Professional Car Painting

Opting for a professional painting of your vehicle is the option that most people turn to when their car needs that extra boost in appearance. This can take place either after an accident that has caused significant damage to your vehicle as a part of the overall repair process, or if your vehicle has simply undergone normal wear and tear damage from the elements - perhaps you do not have a garage to park your vehicle in. For minor fender benders or spot damage you will want to look into having your car's paint job simply touched up which is significantly less expensive.

The Full Process from Start to Finish

Your car's professional car coat will start with a thorough analysis of your car's body type and the amount of paint and materials that will be required. Once you have decided on a look for your car, the paint will be either ordered from the manufacturer or possibly professionally mixed right there at the shop in the quantity that is needed for your paint job. Professionals will then mask, or use special materials, to cover those parts of your car that will not be painted such as the windows and even the tires before they begin working.

The car will then be sanded either by hand or using machinery to dull down or strip away much of the current paint job and then to smooth out the vehicle's appearance before applying the first, base layer of paint. This base layer will then likely be sanded down and another coat of paint applied on top of it. Depending on the paint job quality you selected, this second coat of color may be the last before the clear coat is applied, if not, it will be sanded down and a third coat applied on top of that. Once this final coat dries, a clear coat, which is transparent, and added for the paint job's overall shine will be applied and allowed to dry. From there your car will be waxed and washed after it has been given time to sit and the paint and clear coat allowed to bond.

Tri-Color and Metallic Paints

Certain professional paints and car coats require tri color application which is to say that after a base color is applied, then a second, almost transparent color will be applied on top of that one in order to slightly change or modify the look of the first color. These paints are more expensive but they add a great deal to the final appearance of a painted vehicle.

Whichever paint job or type you select, your vehicle can be ready within a day or two usually and your paint job, depending on how you keep and maintain your car could last anywhere from a few years to a decade with extra care. You will want to speak with the professionals that do your paint job to see if there are any special tips they recommend for maintaining the best look of your new paint job.