Truck Painting FAQ
By Rick Anderson (ricka@mdhost.cse.tek.com )
Last updated: June 28, 1995
INTRODUCTION
Over the past five years I have painted two complete vehicles and
did some spot repair on one other. While the thought of painting
your own vehicle might scare you, it is really pretty easy to do if
you follow the one big cardinal rule of auto painting:
In what follows I will
attempt to prepare you so that you can paint you own vehicle. We
will look at what equipment is required, how much it costs, the
procedure to paint your vehicle and other issues. Before I get too
far into this I should explain that I am by no means an expert. I
have learned many new things with each paint job and I expect that
I will continue learning with each new vehicle I tackle. If this is
going to be your first vehicle, it helps to have an attitude that
you have nothing to lose if you try it yourself. Minor
imperfections in any paint job are EXPECTED. Maybe that should be
cardinal rule number two. One thought here is that you could start
by painting something besides your car, like a metal chair or a
spare door from a junk yard. This is a good way to get started and
if you mess up, no big deal. There are four basic steps when
painting a vehicle:
- Prepare the vehicle
- Primer
- Paint
- Clear Coat (optional)
Each of these will be discussed below in more detail and we'll
actually expand the four steps to about a dozen.
EQUIPMENTAir Compressor - This is the most costly piece of equipment
you need to paint a vehicle. I have painted my vehicles with a
Sanborn 3.5 HP compressor that has a 20 gallon tank. I recommend
this as a minimum. A compressor such as this runs around $250.
Sears and Cambell Hausfield are two other brands that are quite
popular. You can use a smaller compressor, but my experience says
that you need at least close to the above configuration to be
successful. The highest psi I ever utilized in painting was 60 psi.
Most compressors can easily do this. It is helpful if your
compressor has enough hose to go half way around the vehicle. I'm
sure you can rent compressors if you can't afford to buy one.
D/A Sander - A D/A is not a grinder. It moves in an oval
fashion and does a much better job at sanding chores (as in, it is
not as hard on the surface). Your D/A sander runs off the air
compressor. You can sand by hand, but for anything below 220 grit,
using a D/A is much easier. Again, it can probably be rented, or
purchased for $50. Paint / Spray Gun - This is "spray can"
if you will. When hooked up to the paint can (which is part of this
- it can be removed and filled with paint, primer, etc) and the air
compressor, this delivers the paint. Must guns have triggers
(basically on/off levers) and two adjustments which determine the
air / paint mixture and the amount of paint delivered. Together
these determine the pattern the paint is laid on the vehicle. I am
definitely not an expert here, so consult your local paint guru.
Basically you want a circular pattern, where the top and bottom
parts of the circle are stretched up; I guess it is somewhat like
an oval. It can also probably be rented, or purchased from anywhere
from $30 to several hundred dollars. I painted all my vehicles with
a cheapo $30 model and it seemed to work fine. Strainers -
You should have strainers so that when you put the paint or primer
into the can, it filters out any impurities. It is also a good idea
to have a strainer on the paint intake inside the can (on the gun).
These latter strainers clip-on the spout that takes the paint up to
the gun. You need about five of the former and three of the latter
(although the latter can be re-used in a crunch). These should run
you less than $5. Stir Sticks - As expected, these are used
to stir ingredients together. You need about five of these. Any
real paint store will throw these in for free (in fact, they should
throw in the paper strainers above for free too). Water Remover
Filter - I don't have any fancy equipment, but such equipment
does exist that removes any water from the air line so that you
don't get water mixed in with your paint. I bought the cheapo
disposable ones that go between the air line and the paint gun.
These did me just fine. The disposable filter it about $5.
Gloves - As paint is a chemical and hence dangerous, you
should always were rubber gloves when preparing the paint, painting
and cleaning up. Gloves are probably around $10. Face Mask -
You should have a mask which covers your mouth and nose. They sell
cheap masks which use disposable charcoal canisters. This is a must
- don't think you can sacrifice your health in this exercise. This
is probably around $20. Sanding Block - You'll need a $10
sanding block to handle the sand-by-hand stuff. A small one that
fits in your hand should work well. If you are doing body work, you
might want other exotic stuff (cheeze graters, large sanding
blocks, dollies, etc).
FINISHING PRODUCTS
There are at least three different types of paint. Lacquer was
popular a few years ago, but has fallen out of favor and according
to one paint expert I talked to, it is being taken off the market.
Urethane is probably what most truck owners would love to have on
their vehicles since it is quite hard. However, urethane requires a
full oxygen ventilation mask and body suit and is therefore
inappropriate for most people. It requires this "hardware" becuase
it contains poisonous chemicals that the body cannot handle. The
most popular paint for the do-it-yourself crowd is enamel, and
specifically, acrylic enamel. This paint lays nicely, is cheap and
is easy to fix if you make a mistake. In addition, it is easily
available. This text is written assuming that acrylic enamel is
being used. There are several different paint manufacturers. I have
always used PPG products and they have proven to be an excellent
choice for me. Dupont is another popular manufacturer and I suppose
there are others. This text is written assuming that PPG products
are being used. So what do you need to paint a full-size truck? I
cannot say for sure, but when I painted my full-size Chevrolet
Blazer (including under the hood, door jams, interior and rear bed,
but not including the canopy as I painted that another color), I
used about a gallon at each stage. Here is a rough idea of what you
need, including quantity and cost. Primer - A gallon of
primer is enough to paint and seal the vehicle. Primer comes in
several colors (grey, green, white, red, etc.) and you should
choose the color wisely. Try to match the primer color to the final
color and don't use red primer if you are going to paint your
vehicle white. The cost for a gallon of primer is about $60. The
cost for a quart is $22. I used DP40 (gray) and DP48 (white) in my
past applications. Catalyst - You'll need about a gallon of
this also. You mix the primer and catalyst together in a 1-to-1
fashion, possible let it sit for 30 minutes to mix together
(depends what catalyst you use), and then paint. Cost here is about
$59 for a gallon. I used DP401 here (you can also use DP402 which
doesn't require a 30 minute induction period). Paint - This
will no doubt have to be custom mixed. There are tons of color
books for you to pour over to pick your color. Your best bet is to
find a vehicle on the street that has your color and then go find
that color in the book. I have never tried a metalic paint, but
have been told they are harder to lay and especially correct if you
make a mistake, so I would stay away from them if this is your
first time. A gallon of paint is required and will run you about
$68. I used DAR here. Enamel Reducer - They make reducer in
several temperature ranges (cold, medium and hot). Pick the right
temperature so that the paint doesn't dry to fast or slow. A gallon
of this will run about $16. I used DTR-602 (602 is the medium
temperature reducer; 600, 601 and 603 are the others I believe).
Hardener - You don't need much of this, but the stuff is
like gold. Plan on spending $33 for a PINT of this stuff. I used
DXR-80 here. You'll need this at both the paint and clear coat
stages. Clear Urethane - While you cannot lay urethane paint
due to the poison in the reducer, you can lay a clear urethane coat
over the paint to protect it. This is highly recommended, but is an
optional step. The cost for a gallon of this stuff is about $58. I
used DAU-75 here.
MISCELLANEOUSSand Paper - For your D/A sander, get 5, 5 1/2 or 6" sticky
back, round paper. You'll probably want 40, 80 and 220 grit for
this. For hand sanding, you'll want lots of 400 grit and maybe even
500, 800, 1000 and 1200. Plan on spending $20 on sand paper.
Bondo - I'm not going to discuss body work here, but if you
have to do some, you might need this magical stuff. Masking
Tape - Get 3M painting products. Cheap tape will not do. When
you remove it, it will tear the paint from the surface. You might
need several different widths, but 3/4" is a good all-round tape.
For places where there is a line between the paint and something
else that is very visible, use Fine Line Tape (the green stuff). It
is expensive, but cuts the paint when you remove it. You'll need
several rolls of tape (like five at $2.75 each). Masking
Paper - You can buy special paint masking paper, but I utilized
regular newspaper the last two paint jobs and it worked fine. Best
of all, it is free. Tack Cloth - One tack cloth is a good
idea to use between the primer and paint step and between the paint
and clear step (see below). This removes any particles that might
of landed on the finish while drying. This is $1.29 each.
Rags - Old cotton t-shirts will work. You need something to
help you clean-up the mess you make while painting. Plastic
- If you have access to a paint booth - great. If you are like me,
it was the garage. Here is a very important rule to remember - if
you don't want it painted, cover it. Paint goes everywhere in your
garage. Cover the floor and all the walls. Get cheapo $3 plastic
paint drop cloths and staple or tape them in place. You'll need
about six of the big ones. If you want to re-use them later, get
the heavy duty ones (they are about three times the cost). If you
paint in your garage, assume you will get some dust and bug
imperfections in the paint. I have found this unavoidable in the
past. Note that in some locations, it is illegal to paint your
vehicle outside or in your garage. Wax and Grease Remover -
Ahhh - DX-330. This stuff is great if you have tar or something you
need to remove from you vehicle. It is required that you use this
stuff prior to painting the final surface to remove finger prints,
wax, etc. Failure to do so will result in problems (like primer and
paint not sticking). A gallon of this run something like $30 (?).
Thinner - You use standard thinner to clean everything up at
each stage. A gallon of this run around $17. You will need at least
a gallon. I used DTL-876 here. Fans - Ventilation is key.
You need at least one, and I would recommend multiple box fans
taking air (and paint fumes) out of the garage. I utilized three
fans my last time and this was a good amount in my opinion.
PROCEDUREStep 1 - Remove all the parts of the vehicle that can be
removed. This includes windshield wipers, chrome, bumpers, etc. I
find it easier to strip the vehicle than tape everything up. If you
remove it - it clearly cannot get painted. Some things like tires I
just cover up because it is a pain to remove them. This step could
take up to half a day. Before you do this step you might want to
take a "before picture". Step 2 - Prepare the body. If you
have any body work to do, now is the time to do it. I cannot
comment too much on rust prevention and body work, as I have had
minimal amounts to do and these topics could double the size of
this. Suffice it to say that if your existing paint is still there,
it is useable. Scuff it up with 220 on the D/A and it will be fine.
Be care not to break into the old primer (but it is ok if you do)
and be super careful not to break into bare metal. If you do, you
must metal etch (another chemical) the metal and then immediately
cover it with primer so that it does not start rusting. If you are
doing body work, you probably want a special primer which builds
layers, so that they can then be sanded down again to make
everyting flat. This is a different primer than I will talk about
below. The primer below simply covers and seals the existing
surface and provides a good surface for the paint to stick to. I
hate sanding. However, this is the most critical step of all the
steps that follow. If the body is not PERFECTLY straight now, it
certainly will not be after the paint is laid. In fact, any minor
imperfections here will be exaggerated when the paint and clear are
laid. Follow the cardinal rule - take your time at this step. Plan
on spending at least one day on this step. Use wet/dry sand paper
and do your sanding when the vehicle is wet. It is easier this way
and actually cleaner. Step 3 - Clean off the surface with
wax and grease remover. Step 4 - Mask everything you don't
want painted. This is an art. Use plenty of masking tape and paper
and cover everything and don't leave any piece of paper "flapping
in the wind". At this time you can cover everything in the garage
too. Step 5 - Clean off the surface again with wax and
grease remover. You can also use the tack cloth at this point if
you desire. Start the fans in the garage. You should do this
whenever you mix or paint. Step 6 - Mix the primer and
catalyst as directed on the primer can. In my case, this was 1 part
primer to one part catalyst. Depending on the catalyst, you might
have to let it sit for 30 minutes to mix properly. Make sure you
use the strainer when pouring into the can and use the stir sticks
to mix everything real good. Before you even open the primer and
catlyst, shake them up well. Use gloves and the mask. You should do
this whenever you mix or paint. Step 7 - Test the spray gun
on some newspaper. Get the pattern down properly before starting.
This should be done before the primer, sealer, paint and clear coat
steps. Step 8 - Spray a light coat of primer on the vehicle.
Hold the spray gun about 16 inches away from the vehicle at all
times and move in long, flat strokes the length of the car. Start
on the left, start moving, press the spray button, keep moving,
release the spray button when at the right, stop moving. The next
stroke should slightly over lap the last stroke by 25%. Spray a
very light stroke to start with - it doesn't take much. Oh, I
believe you lay the primer at 50 psi, but check the instructions on
the primer. Don't lay it any higher or lower than this, as you can
get fish eyes, orange peel, etc. Primer dries fairly quickly (like
in 15 minutes). It is good to put on two or three coats, but no
more. If you put too much on, it can crack over time (you don't
want too much surface). Lay each coat about 15 minutes apart.
Undoubtly you will have a run or two. No problem. Let the primer
dry longer in this case - like two hours. Then get out your hand
sanding block and some 250 or 400 grit wet/dry sand paper and sand
the run out. Use water when doing this. Make sure the run is
perfectly flat with the rest of the primer. Clean everything with
wax and grease remover and then the tack cloth and if necessary,
lay a little primer over the spot. Your last coat of the two or
three primer coats should be a sealer coat. You can buy special
sealer products, but simply adding in some DTL-876 thinner to the
primer and catalyst will seal the surface. Mix 1 quart primer to 1
quart catalyst to 1 pint thinner. Again follow the instructions on
the can and lay it just like above, except at about 45 psi. Let
this dry 30 minutes minimum. You should plan on spending four hours
doing this step - more if you make a lot of mistakes. Primer is
waterproof, so you could stop here if you wanted. However, it is
best to lay the paint within a week of laying the primer (and you
can start laying the paint after the sealer dries, but I perfer to
let it thoroughly dry overnight just to be safe). When done, clean
all the equipment with thinner. Put mixed but unused
primer/catalyst in a gallon jug or something that can be properly
disposed of later. Close unused primer and catalyst tightly. Be
sure to clean the gun and can very good; failure to do so could
contanminate the next paint step. Step 9 - Paint time. You
lay the paint at about 55 psi. The paint should be thoroughly
mixed-up prior to opening the can. Mix the paint by instructions.
This usually means 16 parts paint to 12 parts reducer (matched to
the current temperature) and 1 part hardener. Use the strainer and
stir sticks. You shouldn't have to let this sit at all. Make sure
you use your mask and gloves. Clean the vehicle with the tack cloth
prior to laying the paint. Lay three coats of paint. Let each coat
dry at least 30 minutes before laying the next coat. Use the same
back and forth method as with the primer above. A note about hard
to reach spots. Expert painters will do door jams, under the hood
and other hard to reach places first, so that they are out of the
way. This is a good practice. I would recommend doing these first,
letting them dry, then closing them so that you can paint the
outside of the vehicle all at once and without the problems of
being a gymnist. As with the primer, if you have a run, let it
completely dry before attempting to fix it. For the paint, this
means several hours and probably over night. Use 400 grit sand
paper, again using water. Don't use the D/A after the primer step -
this is a hand sand thing. If you are ever scared about using a
particular grit, go up one grit and start there. 400 grit for color
sanding paint is appropriate however. When complete, clean the gun
and can. Dispose of unused paint/hardener/reducer in the proper
place. Close-up all cans. In general the hardener needs to be used
in seven days or it goes bay (so the can says - I've used it months
later, but you gotta seal the can well and then you'll have to use
plyers to get the lid off again). Let the paint dry over night
before laying the optional clear coat. Step 10 - Clear coat.
As mentioned above, this is an optional step. A urethane clear coat
will greatly increase the durability of the paint. Plus it will
give it a bit of depth and gloss. Follow the instructions on the
urethane clear coat can. Generally this stuff is mixed with some
hardener. You mix it in the can (with the strainer) and then spray
it. You mix 1 gallon of urethane to 8 oz. of hardener. Use a tack
cloth on the vehicle prior to doing this step to remove any minor
particles that landed on the vehicle while it dried over night.
Like the primer and paint, lay the clear coat very lightly at
first. However, and this is an experience thing, you gotta lay it
somewhat heavy and wet. Be careful not to let it run though,
because fixing a clear is, well, undesireable and difficult. Use
the same back and forth strokes, overlapping with the last stroke.
The directions call for 45 psi, but I like it wet, so I used 55
psi. You can lay several coats of clear. A gallon should allow
about three coats on a full sized vehicle. Let each coat dry around
15-20 minutes. When done, clean all the equipment and properly
dispose of any excess. Let the finished product dry overnight.
Step 11 - Remove all masking tape and paper. Be careful
during this step. The excitement of "seeing the final product" can
cause you to tear away masking tape too quickly and tear the paint
away from the surface. It will take a couple of days for the paint
to fully dry and cure. Step 12 - Replace all the bolt-on
pieces that were removed. Again, don't get too anxious so that you
scratch your work of art. Step 13 - Smile - you are done!
Quick, take some pictures before it gets dirty! If you plan
everything right, you can strip the vehicle one night, do the body
work at your leisure (you can even do some body work without
stripping anything), lay the primer Friday evening, lay the paint
on Saturday and the clear on Sunday. You can put it all back
together on Monday night and drive it Tuesday. But remember the
cardinal rule - take your time. The more time you take, the better
the end result. PPG provides data sheets on all their products. Get
these prior to purchasing anything. They explain a lot of things
such as:
- Product identity
- Background (summary of product)
- Directions for use (how to mix, dry time, # of coats, psi,
repairing or recoating, temperature guidelines, etc.)
- Compatible and Incompatible surfaces
- Test properties
- Who to call in case of an emergency PPG also has a full-line
catalog that comes highly recommended. See if you can't grab a copy
of that before starting too. And just for reference, a typical
spray can holds 1 quart of material. While the primer, paint and
clear all have instructions on mixing, rarely do they have a nice
fomula that comes exactly to a quart. You are gonna have to do some
estimating and that's ok because you don't have to exact. You
remember this from grade school, but here it is anyway: 1 Gallon =
4 Quarts
1 Quart = 2 Pints
1 Pint = 16 ounces
SOME PAST EXPERIENCES
Undoubtly you will have some mishaps your first time. My biggest
problem the first time was I either didn't use the right
temperature reducer or laid the paint at too high a psi. This
caused what is known as an orange peel effect - kinda a texture in
the paint like an orange. Color sanding helped this a bit, but it
was never perfect. I also learned that anything you didn't want
covered with paint in the garage better be covered by plastic.
Expect your shoes, clothes and fans to be a different color than
when you started. My second paint job was a fender fix. While I
laid the paint great, I didn't do a good job of masking. It is
important to mask along natural lines of the car. I should of
repainted the entire hood and fender instead of attempting to just
do the area I fixed. I'll know better next time. My latest job was
my full-sized Blazer. My biggest flaw here was body work. I should
of spent more time doing this terrible task. Althought the paint
went on pretty good, it highlights the body work flaws. I also
should of painted the hard areas first (under the hood, door jams)
and then painted the outside. I tried to do everything at once and
this cause me some problems in the form of runs (the hood was half
up and hard to get to for example). Each time however, I have
improved, and I have always been happy with the end result. It is
always a vast improvement over what I started with.
CONCLUSION
I'm sure I have forgotten or left out several items. If you have
any questions while reading this, please don't hesitate to drop me
an email message and I'll do my best to help. Three other sources
of great information are (1) various 4x4 magazines, (2) your local
library and various books on how to paint and (3) your local auto
paint supplier. I relied heavily on the the latter and found they
were very knowledgeable and helpful. They took a lot of time trying
to help me do the right job. If your supplier isn't - find another
one. I didn't add up all the finishing products and miscellaneous
products above, but not counting the compressor and tools, you can
paint a full-sized vehicle for around $350. This compared to some
quotes I recently got in the $1000 to $1500 range for similar paint
jobs. Enjoy - and let's see those before and after pictures when
you are done! Rick D. Anderson (ricka@mdhost.cse.tek.com)
Interactive Systems, Inc. 503-627-0149
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