For some car owners, the vehicle is just a transport item intended to get its owner safely from A to B. But nowadays the car has become more and more a status symbol or a leisure activity for one or the other. Quite a few vehicle owners like to spend their time in the small private workshop garage and screw around on their vehicle there. However, buying new rims or tinting the vehicle's windows can also turn the entire exterior of a vehicle upside down and improve its appearance quite a bit. Tinted windows and rims, for example, make the car look much sportier. And some car owners dare to go a step further and consider painting the entire body of their car.
This is a challenge that laypeople might not dare to take on – at least not without the help and advice of experts.
You should definitely be aware beforehand whether you want to sell your vehicle after painting or whether you want to continue to use it for yourself. Because one thing should be clear to you: if you want to do the painting yourself and have not yet gained any experience here, you can assume that the work of a layman will be recognizable on the first try. At least if you look closely, you will be able to see exactly where the paintwork has been done. So if you are planning to prepare the vehicle in order to be able to sell it later, you should either already have experience in painting or it would be better to contact a workshop at this point in order to be able to achieve the best possible result.
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What_steps are involved in painting?
In the following we would like to introduce you step by step to painting yourself. However, you should be aware that even with the best guidance, the inexperience in this work will show later. So don't expect too much at first. This work requires sensitivity.
The first step in painting your vehicle involves removing and cleaning the attachments. Of course, you can also tape masking tape over the parts that are not to be painted, but experience has shown that it makes more sense to remove the larger parts that can be easily dismantled and then paint them. Seals, on the other hand, can be covered with masking tape. Also make sure that the masking tape is of high quality so that there are no streaks with the paint.
If it turns out that the bodywork you want to paint has dents, you should fill them out beforehand. After you have applied the putty, it should be sanded down with sandpaper. Here, too, the rule applies: do not save money when it comes to buying work materials. Working with high-quality sandpaper pays off in the end.
Now you should degrease the body of your vehicle. The use of a silicone cleaner would be ideal here.
Important: Before starting work, make sure that you are working in a covered room. Of course, working in a garage would be ideal, but a carport would also be possible here. Why is that so important? Especially after completing the work, you should absolutely avoid insects, leaves or dust touching the freshly applied paint.
In what way should I paint the body of my vehicle?
Now the final question is how you should paint your vehicle. There are options here to do this with a spray can, spray gun, or paint roller.
When working with the spray can, you should make sure that the entire surface of the body is evenly treated. Also, the spray can should be kept up to 30cm away from the paint while the job is being done. Otherwise you have to reckon with so-called paint noses.
If you want to paint with a spray gun, you should also have a mixing bucket for mixing the paint with the thinner and the hardener. We also recommend that you get a breathing mask and a protective suit, because health comes first. When painting with a spray gun, always work from top to bottom.
Burnishing the bodywork with a paint roller is rarely practiced, but if you prefer this type of painting, you should be informed about how to proceed: you should get a paint pan and a paint roller. You should use a rubber paint roller for the smooth surfaces of the body. Also apply the varnish crosswise so that the color can be completely covered. Again, start at the top of the vehicle and work your way down slowly and thoroughly.
Finally, you can touch up the painting work with a good polish. This will make you particularly happy with the overall result.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of painting your vehicle yourself?
Before you start work, you should be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of not entrusting this work to professionals, but want to do it yourself. You will definitely save a lot of money if you do the work yourself. In addition, you can express your creativity freely and deal intensively with your vehicle. Especially for those who are very proud of their car and like to spend their free time with the vehicle, it will be particularly pleasant to spend a few hours in the garage with their beloved car. But always remember that the painting work done by a layman will be visible afterwards. If your vehicle is relatively old and no longer worth that much, don't put too much at risk here. But if you own a new car and you don't want to risk losing value, it's better to go to specialists in a workshop and leave the painting to professionals. You can then better test your painting skills on other vehicles.
The conclusion and a tip from CarTipsandmore: Finally, it can be said that painting a vehicle is a challenge for some vehicle owners irritates. The work can be fun, especially if you enjoy spending time tinkering with your car. New challenges are then gladly accepted. However, CarTipsandmore recommends that you only test your painting skills on vehicles that are a bit older and are no longer of great value. In hindsight, it won't bother you so much if the result doesn't quite meet your expectations. And practice makes perfect.