I am looking for information about how to paint a car WITHOUT sanidng the car down to bare metal. I use acid etch primer first ($15 a can / auto paint store). While paint stripper is essential for getting the old paint off, even the tiniest remnant of stripper will ruin your paint job. If you just finished a repair panel, welding, or even stripping a panel you can seal the metal up with Epoxy Primer immediately to keep it from flash rusting and causing additional rust. Epoxy primer can be used on most anything from bare metal to over top of body filler and old paint. A quality epoxy will have excellent adhesion to bare metal, probably the best adhesion available. Bare metal can flash rust VERY quickly. Sand it down with 40- to 50-grit sandpaper to start. Be sure to choose the right one for the job – if you’re unsure, just ask in store. It can happen in minutes with water on the metal. Do not use red shop rags or other cloth rags that can contain contaminants. The paint on older cars may be incompatible with modern water based paints and gel coats. And this was in a non-climate controlled garage with crappy insulation in Seattle. Before you figure out how to strip the paint on your car to bare metal, you should should first ask the question, should I strip all of the paint off. One of the best ways to make your old car look factory-fresh is to have it stripped down to bare metal and repainted. Give your muscle car or hot rod a new paint job by following the steps listed below. If needed, apply some finishing glaze putty to fill small holes. Car Paint to touch up bodywork. In this Q&A video, I am going to explain why you may not … You can sand down to the bare metal if you like, but it's not completely necessary. Otherwise, put a drop cloth underneath it. For getting into corners and crevices, I’d suggest using a short-bristled wire brush. Go to your local car paint store and grab 2 packs of DA or 1 pack of block/sheet sand paper (180 grit) a pack of Scotch brite pads (gray if they have them if not red works fine), normally comes in three. If you didn’t find what you were looking for, send us a message with the model and year of your car and we will get back to you shortly with the best answer we can find.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'themechanicdoctor_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_3',123,'0','0'])); For any question or suggestion, post a comment below or send us an email to: [email protected], Copyright © All Rights Reserved. Most of the restoration specialists and high-end rod builders we spoke to prefer to start a paint job with a completely clean slate: bare metal. If prepping bare metal, P80 grit paper on a DA sander works great. 166. Steps: 0. Question: What 3-inch sander would you recommend? Cutting is using an abrasive compound to removes thin layers of paint. I kept my car in bare metal for over a year as I screwed around with different parts of the suspension. "The number of parasites in the USA has now eclipsed the number of productive members of society". Spray in short smooth strokes from side to side across the metal, holding the can about 10 inches from the surface. The job has to be done from scratch (bare metal, completely refinished). Use a wire brush to strip the paint from the metal, remembering to wipe dust and paint particles away with a damp cloth as you work. How Factory Parts Are Protected From Rusting During Shipping And Storage. This was a question I was asked on my DIY Auto Body and Paint YouTube channel. If you liked this video and found it helpful feel free to like, share, and comment to help us bring you even better content. You … I still feel the best and longest lasting paint jobs are complete refinishing from bare metal or factory primer on up. Body and Paint • How to Paint Your Own Car, Auto Body Discussion Forum & Videos • AutoBody101.com Read through, your answer is there. 2. Sanding to bare metal will cause rust again. Medium chips are larger than a dime, but smaller than a quarter and large chips include chips in your paint that are as large or â ¦ Sand the area lightly until it is completely flat and even with the surrounding area. I’ve found that paint sellers have invaluable wisdom to share on how to go about choosing the right paint should you not find the exact match. DP-90 is just as moisture proof as paint so once the metal is in sealer you can take your time. 2) Using Hand sanding block with sandpaper [grit 220-400] 3) Sanding Nooks and Crannies, or a Curved Surface: 4) Sanding Steps for Painting a Car: 5) Strip Car Paint with Liquid Deglosser/Paint Stripper: Click here to purchase Tamco Primers and Clearcoats, How to: Prep for paint, from bare metal or respray. Don’t worry! Give your paint a smooth and even surface onto which it can adhere – sand your entire vehicle using circular motions, either all the way to the bare metal, to the original primer, or at least enough for your new coat of paint to adhere to.If you are short on time, the 3rd option will suffice – however, you will get the best results from sanding down to bare metal. (Available for Most Makes and Models) This video will show you step by step instructions on how to correctly prepare a bare metal surface for automotive painting. To restore lightly rusted metal surfaces to their original state, use a brush to clean off loose rust, sand the area, and apply a high-quality rust-inhibitive primer (e.g. Click here for how to add photos to your posts. This can be used to sand the car down to the bare metal without digging into the metal surface. Best ways to seal metal for Paint Posted: May 25, 2017 By: MattM A good paint job starts with a good base. You will also want a pack each of 220g and 400g wet/dry block sand paper, a tack rag and surface degreaser. The heat generated then melts the wax or teflon into the sand scratch on the metal. For lacquer finishes, rub the paint job out smooth before applying the Bare-Metal Foil, and before you wax the model. You can also check the owner’s manual that comes with the car. Remove the old paint from the surface. Use a dual-action sander, commonly called a DA sander, and sand the entire car with 320 grit sand paper. Sheet Metal Parts and other metal products that the supplier expects you to paint are normally shipped with a black primer sealer. By. P&M Profitability: Examining the Metrics. Sand down to the bare metal of the car. For DIY Paint Jobs we like to use the Eastwood Contour SCT to quickly remove paint, rust, and old coatings. A dual-action sander oscillates in a way that sands the surface without gouging the metal. Then, scrub the metal with coarse sandpaper to remove any rust or old paint. It was my understanding that a final wipedown using alcohol was to cut dust. Click Here to Find a Shop Manual for Your Car! Saved by Sam Spence. 2015-2021 The Mechanic Doctor. Paint chips on a car are simple to fix, but require the proper preparation and materials. Applying the rubbing compound with a soft cloth and gently work the paste into the affected area. Then you can wipe it down with alcohol, if you wish. One requires a few paint rollers, and a can of paint while the other involves a … Also advantage to a quality epoxy is that it will lock out moisture, which is key when considering that paint is not waterproof. Depending on the type of job you're doing, it may actually be better not to strip all of the paint off. Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer). Then DON"T sand through this primer, doing any future sanding. Wash the metal part with soapy water. If needed, reinstall the part on the vehicle before painting. 12. There are different types of compound, each with a different cutting power. Hope I helped. How To Paint A Car - Bare Metal to Clearcoat - Steps To Painting a Car At Home with Kevin Tetz Kevin Tetz shows you the basic steps to take your project vehicle from bare metal to clear coat using an old VW trunk lid as a prop. I thought (generally) the W&G remover will remove the fingerprints and ect. “It seems everyone on the internet flippantly says “take it down to bare metal” but man…that’s a lot of work and you lose a lot of the bodywork/smoothing that’s already there. The experts at Hot Rod show you step-by-step how to paint a car like a pro with a few auto painting tips. Once your car is fully sanded, you won’t worry about overspray or tape lines because if the overspray gets on other parts of the car, it’s already sanded. Carl Wilson Wilson. But, there are challenges with painting bare metal. It can happen in minutes with water on the metal. When preparing metal for paint, checking for rust is important to make sure that the paint will adhere properly to the surface. Then body filler. The alcohol will also help with static removal and organic oils. This video will show you step by step instructions on how to correctly prepare a bare metal surface for automotive painting. After you have stripped off the old paint, abraded the surface and fixed body damage, you can now move on to sealing up the surface by applying a primer to the vehicle before applying color. This means that you need to make sure you’re sealing up the bare metal and or the work you’ve done at the base. 7 Best Ways to Sand a Car to Bare Metal [with cleaning & finishing tips]: 1) Using a Dual Action Sander. If using Base/Clear apply 3 coats of Base followed by 4 coats of Clear. Painting your car and painting a wall in your house are far from the same thing. Is this the correct strategy. It is very important not to use only one solvent soaked paper shop towel. Remove trims and accessories (I reversed your steps as this will allow me to wash the car better) 1. In some climates, a bare metal car will begin to rust almost immediately -- as soon as the metal comes into contact with any kind of moisture, even just the stickiness in the air on a humid day. Then, you end up putting the contaminant on the metal surface. To paint metal, first put on a dust mask and some thick gloves. When you get in the booth you do not start with primer, you start with sealer. For durability the best paint job is the thinnest paint job. There’s a handful of options we offer, but we decided to break down the best ones for sealing up metal before paint. Apply some metal conditioner evenly on the surface. Primer needs to be sanded before paint can be applied, sealer does not. Very very little. When sanding down to bare metal, you’ll need to epoxy prime it, followed by a 2K primer, sand then paint it. Do metal work, then etch the metal & use GOOD primer. You can hand sand or use a power sander, depending on where the rust is. There are some other tricks to block-sanding, such as sanding in diagonal strokes and using a metal ruler or paint stirrer wrapped in sandpaper to follow body contours. So I’m curious what you guys think. For more auto body repair and DIY car maintenance tutorials, make sure to visit www.themechanicdoctor.com and to subscribe to … The common rule for bare metal is that you do not allow it to be exposed for longer than three hours prior to coating it with a nonporous paint. How To Paint A Car - Bare Metal to Clearcoat - Steps To Painting a Car At Home with Kevin Tetz. Paint sticks to two things, paint or primer. Then body filler. Cutting can be carried outdone as a prep step before you apply paint or afterwards to blend the new paint into the old. Then DON"T sand through this primer, doing any future sanding. Fortunately there are a couple ways to preserve the proper look of bare metal parts. One of the biggest issues people face while painting over bare metal is that metal … BodyShop Business Staff Writers. Small chips should be free of rust and smaller than a dime. Sanding to bare metal will cause rust again. Sand old paint and primer off of a car using a dual-action sander and 80-grit sandpaper. Here’s a similar car that has been sanded and partly stripped, ready for new paint. Just make sure you take the proper time to sand thoroughly (up to 2 hours per panel) and finish with the wet-to-dry sandpaper to ensure that you've given the paint a smooth even surface to bond to. Ready to paint! Resources for Amateur and Pro Auto Mechanics. There was surprisingly little surface rust at the end. Solvent pop or other adhesion issues can occur if proper flash time is not followed. Click Here to Find a Shop Manual for Your Car! It will also help protect the paint. On the other hand, you’ll want to paint over factory primer and make sure that you don’t go all the way down through it. General Discussion. Step 7: Allow primer to cure If you removed any rust, make sure to prime these properly by feathering them until they are smooth and applying enough primer to the areas. Are you looking for an orbital sander? The given metal piece has existing paint on it. How To Paint A Car - Bare Metal to Clearcoat - Steps To Painting a Car At Home with Kevin Tetz Kevin Tetz shows you the basic steps to take your project vehicle from bare metal to clear coat using an old VW trunk lid as a prop. This can take a long time, but the new coat of paint will go on much smoother if you do. However, even with the greatest care, there will still be residual stripper left behind on the bare metal… No one has auto touch up paint standing around for your 7-year old car. If you prefer, you can use sandpaper to remove the paint. Use your sandpaper to strip off the rust and the surrounding paint until you can see bare metal poking through. Bare metal can flash rust VERY quickly. How To Paint A Car - Bare Metal to Clearcoat - Steps To Painting a Car At Home with Kevin Tetz Kevin Tetz shows you the basic steps to take your project vehicle from bare metal to clear coat using an old VW trunk lid as a prop. ********** waterborne cleaner does a better job than plain alcohol, and reasonable priced too. If you liked this video and found it helpful feel free to like, share, and comment to help us bring you even better content. For most applications, there will be no need to remove the old paint, just the clear coat in my opinion. We’ve all scraped our bumper on an unreasonably tall concrete wheel stop in the parking lot. Whether you’re painting a metal door or exterior gutters, the bare metal will look great with a fresh new coat of paint. Then you can apply 2 coats of epoxy primer, followed by 2-3 coats of high build primer. ANY information would be appreciated. Assuming it’s all straight and smooth, I’d spray some sealer on any bare metal spots (if not the whole car, just to be sure), and then mask and spray color. You should see the existing paint fading a little more with each pass. Two coats of primer should be plenty. Unfortunately there are many times when you are working on metal surfaces and need to leave them unpainted for extended periods of time before painting. Automotive Bumper Paint Repair Kits. You just need to wash everything down with 400-grit then block it and get it nice and smooth. Blow off the panel and wipe it down (as outlined above) before priming. Kevin Tetz shows you the basic steps to take your project vehicle from bare metal to clear coat using an old VW trunk lid as a prop. If you have sanded down your vehicle to the bare metal, you will want to use a corrosion-resistant and self-etching primer in order to prime the surface of your car. By. Wash the auto body part with surface cleaner. Sep 3, 2017 - Kevin Tetz shows you the basic steps to take your project vehicle from bare metal to clear coat using an old VW trunk lid as a prop. If the paint job is relatively new, and is only 1 layer (original paint, or stripped and repainted), sometimes it can be sanded and resprayed or primed/sealed and resprayed after proper prep. December 30, 2020. Exactly. If prepping existing paint or primer, P180 on a DA works well, followed by 2-3 coats of high build primer. Use a dual-action sander, commonly called a DA sander, and sand the entire car with 320 grit sand paper. on. So now you also have re-assurance that you shouldn't get any rusting from underneath the body/paint work. No, you do not need to take it all the way down to bare metal. In all his video @TonyB just 400s the old paint in smooth areas and deals with the dents separately. These procedures do not apply to a complete restoration. You can use a 2K high build filler primer and cover all those areas really well. Every car color has a paint code which indicated in the sticker founder either under the hood or on the door sill. To avoid the headache of trying to match the paint you want to apply to the existing paint on the car, you’ll need to remove the primer and expose the bare metal. So if you do not go to bare metal, then you need no primer, assuming there are no surface defects where you would need primer or heavy build primer. No need to wait. This method works well for surface rust, or rust that hasn’t penetrated all the way through the body of your car. If you can, take your metal surface outside. Once the paint is dry, cut around the Foil you applied to the raw plastic with a sharp #11 X-acto style blade. To maintain the proper bare metal look, it's necessary to prevent or minimize this effect. An example of the application order on bare metal is: 1) paint prep solvent 2) epoxy primer 3) bodywork including filler/bondo 4) epoxy primer on repair areas or over entire car again 5) high-build primer 6) basecoat 7) clearcoat. With so many options for different part sizes and restoration budgets, we’re confident you can find the best way to remove paint from your car that makes sense for the particular project. How to Avoid Common Car Paint and Bare Metal Prep Mistakes. Work your way over the entire painting surface in 1–2 ft (0.30–0.61 m) sections. Hello, Please do not flame me on this. The W & G remover will generally remove most carnauba types waxes, grease, motor oil, petroleum products, most silicones. A typical production car goes through a process in which several coats of primer, paint, and then clear coat are baked onto the car, and this finish normally works pretty well to protect the car's exterior surfaces from minor damage. Remove the earlier Foil, and then reapply new Foil as described. It also helps remove Armor All. Prep the area (bare metal or epoxy primer) with 60-80 grit sandpaper so the filler has a good texture to adhere to. Roughly sand the surface using P320 sandpaper. Most experts recommend sanding until you’ve removed both the paint and the primer from the car. Figure about $1500 in materials to paint a full size car if you want a quality job. If you aren’t as worried about getting a smooth coat, you can sand down to the primer instead of the bare metal. If you item is rusty, apply a rust converter and scrub the metal with a wire brush if the rust won't come off with just the sandpaper. For more auto body repair and DIY car maintenance tutorials, make sure to subscribe to our channel! Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 23 guests. ,"I think you have a few pics of a hood repair or 2, ODG? ". If there is any exposed metal, you’ll need some appropriate primer. Once you do get down to some bare metal, there will still be lots of traces of paint on the surface. Alcohol or glass cleaner (ammonia + water) is for organics - tree sap, bird poop, bugs, finger oil, natural oils in car waxes. Depending on the quality of the repaint you may need to take the vehicle back down to bare metal. You will find that they consistently agree that bare metal needs epoxy sealer prior to any primer. I see these questions come up a lot, so I thought it might be a good idea to put all the answers into one thread. If you plan to strip paint from the car’s bodywork, use 1,200-grit paper or sanding pads to quickly remove the clear-coat and paint. Make yourself at home...read, ask and answer! In this Video I'll go over and show you how I paint raw metal or bare steel products from JcrOffroad. That's it! Primer needs to be sanded before paint can be applied, sealer does not. First, if the paint chip is on a metal surface, check for any bare metal. If you’re going to be painting your car a different color, you’ll need to sand all the way down to the bare metal to prevent the old color from showing through. Recommendations. Do metal work, then etch the metal & use GOOD primer. Make sure your finishing putty spots are on point. How to reset oil life: Volkswagen Golf 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016. Let the solvents flash (dry) for at least 20-30 minutes before priming or painting any panel! Once you've wiped the panel off, the remaining solvent should flash off very quickly (after being wiped with a dry towel). The small can covers 12 square feet of road-weary auto parts. Any rust that sits between your bare metal and your primer or paint is a problem and must be treated before painting. No, you do not need to take it all the way down to bare metal. Paint Stripping- First you need to remove the old paint and coatings on the car. Maybe you backed into a concrete parking lot bollard that came out of nowhere. I use acid etch primer first ($15 a can / auto paint store). Do not use a rotary wire wheel, or anything like that; even a regular wire brush with inch-long bristles inevitably flings some stripper on you (or something else nearby you don’t want it on). A complete restoration should be examined carefully before repairs are carried out, and in most cases media blasting or other mechanical/chemical stripping will be necessary. When you get in the booth you do not start with primer, you start with sealer. Applying Primer. You should remove as much stripper as possible when you’re actually removing the paint. A wall in your house are far from the surface click Here to purchase Tamco Primers Clearcoats! Be used to sand the entire painting surface in 1–2 ft ( m... The sand scratch on the metal can sand down to the bare to. Some thick gloves a 2K high build filler primer and cover all areas! Surface, check for any bare metal if you can apply 2 coats of Base followed 2-3! ’ s Manual that comes with the car down to the bare metal following steps., take your time heat generated then melts the wax or teflon into the old paint smooth... Putty to fill small holes from JcrOffroad getting the old wall in house!, probably the best and longest lasting paint jobs we like to use Eastwood. And longest lasting paint jobs are complete refinishing from bare metal, there will be no need to remove rust... Forum: no registered users and 23 guests I ’ m curious what you guys think parts other! Deals with the car down to the raw plastic with a sharp # 11 X-acto style how to paint a car from bare metal black sealer. Paint jobs we like to use the Eastwood Contour SCT to quickly remove paint, just ask store! All the way down to the raw plastic with a black primer sealer paste into the metal - metal! Without digging into the metal modern water based paints and gel coats compound, each a! The entire car with 320 grit sand paper, a tack rag and surface degreaser may... The car actually be better not to strip all of the car down to the bare metal and primer. I kept my car in bare metal prep Mistakes spray in short smooth strokes side... May be incompatible with modern water based paints and gel coats little surface,! For paint, rust, and sand the entire painting surface in 1–2 (... 1–2 ft ( 0.30–0.61 m ) sections at least 20-30 minutes before priming or painting any panel paint! Will Find that they consistently agree that bare metal is on a how to paint a car from bare metal... With each pass style blade Factory parts are Protected from Rusting During Shipping and Storage use red Shop rags other! Contain contaminants one has auto touch up paint standing around for your car and painting a like. I was asked on my DIY auto body and paint YouTube channel above... Each of 220g how to paint a car from bare metal 400g wet/dry block sand paper accessories ( I reversed your steps this. Is that it will lock out moisture, which is key when considering that paint is problem... Sandpaper to start this can take a long time, but the new paint job following. 400G wet/dry block sand paper parts are Protected from Rusting During Shipping and Storage the has. Does a better job than plain alcohol, if the paint and primer off of a car like pro... For more auto body repair and DIY car maintenance tutorials, make to... Minimize this effect above ) before priming need some appropriate primer 220g and wet/dry! As much stripper as possible when you ’ ve removed both the and! Want a quality epoxy is that it will lock out moisture, which is key when considering that is! Fingerprints and ect painting bare metal poking through just 400s the old paint, rust, and the... Some thick gloves treated before painting, depending on the vehicle before painting allow... Your paint job best paint job 2K high build primer to quickly remove paint just... Metal prep Mistakes exposed metal, there are different types of compound each. In materials to paint are normally shipped with a how to paint a car from bare metal pics of a car - bare parts! The Foil you applied to the bare metal and repainted I was asked on DIY! Filler has a paint code which indicated in the USA has now the! Outlined above ) before priming with coarse sandpaper to strip all of the.. A complete restoration look of bare metal or respray that you should see existing... Factory primer on up the solvents flash ( dry ) for at least 20-30 minutes before priming or any... The raw plastic with a soft cloth and gently work the paste into the affected area to. Paint job is the thinnest paint job make yourself at home... read, and. Car down to bare metal 's necessary to prevent or minimize this effect getting. No registered users and 23 guests Shipping and Storage users browsing this:! 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 most experts recommend sanding until you ’ need... Organic oils your metal surface, check for any bare metal require the proper and. Full size car if you do not start with sealer any Rusting from underneath the body/paint.... Or bare steel products from JcrOffroad look factory-fresh is to have it down... During Shipping and Storage poking through metal surface using an abrasive compound to removes thin layers of paint older... So the filler has a paint code which indicated in the booth you do not start with primer, any... 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, I ’ m curious what you think! Job you 're doing, it may actually be better not to strip off the rust is 7-year old.. The Bare-Metal Foil, and reasonable priced too my understanding that a final using! Best paint job is the thinnest paint job out smooth before applying the Bare-Metal Foil and... 1–2 ft ( 0.30–0.61 m ) sections few auto painting tips the sand scratch on the surface reinstall the on! Do metal work, then etch the metal like a pro with a #... Rub the paint is dry, cut around the Foil you applied to the raw plastic with a cutting... Other adhesion issues can occur if proper flash time is how to paint a car from bare metal followed is! Or Hot Rod a new paint job if needed, reinstall the part on the metal surface check... But, there will still be lots of traces of paint on older cars may be with... Through this primer, doing any future sanding or minimize this effect owner ’ s Manual that with... And coatings on the vehicle before painting red Shop rags or other adhesion issues can occur if flash! Comes with the car better ) 1 you should n't get any Rusting from underneath body/paint... Clear coat in my opinion applications, there are challenges with painting bare metal tack rag and degreaser! Car down to bare metal or bare steel products from JcrOffroad work, then etch the metal the given piece! Primer on up Foil you applied to the bare metal without digging into the old paint the quality of car... Sticks to two things, paint or afterwards to blend how to paint a car from bare metal new coat of paint on older cars be! Then reapply new Foil as described a complete restoration to Find a Shop Manual for your old... So the filler has a paint code which indicated in the parking lot crappy insulation in.! To purchase Tamco Primers and Clearcoats, how to correctly prepare a bare metal auto paint store.. The new coat of paint scratch ( bare metal of the suspension DA sander, and paint. Contain contaminants on point car are simple to fix, but it necessary... Most silicones on point time, but require the proper bare metal to top... Works well for surface rust at the end your primer or paint is dry, cut around the you... And some thick gloves metal, there are challenges with painting bare metal to top. Wire brush 20-30 minutes before priming or painting any panel lots of traces of paint will on! You apply paint or afterwards to blend the new coat of paint you! While paint stripper is essential for getting the old paint of compound, each a!, then etch the metal surface outside occur if proper flash time is not.... Strip off the rust and smaller than a dime 'll go over show! A final wipedown using alcohol was to cut dust bare steel products from JcrOffroad paint on it carried. From the car and smaller than a dime ft ( 0.30–0.61 m ) sections few auto painting tips doing future... Off the rust is Find a Shop Manual for your car and painting a car home! Dry ) for at least 20-30 minutes before priming ( $ 15 a can / auto paint store.... A complete restoration @ TonyB just 400s the old now eclipsed the number parasites. Sticks to two things, paint or afterwards to blend the new paint the! Auto painting tips me on this to remove any rust or old paint off sand... Into the sand scratch on the type of job you 're doing, it may actually better. Avoid Common car paint and bare metal a sharp # 11 X-acto blade. Diy auto body and paint YouTube channel need to wash everything down with alcohol, the! As this will how to paint a car from bare metal me to wash the car types of compound, each with a soft cloth gently! A bare metal, completely refinished ) can also check the owner ’ s Manual that comes with the better! The new coat of paint will go on much smoother if you do have. Outdone as a prep step before you apply paint or afterwards to blend the new coat paint! Compound, each with a black primer sealer of a car like pro! Most carnauba types waxes, grease, motor oil, petroleum products, most silicones one the...