Preparation of a car body before painting is critical in order to end up with a good paint job. It has been said that 90 percent of the work involved in a good paint job is the prep work and only 10 percent of the time is spent actually painting the car.Many people will perform all of the preliminary body and prep work themselves before turning the car over to a professional painter, in order to save a ton of money!

This article is aimed at taking you through the basic steps involved in prep work so you can end up with that "perfect" paint job.


Things You'll Need:
Various grades of sandpaper and scuff pads (paint remover optional if bringing down to bare metal)Filler and glazing compounds for any body work needed High-build primer Guide coat primer (regular primer, but in different color than high-build) Final coat primer Primer sealer Various size sanding blocks Wax and grease removers Respirator or paper face mask


Step 1 Wash the car and remove all exterior trim and emblems. Ideally, door handles and antennas should be removed as well. Any exterior parts not removed will have to be worked around and taped over during painting. Removal of all items will ensure a better paint job but is not a critical requirement.

Step 2 Body work taking placeSurvey the body very carefully and perform any rust removal, patching, pulling out of dents or other body work that may be needed, such as filling in scratches with filler. You want the body to be smooth and flat.

Step 3 Finish by sanding down the car. There are a few thought processes at play here, depending on what your goal is and how extensive your body work was. You may just use a scuff pad to scuff up the existing good paint and clear coat that was not disturbed by body work. You may also sand down below the good paint to the original primer, or you may even decide to get all the way down to the bare metal using paint removers and extensive sanding. The bottom line is that you want the finish to be in a position to accept a high- build primer applied over a smooth surface.If a car already has a number of coats of paint on it, you probably want to sand down below the paint to the primer. If this is the first paint job, scuffing only will usually suffice. If you are creating a show car and really want to start from scratch, then going to bare metal is suggested.

Step 4 High-build primer appliedAfter you are satisfied with your sanding, scuffing or removal of paint, spray two to three coats of high-build primer over the entire vehicle. Always wear a respirator or paper face mask when spraying the primer, and work in a ventilated area.

Step 5 Black oprimer is used as a "guide coat"Once the car is in a high-build primer and it is completely dry, you should "block sand" the entire car to unveil any low spots or dings and scratches that may have been missed during your body work. Block sanding the car is an important part of the process, and entails using a different color of primer sprayed over the original coat, which will allow you to find any low spots in the finish as you sand off the second coat. The differently colored primer is called a "guide coat."

Step 6 Wipe the car down with a cleaning solvent or wax and grease remover, then apply a finishing primer. It is critical that the car be wax,- silicone- and oil-free at this point.

Step 7 Lightly wet or dry-sand the new primer with 600 to 800 grit sandpaper, always using a sanding block and never with your bare hands. This will give you a nice, smooth surface for a primer sealer. Wipe down the car once more with a solvent or grease remover.

Step 8 Now apply a couple of coats of a "primer sealer." The sealer will give your new paint a smooth surface to lie on, and will at the same time help to seal in your primers, glazing compounds and fillers that may have been applied during the bodywork process. The primer sealer does not require any sanding, and care should be taken that the sealer remains perfectly clean. It is best to put the primer sealer on the car just before painting.You are now ready for new paint!


Tips & Warnings

When sanding, always use a sanding block and not your bare hands, to avoid leaving an uneven surface.Before paint is actually applied (unless applied directly after the primer sealer has been applied), use a clean tack rag to remove any dust particles.Feel your finish with a cloth glove on or a paper towel under your fingers, which will allow you to feel more imperfections than a bare hand.Never allow silicones, oil or grease on the car during the prep process.If bodywork flaws are left alone or neglected, they will be amplified once paint is applied, especially if you are painting with a dark color.