Month: February 2010

Once you have decided that you are going to repaint your vehicle then you are going to need to learn the techniques involved in getting a long lasting finish. Of course, the product you are going to need is car spray paint. This comes in a variety of forms, but each one has its own unique way of applying it.

You will find the most common type of car spray paint utilizes compressed gas. Then compressed air is used to provide the ability to spray it. There are also a variety of spray guns on the market specifically designed for this type of painting chores.

If you are doing just touchup or a small job then you should find the regular canned spray paint adequate. These are aerosol cans of car spray paint that are highly pressurized. To apply you keep your arm moving as you quickly apply a light coat of the paint to the desired area. Do not hesitate in moving the can as you will end up with runs.

Then you have to the option of using the large spray guns. In this case, the spray gun will combine the paint with the air to acquire the needed pressure. Again, you will only want to apply a light coat and again keep your arm moving. If you don’t keep an even sweep of the paint, you will end up with an inconsistent finish. There is a lot of over spray with this method as about 1/3 will go to the object while 2/3rds goes into the air.

Another type of technique you can use is with a High Volume Low Pressure sprayer. It is very similar to the conventional spray gun except the gun requires less pressure. In this case, though a higher volume of air is needed. This method if you use it properly will mean reduced over spray so more car spray paint will reach the target area. In this case 2/3 rds of the paint will be utilized with 1/3 going into the air. Opinions differ as to whether one like using the HVLP techniques.

For hard to reach areas you can use the electrostatic spray painting. Once again, this method is more efficient for the amount of car spray paint that hit’s the target area.

There are several other methods that are very similar. In regards to techniques it primarily depends on the type of equipment you are using. Most of the equipment used for car spray paint will come with instructions and suggestions. In almost every case though it will recommend several light coats as opposed to one or two heavy ones. The basic techniques of keeping the paint moving will most likely be instructed.

If possible, you may want to practice a little with whatever equipment you decide on. Better to make your mistakes on another object besides your car. If you don’t you could end up with a lot more work than you bargained for.