If you are planning on painting your car, you should plan on priming. This is an important preparation process to ensure ideal results. The primer is essential because it will promote the proper bonding of the fresh coat of paint. Consequently, there will be no premature peeling and bubbling. Moreover, priming makes the underlying surface smoother, ensuring the appeal of the final paint coating. However, you should keep in mind that primer is not magical. If the metal panels are not well prepared, the primer will not perform as expected. Here are basic tips for preparing your vehicle for primer application.
Inspect the Panels
You should check the condition of your vehicle panels before beginning the surface preparation work. Inspecting will help you determine the best approach for improving the car body. It is important to check for imperfections on the surface of the panels. Dents, chips and tears can occur due to accidents or general impact while driving. If these are not resolved, they will become more prominent after painting. Therefore, you should commission repair of these and other auto body problems before spray painting.
Protect from Paint
Some auto components should not be covered in paint during the improvement project. In simple terms, if sensitive body parts are primed or painted, they might not function optimally. Moreover, they can be difficult to clean. Therefore, you should have a plan for protecting them. The easiest approach is using suitable tape to cover the edges which will be vulnerable to overspray and splashes such as the window gaskets. However, removing parts which should not be painted is the most effective method for ensuring good results.
Sand the Material
You will need to sand the surfaces of your vehicle before priming and painting. This process is important because it will eliminate imperfections from the body panels. In addition, this will make the metal surfaces a little rougher. Consequently, the primer will stick more firmly to it. If you have an orbital sander, you will be able to handle this task with great speed and efficiency. However, you can also block-sand the vehicle manually as long as you have appropriate grit sandpaper.
Finally, you should check the body panels for rust before commencing the primer application phase. If your vehicle has rust, sanding should eliminate it. Deeper rusting might be harder to handle. If this is the case, you should purchase a rust killing product from a local hardware shop or replace the damaged vehicle panels.
For more information about spray painting, contact an auto service.
