Paint a Car & Leave No Break Lines
Painting a car can be rewarding. You can save a lot of money doing it yourself, as opposed to taking it to a body shop. On the other hand, there is more to spraying a car than just slopping on the paint and letting it dry. Spray painting requires skill and patience to leave no unsightly break lines in the finish.
Instructions
1. Prepare the car for painting. This is called prep work in the car painting business, and it is an important step. If you are going to skimp on a step, don't make it this one. Get some good white or green masking paper and tape up the areas of the car that you don't want painted. This includes the door jambs, the handles, the windows and the tires. Doing this will avoid contaminating those areas with overspray, lending to an unprofessional, cheesy look to the finished product. Prep work includes priming the vehicle. If you were going to "go cheap" on any of your supplies, primer would be the area where you could probably get away with it. Many painters have been known to use a lower grade primer even when using a top-of-the-line basecoat.
2. Choose the right color. Depending on the age of your vehicle, finding the paint code alone will not be enough to ensure a quality job. If you are only painting a portion of the car, compensate for faded paint, which happens naturally over the years due to sun bleaching. Your best option may be to employ a chromatic camera. These devices are often used by paint stores to ensure a quality match. Ask around until you find a paint store in your area that has one. Getting the exact shade can make a world of difference when it comes to hiding paint lines.
3. Mix paint properly. If you have questions on use your paint, ask the people at the paint store before leaving. There are usually some rudimentary directions on the label, but you don't want to move into this endeavor blindly. Follow the steps correctly so that you mix the correct amount of reducer with your paint. Underdoing it can lead to a paint job that is uneven and sloppy. Overdoing it can lead to such a weak paint job that you will be able to see the primer right through the finish, and that is a situation even worse than break lines.
4. Blend. This is the most important step when it comes to hiding paint lines, and it is a true secret of the professionals. Amateurs and cheaper body shops (who should know better) often paint only the area that requires painting, stopping short of the next panel. This is what causes a clear and unmistakable break line that will be obvious to all. To avoid this, the key is to blend. Let your spray line end gradually, well into the space of the next panel. As long as you do this seamlessly, you'll leave no sign that the car has been repainted.
5. Apply the clear coat evenly. A good clear coat can make the difference between a fine paint job and one that is merely adequate. Much of car restoration and repair is in the art of illusion. Clear coat is part of that illusion. A shiny finish attracts attention away from trouble areas and gives your car an overall appeal that can't be replaced. Plus, the clear coat will protect your paint job from elements of wear and tear, meaning you won't have to do it again for a long time to come.
