Automotive painting

Automotive painting has come a long way, since the times of the first cars (which by their very look were probably painted with hand brushes), to a point where it is a highly mechanized affair, and a point where anything less than a perfect sheen –and a smooth one at that, is considered inferior as far as the painting of automotives goes.

Some of the tools used in the painting of automotives today (out of which the names of the respective methods of painting automotives are derived) include the likes of the paint gun (out of which is paint gun automotive painting is derived), the aerosol spray out which the aerosol spray painting for automotives is derived) and the air brushing, out which air brush based painting for automotives is derived.

The different methods for automotive painting , of course, are suitable or ideal for different applications, so that a job for which the paint gun-based painting for automotives is best might not be as well performed using the air brush or the aerosol spray. Indeed, getting the best results when painting an automotive typically depends on one’s choice of a painting method, and how well that method is employed in the task.

Exploring the various automotive painting methods at a greater depth, it emerges that the best spray gun for painting of automotives is the type of spray gun referred to as a conventional suction feed although other types of spray guns (like the HVLP) might also be employed for the job, depending on availability and a number of other factors. The key to success in painting an automotive using the paint gun lies in good selection of air pressure for the gun. In the case of a conventional suction feed, fifty five pounds (or thereabouts) of air pressure is ideal for most automotive painting jobs. Beyond careful choice of a air pressure for the gun, of course, is the evenness of distribution of the material as the other factor that goes into determining how good a vehicle painting job one gets out of the whole process.

Aerosol painting, on the other hand, works best for cases where it is the re-painting of an automotive (rather than first painting) that we are looking at. Contrary to what many people imagine, it is not always necessary to remove the previous paintwork on a car before using the aerosol painting on it. And of course, even with the best of efforts, one can really only expect such a degree of perfection out of an aerosol automotive painting job.

Turning to air brush painting, this turns out to be best for the job of creating designs (and those beautiful works) on the body of the vehicle being painted. Experts advise on the use acrylic enamel for air brush based vehicle painting (and ideally, the acrylic enamel of the most fluid variety if one can lay their hands on it), as it tends to give the very best results as far as creation of designs on a motor vehicle’s bodywork goes.

To avoid having to get into automobile painting too frequently, with the cost it comes with, you would be well advised to read on about automobile wax which can go a long way towards protecting the paint-work and finishes on the vehicle from the elements of nature.

 

Commonly Asked Questions on Automotive Painting

1.  Is automotive painting a suitable project for a DIY (do it yourself basis)?

Yes, automotive painting is a suitable project for DIY; provided you have the tools, materials, skills and inclination required to do it well. There are people who have been known to undertake their automotive painting works from home, and still come up with professional looking results. What is important to keep in mind, as you consider doing automotive painting at home, is that it may not result in a real cost saving. True, you won’t have to pay for the labor factor in factory painting. Yet the saving you make here could very easily be offset by the fact that you will miss out on the economies of scale (especially with regard to paint and other materials acquisitions), that the factory painters have access to, thanks to the scale they operate in.

2. How does one go about automotive painting from home?

The first step towards successful automotive painting, as indeed any engineering project, is planning. Work out the materials you will need for the project, when you will be getting the project done (the time factor) and then ensure that you have everything you need for the project, in anticipation of that date. When it gets to the actual automotive painting, first prepare the car’s bodywork for the painting (in case it was damaged), through steps like panel beating. This makes way for better paint adhesion. Then Wash the surface to be cleaned. Remove/strip the previous paintwork (there are chemical aids on sale for this purpose). Then apply the paint, using the aerosol, air brush or whatever mechanism you opted for, and ensure you apply the recommended number of coats. Polish the vehicle (to get a sheen) and consider applying something like automotive waxing to protect the car paint.

3. What equipment is required for automotive painting?

The equipment required for automotive painting depends on your chosen automotive painting method. Accordingly, you might find yourself in need of a spray gun or some other aerosol mechanism, or simply a air brush for the application of the paint. Regardless of your chosen automotive painting method, though, there are some bits of equipment you will always need: like panel beating equipment and (previous) paint scrapping equipment, both for surface preparation. You can opt to buy or hire this automotive painting equipment. Hiring, if you can get someone to hire the equipment to you, would be a good option if automotive painting is something you are only looking to do on a one-off basis.

4. What paints are required for automotive painting?

A variety of paint types are used in automotive painting. This means you have ‘freedom of choice.’ Among the most popular options are lacquer, synthetically prepared enamel, the acrylic variety of lacquer and the acrylic variety of enamel. Urethane enamel and the polyurethane variety of enamel are other popular varieties of paints used in automotive painting, these later two being relative ‘recent inventions.’  The different types of paints used for automotive painting, have different properties are best used in different circumstances: meaning that in spite of there being so many automotive paints, not everything would be suitable for the case you have at hand. 

5. How do I protect my automotive painting work?

There are a number of steps you can take to protect your automotive painting work; which admittedly, is often difficult and expensive to obtain. Automotive waxing, while controversial in some circles (some people say it doesn’t work), is one such method of protective automotive painting. Properly used, this can lengthen the lifespan of your car’s painting considerably. Keeping the car clean is another obvious way of protecting the paintwork, as is trying (as much as possible) to protect it from direct sun glare by among other steps, always parking it in shaded places, and so on.