Auto Paint Protection

It used to be just bumper stickers and they were only applied to bumpers. The chrome on a bumper is much more robust than factory paint jobs so there was rarely any fallout from either applying or removing a bumper sticker.

There are now millions of car stickers out there and they are installed all over the car. While many suppliers of decals insist that the car sticker will do no damage whatsoever there is evidence that they can have a slight discernible effect on the finish.

The first thing that needs to be done when evaluating a surface for a possible decal is to find out what kind of paint job it was. If it was a factory paint job and the car is not that old then the surface can be used for car stickers with one caveat.

Although the car sticker won’t do any actual damage to the finish, if it is left on the vehicle for a few years there will be slight differences between the areas underneath the decal and areas out in the open. The reason for this is that the areas out in the open are exposed to the heat of summer and the cold of winter not to mention all types of precipitation. This has an effect on the finish so if the car sticker is protecting the paint it won’t have a chance to fade.

If the car sticker is not going to be installed on a factory paint job then you need to be very concerned. The big problem with after-market paint jobs is the enormous variation in the quality of the paint and the painter. Often a vinyl graphic can be applied without any problem to a defective paint job, however, because the paint is not adhering to the metal very well, both the car sticker and the paint to which it is attached can eventually come loose.

This problem can be magnified if there are any problems during installation. For instance if the wind kicks up just when you have peeled off the backing and the car sticker gets away from you and lands on the wrong area. Ordinarily, you could try and peel the vinyl off and try again but if it firmly adheres to the defective paint and the defective paint won’t adhere to the metal then a crappy paint job just got a little crappier.

Rick has worked with graphics for over twenty years and can give you some more ideas on making bigger impact with less money. Please check out this website.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_Wilmath

So you just finished putting that first coat of paint on that car that you have been restoring and it looks great. You didn’t realize that you had to the talent to spray paint a car. The only problem is you have run out of time and can’t get the second coat on. Well that’s really not going to be a problem, the cars in a protected area so you can get back at it next week. You just stick the caps on the spray cans and stick them on the shelf for the time being.

A week goes by and you’re ready to go ahead and spray paint the car, or at least get the second coat on. You’re all set up you’ve pulled the cans of spray paint off the shelf, and popped the lid on one of them. Then it doesn’t seem to matter how hard you press the nozzle of the spray can nothing comes out. You know by the feel of it its not empty, actually its almost full. Then you realize it must be clogged. No problem you just get a thin piece of wire and try to clean it out. After several tries you realize it just isn’t going to clear, so you end up throwing an almost full can of rather expensive spray paint away. Then you remember what a buddy told you about spray paints. When you are finished using them you must turn the can upside down and spray the paint for a few seconds. This can be done on a piece of cardboard. It will clear all the excess spray out of the nozzle so next time you go to use it, it won’t be plugged. A good lesson learned.

You didn’t realize the problems that could occur when you went to spray paint a car, but thankfully you have a few cans of paint left so you can get on with it. You give the cans a few shakes and at last out comes the paint. There is one major problem though, the color doesn’t look quite the same. The label says it’s the same color but what in the world is the problem here? Actually you most likely didn’t shake enough so the color wasn’t properly mixed. You must shake the can vigorously you will hear the mixer ball inside the can rattle. Continue to shake for at least three to four minutes. Also at regular intervals while you are spraying give the can a good shake as well. This will ensure that your paint stays well mixed and will evenly distribute the color when you apply it. Remember you must be as methodical when you go to spray paint a car, as you would a fine piece of furniture.

Another very important point to remember that to spray paint a car is a big job, and most likely you will be a little tired afterwards. Clean up is very important and that means making sure that you cleaned the nozzle of the spray as we discussed. Another very important thing to remember is to store your paints safely. Don’t leave them where it is to hot or too cold.

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There are good and bad points to both car painting yourself or having it done at a professional shop.

Reasons to Paint Your Own Car.

1.It’s a money saver or at least can be if you do it right of course. If you don’t take the time to learn to do it properly then it can still be an expensive endeavor.

2. it’s a great achievement to complete this task and then be able to stand back and look at the great job you have done.

3. If you are into car restoration, it is one way you can cut down your expenses.

4. Often there is preliminary work that you will have to do yourself before you get to the point of car painting itself.

Reasons To Paint Your Shop In A Car

1. Its most likely a time saver. Unless you have the extra time to spend car painting, then this will be the route you want to go. Don’ t forget there’s more to it than just putting the paint on.

2. The shop more than likely has much better car painting equipment then you would have. This means they can get a much more even finish.

3. The quality of the paint they use perhaps is better than what you are able to buy.

4. They know how to complete the necessary body work first as they have professionals on staff specifically for that job.

5. Reputable companies will stand behind their work. In other words they will give you some type of guarantee.

6. They have the commercial products to clean the car prior to car painting, which is extremely important.

7. They have the proper facilities, whereas if you do it yourself you may not be able to protect the car against the elements in case you can’t get it finished.

So as you can see there are good and bad points for both arguments. If you can improvise and create the same circumstances as for the favorable points of using a shop then you may want to consider it. Car painting is a serious undertaking. Another thing you may want to consider as well is the value of the car. If it’s a second vehicle or a fairly old one then maybe you don’t want to pay the price of having it professionally painted. In this case you would probably be further ahead to do the car painting yourself. In these circumstances small flaws in the overall work isn’t going to make that much of a difference.

The other point is if you have some experience with car painting or even other types of spray painting then you may be able to do a great job without putting it into a shop. These are all things you will need to consider. If you decide that you are going to do it yourself though it would be a good idea to read some “how to” books or watch a video on the subject.

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If you really think that you want to paint a car then get ready for a full task ahead of you. It doesn’t mean that you can’t or shouldn’t do it, it just means make sure you are ready to see the job done from beginning to end. If you don’t finish the job totally or properly then you are going to be driving something that may be a little embarrassing to the eye at least.

To paint a car takes careful planning and ensuring that you have all of the supplies you need and the time to go through at least some of the stages.

There are things that you are going to need by way of supplies. You will need masking tape, dust mask, goggles, sandpaper, wax/grease remover, primer paint, paper for covering, car wash and detergent, paint sprayer, putty with knife.

When you purchase you sandpaper make sure you buy fine and thick grit, as you may need both textures. The amount of primer and urethane based paint you need will be dependant on the size of your vehicle. Whether or not you want to use a paint sprayer is up to you, if you choose not to then the regular spray paint cans will do fine. Make sure you wear appropriate clothing when you go to paint a car so your skin isn’t exposed.

Finally make sure you have the proper space to work in. You need to be able to work around your car. You most certainly need good ventilation, and you will need to be able to protect it against the elements.

First you must really wash your car well. It doesn’t matter how clean it may look to you unless you just washed it, there will be some debris on it that you must remove, otherwise the paint will not adhere properly. Then once you have it washed nice and clean you have to get all the old wax off it so that is where the wax/greaser remover comes in. Its very important you go through these steps when you go to paint a car.

You will probably notice that you have some rough spots on your current finish. If you go to paint a car that is in this condition, you will not get good coverage with the new paint. Put little pit marks caused by stones or things like that just use a little putty to fill them in. The use the sandpaper to lightly smooth the rough spots and small holes. Make sure you wipe off all the debris from sanding.

In order to paint a car, you must be absolutely sure that it is dry after your washing. This will take a few hours. Make sure it doesn’t get dirty again. Next masking tape off the areas that you don’t want to get paint on.

Totally prime the car. Then sand it lightly one again. Be sure to wipe the residue off.

Now you are ready to apply the base coat of the new color. Preferably with a spray gun. Totally spray it then let it dry for about 15 minutes. Then you can apply the second coat. Most often you can get away with two coats.

Let it dry for about 1 ½ hours then you can apply the clear coat. Let dry 15 minutes then reapply. You will probably need about 3 coats of the clear to get a good finish.

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