that was in the can will deteriorate, because the hardener will dry out and the entire contents of the can will become unusable.
Applying varnish - theory
We continue the topic of car painting technology. The varnish is diluted and filled in the spray gun. Now, as in the case of the base, you need to set up the spray gun before starting work.
In the case of varnish, the settings will be somewhat different. The torch will be the same, but we make the supply of material somewhat larger than when applying paint. We make the air supply small.
The settings are also checked on a separate part or a piece of cardboard to make sure the settings are correct, there are no streaks and you can start applying the varnish.
Lacquer application - practice
We also start applying varnish from hard-to-reach places, as in the case of applying metallic. In this case, you need to ensure that the thickness of the varnish is the same everywhere. Especially carefully you need to apply varnish on the ends, as the material often flows there, and streaks may remain on the parts.
We hold the spray gun at a small distance from the opening being processed, about 20 centimeters. After applying the first layer, it is necessary to allow time for layer-by-layer drying so that the varnish dries up and the next layer can be applied.
When applying the second layer, we slightly increase the supply of material.
So, we have finished varnishing, about half an hour has passed and it is already clearly visible that gloss has appeared on the details.
Until the varnish is completely dry, you need to remove the adhesive tape that was used to protect the counterpart of the door lock, as in this case. If you remove the tape when the varnish is completely dry, you can damage the varnish around the shackle of the lock, where cracks may appear.
When the camera approaches, it is clearly seen in the video that the varnish has spread evenly, a shine has appeared, and there are no smudges.
If you still have varnish in the spray gun, then you should not use it for additional application, so as not to pour it out. Excess varnish can ruin everything, streaks appear and the like. Therefore, you should not regret it and it is better to pour out the leftovers.
Let's say a few more words...
We think that the methods and principles of painting car openings are clear, how to properly apply paint and varnish.
In the next part of the video, we will prepare the car body for painting, grind the ground, display planes, etc.
This concludes editing the article. Likes on a useful video, leave comments and ask questions if it was not clear.
The paintwork of the car is extremely difficult to keep in decent condition if you use the car every day. It seems that all known road factors work against the paint of your favorite iron horse, pebbles flying from under the wheels of neighboring cars, dusty suspension flying along the road in spring and summer, snow and reagents in winter, ultraviolet rays, which in the end also burn out the structure of the paint making it weak and faded.
Against this background, you think nothing can be done in order to restore its former beauty and appearance car body? No matter how! And we'll show you how to take pride in the look of your car. Inexpensive and simple car paint repair that will help the paintwork shine again with all the colors of the rainbow.
However, don’t get us wrong, we agree that there are times when it’s better to send the car to the professionals for repainting, to one of the body shops of a local workshop that you trust. However, if you just want to refresh your old car by repairing minor paint defects, the presented approach can certainly save you a lot of money and reward you with a presentable result. We'll consider the following body repairs:
Removal of mechanical damage on the bumper
Removing bumper cracks
Local tinting
Shading of chips
Find your color
Before you start painting, you need to go through the first, but extremely important stage - the selection of the desired paint color. Dozens of shades of the same color can make searching tedious and inefficient. Of course, you can come to the store and sort out all the probes from them, applying them to the body of your car, or you can make it easier by looking at the coded designation of the paint shade that is used on your car. The factory paint code for your vehicle can be found on a label on the inside of the pillar on the side driver's door or under the hood (usually the automaker installs it on the front reinforcement in front of the radiator or at the rear wall of the engine compartment).
An example of the location and type of code
Type this code into Google search and you will easily find the name of the desired color.
List of materials
With the search and purchase of materials for work, you should not have problems. Remember one simple but effective technique for any type of work. To save money and time, you need to buy everything you need in advance.
Armed with your car paint code, you can easily find all the necessary products on the Internet and order them directly to your home. Within a few days, you will have them. However, only paint can be included in the list of virtual purchases (if its shade is not represented in your local auto shops).
Materials such as primer, sandpaper, putty and masking tape can be easily purchased at ordinary auto shops.
Click on photo to enlarge
An exhaustive list of the plastic bumper of your car needed for repair is presented in the photo above. The total cost of quality automotive material will be approximately 5.000 rubles . You can find cheaper options, but the quality of repairs when using such tools may not be as high. Therefore, we advise you to find out from the professionals on the forum or from the seller in the paint and varnish store the best materials for repair. You don't want to pay twice, do you?
However, if you only need to retouch the resulting chips, the list can be seriously reduced.
The photo above shows a set of all the items that you will need the body of your car. Such a repair kit will cost about 1000 ruble and he will serve you for a long time. Not a single chip can remain unsmeared.
Preparation for repair
Professionals from home renovation with my own hands, it has long been noticed that the repair of the paintwork is easier and easier if it is possible to isolate the part being repaired from the entire car. For example, to work with a bumper, it is best to remove it from the car. On different cars, this process can take different times and cause more or less difficulties depending on the method of attaching it to the car.
However, for surface repairs, for example, painting chips and removing scuffs, you can leave this part in its place, but according to the canons of repair, it would be better to twist such a complex element as a bumper from the car in order to avoid paint spraying onto other surfaces of the car.
Help site: In order to find out how this or that element is removed on your car, refer to the manual.
The vehicle that will be used today for the refurbishment demonstration is a Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo. Let's get to work.
But first, a little advice, before starting work, drive the car to the sink, the body must be clean.
1) Mechanical damage to the bumper
The damage looks serious, what can be done about it?
An excellent invention, they are able to survive many blows and each time return to their original form as if nothing had happened. However, contact with another solid object does not always go unnoticed. Usually traces of contact are visible on the smooth shiny surface of the bumper in the form of quite clear scratches, paint that has flown off and a chipped primer. The view can be said unrepresentative.
To resolve the issue, follow these steps*:
*Before starting work, thoroughly wash the bumper from all sides in hot water with car shampoo to remove dirt, oils and other technical liquids.
Step one step Sand the surface with 600 grit sandpaper. This can be done either by hand or with a grinder.
The grinder allows you to apply equal pressure on a large plane, so the result of the preparation will be of better quality, you will avoid the appearance of depressions when processing such soft material like plastic.
step two Once the area is leveled, apply a cleaning agent to remove any fine dust that has formed.
Step Three Then apply epoxy putty to the surface to level the surface and. When choosing putty, refer to the help of sites with reviews or forums, just like with paint, you cannot save on the quality of this material if you want a durable, good result.
Step Four After the putty has hardened, re-smooth the surface with 600 grit sandpaper. Watch the level of the surface with which you work, it should become perfectly flat, no bulges or dents should remain. Important! Paint after its application will show all the flaws in your work. Handle it responsibly.
And so, after bringing the surface to perfect readiness, you are ready for painting!
2) Dealing with cracks in the bumper
But before we move on to painting, let's go over another common damage - bumper cracks.
The photo shows an attempted inept repair. Making mistakes
Cracks usually occur when the bumper is heavily impacted by a stationary object. It is also easy to tear a piece of an element from a sports bumper, which usually has many air intakes, for example, against a high curb. If you own a car with such a bumper, park carefully and do not force large snowdrifts. But if damage does occur, it is not as difficult to fix it as it seems at first glance.
Step one step In our photo example, someone has already tried to fix the damage to the bumper, so first we will remove a layer of old and unnecessary putty. A dremel is perfect for this job. However, if it is not at hand and your garage neighbors have it, no problem, we act in manual mode, coarse sandpaper. Tedious and long work, but it must be done. It is important that on working surface roughness remains, so the epoxy compound will “stick” better to the surface of the bumper.
step two Then go over the surface with finer grit sandpaper.
Step Three Clean the surface of fine dust.
Step Four Application of epoxy resin. * On a clean surface, apply an epoxy base coat with inside bumper, having previously mixed the epoxy with a hardener (the proportions are indicated on the package). Before that, it is important to combine the elements of the bumper, as they should be located in a normal way.
Immediately after applying the epoxy, reinforce the surface with fiberglass, a piece of which you previously cut in accordance with the dimensions of the repaired part of the bumper. Crimp the fiberglass so that it takes the form of an element over its entire area and is impregnated with epoxy. Coat the fiberglass with a second coat of epoxy.
Wait for the time allotted for the hardening of the composition. It is written on the package. At the end of the work, you will see that the crack is practically not noticeable, and the element has regained rigidity.
*We will not recommend soldering broken bumper parts. The effect of it will be comparable to the use of epoxy, but the risk of completely ruining the part due to inexperience is too great. However, there are a number of other options for repairing cracks: using acetone and pieces of plastic, welding with a hot air gun or soldering iron, sealing a crack with a liquid polymer. But in our case, the repair will be carried out using epoxy and fiberglass. We carry out work in rubber gloves!
3) Part coloring
We continue to work on the bumper. Let's move on to painting. The most difficult and responsible part of cosmetic repairs. In our example, the paint was applied using an aerosol can. It is extremely important to start by practicing spraying paint at the right angle and from the right distance. Too close and you'll have streaks, too far and the paint will be too thin. Therefore, practice on an unnecessary part, if the result is practically indistinguishable from the factory, proceed to painting.
Security measures! Work with paint in a well-ventilated area or outdoors. Its vapors, however, as well as the vapors of acetone and other chemical liquids in high concentrations are hazardous to health.
For good result painting needed*:
* We wrote about this in detail in the following article: Here is an excerpt from it:
Step one To paste over the borders of the car painting, on which the paint should not get. There are many pitfalls here.
Do not use newspapers, the paint can easily soak them or seep under the folds, leaving streaks.
In advance, buy a special film used for painting bodies. There are a huge number of them and their main advantage is density, paint will not seep through them to other surfaces, they fit well to the body, are able to take various forms relief. Usually sold in paint shops.
But just wrapping the car with a film is not enough, for a good result, glue the joints with adhesive tape, only in this case there is a guarantee that the paint will not get on other surfaces.
step two Apply a primer to the surface. The tone of the primer should be as close as possible to the color of the paint. Prepare the surface for painting by wiping it with white spirit. Apply primer evenly from a can. Three coats should be applied, allowing each coat to set for a few minutes. Let the primer harden for at least 12 hours.
Step Three Smooth out the primed surface with fine sandpaper (400). It is necessary to achieve perfect evenness of the surface. This is where mechanization comes in handy. Wipe the surface from dust.
Step Four We apply paint. Three or four layers, over and over. Gradually, the primer will show less and less under the layer of paint, you will understand that the job is done when the old and newly applied color merge together.
In our example, simply painting over a previously damaged surface would have left an obvious stain, so we had to resort to the trick of applying new paint over the old in a thin, light layer. This will mask the fresh paint against the faded old and redecorating will only be visible at close range.
Let the paint dry for 24 to 36 hours.
Step five Apply clear nail polish. Washed off the application is the same as that of the paint. Do not stop monitoring the surface when applying varnish, it must also be applied in moderation. Disguise your work by making a transition to the old paint. Let the varnish dry, the hardening time is written on the can.
After that, you can remove the masking tape. Peel off the tape carefully to prevent visible edges on the border with the new paint.
4) Painting chips
Probably the easiest part of the job. Chips appear on the car inevitably, unless of course it is Museum exhibit. Therefore, they must be fought.
First step Cleaning the surface from dirt. You washed your car at the car wash, that's good. But just in case, the surface where there are chips must be re-wiped, degreasing it with white spirit. Clean cloth, cleaner and go!
step two We take a bottle of paint and shake it so that the paint takes on a uniform consistency. We unscrew the brush, and remove excess paint by wiping it on the inner surface of the neck of the bottle.
Step Three Apply paint to the chip. Make sure that its amount is not very large.
Step Four Take a paper towel, apply some equalizing thinner on it and while the paint is still wet, rub the paint lightly so that it lays evenly on the chip. This way you will avoid a hardened ball of paint on a chip, it will lie flush with the native paintwork of the car.
Carry out the same ritual with all other chips.
Perfection Budget or Perfection on a Budget
Are you waiting for the perfect result from your work? Do not worry in vain, it most likely will not. Not every spray booth can paint a car body well, to say nothing of home conditions. Therefore, in our today's article, we talked specifically about an old car, for the redecoration of which it is a pity to spend a lot of money, but on which it is not a pity to experiment.
Car owners sooner or later come to the conclusion that it is time to update the upper decorative and protective layer Paintwork machines. beautiful car difficult to maintain in good condition, besides protecting the body from rust and other unpleasant damage. Moreover, it is difficult to correctly carry out the necessary work with your own hands and not pay a lot of money for the restoration of the car body to specialists. simple technology painting a car with your own hands will help you understand how to perform all the actions, as well as what points to be afraid of.
Compliance with technology when working with a car is simply necessary. Otherwise, the car will get an ugly body, which, moreover, will constantly require refinement and careful care. Before you paint any surface yourself, you should learn the rules of high-quality painting. But even those motorists who know how to paint a car correctly in theory cannot always perform the necessary work in practice efficiently and quickly. It is worth dealing with this point in more detail.
Painting steps and order - basic knowledge before starting
Before approaching the processing of a car with your own hands, you need to understand all the stages of completing the tasks. A properly prepared machine and the right method of applying paints and varnishes will be the key to your success. Before painting the surface, determine the scale of the update. It can be local or partial renovation, and full painting. The order will differ depending on the chosen solutions. In general, the stages of painting a car are as follows:
- Washing the area being repaired and cleaning off any layers of old paint that are preventing you from updating and repairing any damage to your car.
- At the second stage, it is worth determining what materials need to be applied to the surface of the car, whether it is necessary to level the body with putty, to protect it from corrosion.
- Next, the place must be primed, after which you will have to wait a few hours. After priming, sometimes you need to wash the place additionally to eliminate irregularities.
- Next, a section of your car is opened with paint. The processing technology in this case will be different, which depends on the chosen scale of the paintwork renewal.
- After completing all the stages, it is important to polish and prepare a new paintwork for further operation. Protection and refinement are important stages.
If you do not take into account these simple rules for painting a car, it is possible serious problems when applying paint, as well as during further operation. But technology includes much more information about how to paint such surfaces. You can look at modern videos more information from specialists on how materials are applied in a particular case.
Car body processing locally - we correctly eliminate damage
The modern approach to restoring the protective layer on your machine may differ depending on the nature of the damage. If the paint is slightly worn or damaged in a certain place, local painting technologies are used. The rules in this case are quite complicated, but only their unquestioning observance will lead to high-quality results. Paint body parts in this case, the car will have the following features:
- it is not difficult to prepare a car with your own hands, it is enough to clean the place with sandpaper with water supply;
- metal protection is mandatory, therefore, a primer with protective properties and metal preservation technologies is used;
- it is best to paint a car with your own hands in a chamber or a prepared room without dust and sunlight;
- the equipment must be suitable, even local damage cannot be eliminated from the can;
- treatment will often be required following the paint transition rule to reduce the visual separation of the repair stain.
You can apply different methods of applying materials. But the technology of painting a car at home must be observed. To do this, select good materials, decent paint, primer and other components. Also pay attention to the spray gun. It must spray the liquid well, otherwise shagreen will appear, paint streaks form on the car body. Watch some videos that will explain more information about car painting work.
How to paint body parts from a spray can?
You can use aerosol materials only if you have no particular claims to the result. In this case, the car is unlikely to be very beautiful, the spots will certainly be noticeable. It is almost impossible to paint the entire part with a spray can evenly and beautifully. This requires not just the technology of painting a car, but a masterful ability to control spraying.
But some car damage can indeed be covered with aerosol solutions. These are internal cavities, invisible parts on the thresholds, hidden from the eye of the observer, auto body parts. But it is almost impossible to do this work with your own hands without experience. So it’s better to use a compressor and a traditional spray gun.
You can watch dozens of videos, but never know which ones important factors painting work affect the quality of the process. To bring the car body to perfect condition after multiple damages is possible only by a complete repainting. At the same time, the technology of painting a car must be fully observed. For a complete body treatment, you need to prepare well, perform all decisions reliably and without any inaccuracies. The preparation process is possible with your own hands without paying for the services of specialists. You will need to perform the following range of actions:
- choose paint for processing body elements, at the same time, you can choose any color in the spectrum indicated in the data sheet;
- determine the quality of the paintwork material for cars, it can be metallic, mother-of-pearl, as well as a number of special materials;
- choose the right set of additional materials for the machine (primer, hardener, solvents, etc.);
- choose and organize a place where you can paint the car in compliance with all the rules and recommendations of specialists;
- purchase Additional materials, such as sandpaper, putty, rags for bodywork;
- watch video and accept important decisions on the methods of imposing paint and varnish material, the stages of the work.
If you chose metallic paint, worth a look special requirements. Metallic car painting technology involves the use of specific cameras and other solutions for high-quality overlay. You need to observe the temperature, properly prepare your car for the performance painting works. If this is not done, it is impossible to count on qualitative results.
Painting a car in a rented chamber is the best option
If you can't find a place or get your garage ready for paint work with your vehicle, rent a camera. Many service stations offer this service for a small fee. You can also consult with specialists, take additional equipment. Often this will be cheaper than preparing your own technical kit for transport.
Summing up
In order for your car to look beautiful and not rust, it is worth monitoring the quality of the paintwork. As soon as it gets damaged, you should immediately fix them and provide a decent repair. Painting technologies and requirements are quite complex, so for independent work it is worth choosing classic solutions and kits of materials. The technology of preparing the car for painting must be observed.
If not respected important features, serious troubles are quite possible soon after the work is completed. Paint material may crack, peel off on the first wash. Also, the sun's rays do not spare poor-quality applied paint. So sometimes it's better to take some time to learn the right technology than to redo the work again and spend even more money on fixing the problems that have arisen.
