How to Apply Automotive Paint

If you want to repaint your vehicle on your own and achieve that trendy look, then it is important to get all the information you can get about the paint that you will use. You will need to choose the tools to use wisely, select that part of the garage that is well ventilated i.e. where there is free passage of air.

All automotive paints are not the same but there are some few qualities that you need to ascertain before you buy the paint for your car. Any paint that you use should not be polished after application unless it is of poor quality. Paint should always be flexible without the use of flex additives. To improve paint coverage, use paint primer as an undercoating.

When dealing with a minor repair or even a full restoration, preparation is absolutely necessary. Clean the surface that you are using. There are two types of contaminants that will need to be cleaned, these are Water based contaminants, such as dirt, dust and bird droppings. These can be removed easily with a good car washing soap and hot water. And then there are Solvent based contaminants that include wax, plastic resin, oil and tar grease. These require the use of grease remover. In order to know that the area is clean, flush it with water. The water should not stick on this surface, if it does you will need to add more grease remover.

Before applying the automotive paint that you desire, you can remove the old paint using solvent based color removers, making a smooth base on your car body. You are now ready to use a primer on these surface. Use a top quality spray gun, applying sweeping horizontal strokes back and forth. Let the coat dry before sanding it again and applying a fresh coat.

Automotive Paint Repair Can Be Simple

It’s that awful time for car owners, your car’s paint is damaged and you need some automotive paint repair done to get it back to like new. Maybe you were in a low impact collision, scraped the door backing out of the garage, or worst of all, your entire car has been randomly keyed or vandalized. Whatever the reason, there are a number of solutions available to you in the car paint repairs market. Not only will your vehicle be looking better, but it will also be better protected with all of its metal covered in paint and protected from the elements that cause rust.

The first thing I want to look at is why car paint repairs are necessary. To put it simply paint is fashion and function. The paint protects the metal underneath, which is vulnerable to various elements, most notably the weather, but road salt and further chipping factor in as well. Damage that is not attended to immediately can lead to costly future repairs down the road. There is no benefit at all to waiting to do a repair.

Most auto paint repairs are simple procedures. For smaller scratches, dents, and scrapes you can go with a zone repair. A zone repair is a cost effective solution as it only focuses on a specific spot of your vehicle and does a seamless repair of it without painting the entire panel. This is done by isolating the area with tape and paper, while the repair person blends the paint just perfectly to match the original colour. A professional at this technique can do it in a way that matches the paints original factory look and colour around the repair so that no one will ever be able to tell that any damage ever happened. This can be done on side panels, hoods, trunks, and doors. It saves time, money and value over the cost of a repair to the entire panel. It often allows the repair to be done below the cost of your insurance deductible.

For larger damaged areas a complete repaint of the entire panel may be necessary. This can be done at a reasonable cost, but not as cheaply as a zone repair. Remember that this is about protecting your car, and ensuring the greatest value for it in the long run. Do not go with the most economical option. Choose what is best for the long term in keeping your car its best. If there is heavy damage to the metal under the panel it may be necessary to replace the entire panel. This would be unfortunate as this is costly and often requires a repaint of the new panel to match the look and colour of the rest of the vehicle, but there is no good that will come of having an old panel on that rusts.

So whether it was your own fault, an accident of someone else’s doing, or you were the victim of vandalism, it is essential for the long term use of your car that even the smallest dings and chips get attended to. Failure to do so can lead to rust which will dramatically reduce the value of your vehicle. Get immediate automotive paint repair specialists to look at your car to correct this type of damage.

Automotive Painting and Body Technician Courses

Automotive Painting and Body Technician courses provide students with hands-on-training and experience for work as an Auto Body Technician and Automotive Refinishing Prep Technician, two fields that are in constant demand. Automotive Painting and Body Technician courses focus on developing the skills required to ensure successful entry into an automotive painting and bodywork profession.

The automotive Industry remains one of the most important in North America, despite the restructuring that has captured so much attention. There continues to be mass competition, significant advances in technology, including many “green initiatives”, and ongoing demand to repair and service the some 500 million cars that are already on the road.

Automotive Painting and Body Technician courses will often cover the following topics:

Introduction to the Automotive Industry and shop safety
Automotive detailing
Automotive refinishing prep tools and shop procedures
Materials
Surface preparation
Small dent repair
Priming
Plastic parts refinishing
Masking procedures
Introduction to refinishing procedures
Tools and equipment
Welding technology
Sheet metal repair
Vehicle construction technology
Plastic repair technology
The pay structure for a Refinishing Prep and Auto Body Technician leaves plenty of room for earning growth. On average, Collision Repair Technicians make between $40,000 and $56,000 per year. Pursuing a career in auto body repair painting means you can pursue entry-level positions with a long list of potential employers, including:

New car dealers
Retail collision repair facilities
Custom specialty shops
Heavy duty truck repair facilities
Becoming an entrepreneur and owning your own body shop
Positions for graduates of auto body repair painting courses include:

Automotive Detailer
Apprentice Refinishing Prep Technician
Apprentice Motor Vehicle Body Repairer
Automotive Metal Fabricator/Welder
Plastic Repair Technician
Dent Doctor
Aftermarket Installer
Automotive Refinishing Technician
Automotive Painter
And More
Typical duties for Refinishing Prep or Auto Body Repair Technicians include:

Remove wax, grease and dust from the vehicle
Remove rough spots on vehicle panels and sand surfaces by hand or with air sanders
Minor damage repairs
Restoration of anti-corrosion treatments and substrate preparation
Undercoat product mixing and application ensuring chemical compatibility, adhesion and durability
Application of anti-corrosion compounds
Prep vehicle for paint; masking and priming
Apply primer to repair areas
Paint parts inners
Sand the vehicle several times during the painting process
Possible collision or restorative work, or they may design and create custom paint jobs
Set the booth to dry the paint
Remove masking papers and touch up paintwork
Remove parts, damaged fenders, doors, panels, and grills
Repair structure of vehicles
Remove dents, buckles, and other defects
Repair and replace doors, front-end body, and underbody components
And more