Coastline Collision Auto Paint & Body Repair Center

San Clemente, Dana Point, Laguna Nigel, Monarch Beach Talega 
RETURN TO COASTLINE AUTO PAINT BODY COLLISION CENTER


These keywords reflect the nature, description and locations of the business: Collision Repair, Auto Paint, Auto Body serving these zip codes and surrounding areas: 92675 92690 92691 92692 92693 92694, 92672 92629 92607 92677 including San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Dana Point, Laguna Nigel, Monarch Beach Talega and throughout all of Orange County, Ca. with Auto Painting, Body Repair, Paint Shop, Body Shop, Bodyshop, Dent Removal Repair, Frame Straightening, Water Borne Dupont Paint.


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Make Your Car Stand Out With Auto Body and Paint Work*

From Gerry Chmiel | Coastline Collision Center

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We all want our cars to look good, and sometimes we want our cars to look better. When we want our cars looking better, we get body and paint work done. Perhaps you need to repair a dent, or you want your car to have a different color. Either way, you need to find someone who will do the right amount of work for the right price.

When you buy a car, it may be the right type of car but you might not like the color. The color can mean a lot and even determine how you like the car. Perhaps you buy a car that has the perfect body but is pink. Therefore you will probably want to get the car painted. You can paint it yourself and can even buy what you need to paint it, but it is usually a better idea to have a professional paint it. Nothing looks worse than a bad paint job on a car. As well, under no circumstances should you paint your car with house paint or spray paint. This may be common sense but it is surprising how many people actually attempt this.

The type of paint you get will also have a lot to do with the cost of the job. If you get metallic paint that changes color depending how someone looks at it, you will be paying thousands of dollars to get it done. It looks great but it is highly expensive. If you get a normal paint job, you will pay much less. Some paints are also designed to be rust-proof or to limit the need for waxing, or limit damage from scratches. These are obviously more expensive. When you have your car painted, typically the entire vehicle is sandblasted to remove the old paint and then a new coat of paint is put on. A common misconception is that you can just paint over your old paint, this is not true.

Body work is also important for your vehicle. Dings will happen and so will dents. Nothing takes away from the look of a car than body damage. Thankfully it can usually be quite easy to make your car look like brand new with a company that does good auto body work. Depending on the damage to the vehicle, it will cost more to repair your car. There are some ways you can remove dents, like with a plunger, but more often than not you will need to take your car to someone who can repair it professionally.


Many car owners will buy an old car that runs great but has a bad paint job and structural damage. Within a few weeks of getting that car, they could be driving it down the road and no one would suspect it was rusted and severely dented thanks to the hard work of companies that do body work and paint jobs for cars in the Los Angeles area. There really is no better way to make your car look new again.

And with that new auto paint job,  Wax provides a shield to protect the paint and cover minor scratches, stone ships and other damages, making them less visible and slowing down the corrosion process. Waxing your car periodically provides a seal to prevent water from coming into contact with bare metal exposed by deep scratches. You should wax your car every three months to protect the paint and maintain the color and shine. Some products claim to last much longer, but this is a myth; you should wax your car regularly for best results. Wash the car and allow it to dry completely and park it in a shady spot as most products work better when the surface is cool to the touch. Use a good quality wax with no abrasives and a soft sponge or clean cloth to apply the wax. Work in sections, spreading the product on evenly. 

Allow a couple minutes for the wax to haze then buff it with a soft towel using circular motions to restore the shine. Be careful not to touch areas like rubber door seals and black window trim as the wax will leave white stains on them. If this happens, window spray works well for cleaning these areas. Regular washing and waxing keeps your auto paint looking new and shiny as it protects the new car paint from fading in the sun. 

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*Additional Sources: Troy Derringer & Willie Fisher
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• We also service Aliso Viejo, Capistrano Beach, Dana Point, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills,Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Oceanside, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente 
• Categories: Autos | Auto Conversions | Auto Detailing | Auto Painting
• Tags: serving, south, orange, county, ca, including, aliso, viejo, 92656, 92698,

San Clemente, Dana Point, Laguna Nigel, Monarch Beach Talega 
RETURN TO COASTLINE AUTO PAINT COLLISION CENTER


These keywords reflect the nature, description and locations of the business: Collision Repair, Auto Paint, Auto Body serving these zip codes and surrounding areas: 92675 92690 92691 92692 92693 92694, 92672 92629 92607 92677 including San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Dana Point, Laguna Nigel, Monarch Beach Talega and throughout all of Orange County, Ca. with Auto Painting, Body Repair, Paint Shop, Body Shop, Bodyshop, Dent Removal Repair, Frame Straightening, Water Borne Dupont Paint.


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Help the Environment With Auto Body Repairs*
From Gerry Chmiel | Coastline Collision Center
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We all live, breathe, eat, sleep, and enjoy our lives on the planet earth. Even though we are do so much here and depend so greatly on our earth we continue to harm it by harming the environment. There are many things that we can do to help the environment and keep it clean for a long time. Things like not wasting water, recycling, not cutting down trees, not polluting the earth and getting auto body repairs. Yep, you heard right! You should get auto body repairs versus replacements parts or new vehicles to help the environment. Helping the environment is easy, find out how you can do your part by getting auto body repairs! 

You are probably surprised that auto body repairs help the environment. Well, they do. Auto body repairs involve using the existing materials on the vehicle and repairing them. With means there is less trash to go to the dump. Whereas with auto body replacement there is a lot of waste going to the dump from the old part being thrown away and the packaging that the new parts come in. Also most auto body shops recycle what materials they do have to discard, which is a big help and keeps a lot of build up at the dumps. In case you don't know there are many auto body repairs that can be completed on all vehicles. Some of these repairs include paint touch up, auto body repair, bumper repair, windshield repair, wheel rim repair, paintless dent removal and more. Also another plus with auto body repairs is that they can be completed quickly, usually within two to six hours. The best part is that they are affordable for most people and auto body shops will work with insurance companies. Make sure that you choose an auto body shop who is part of the "Go Green" campaign and that it is doing their part to help the environment. 

Also, if you are thinking of getting a new vehicle because your current vehicle has a few damaged areas, you should reconsider. With so many different auto body repairs that can be completed there is no reason to just give up on it and get a new vehicle. Many times old vehicles end up in the dump if no one will buy them. So many cars go to the junk yard and the dump too soon. So, getting auto body repairs will keep less vehicles from being sent the dump too soon and filling it up. Also remember that new cars cost a lot of money. Auto body repairs can cost you some money out of your wallet, but not nearly as much as buying a new vehicle. 

So, join everyone else with the "Go Green" campaign and do your part to help the environment! Doing something as simple as getting auto body repair instead of replacement. You will not only be helping the environment but you will be saving money and get your vehicle looking great for less!

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*Source: Samantha McCartney 
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• We also service Aliso Viejo, Capistrano Beach, Dana Point, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills,Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Oceanside, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente 
• Categories: Autos | Auto Conversions | Auto Detailing | Auto Painting
• Tags: serving, south, orange, county, ca, including, aliso, viejo, 92656, 92698,

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Tips For Getting Your Vehicle's Auto Body Repaired!*

From Gerry Chmiel | Coastline Collison Center

Remember Coastline, the #1 Auto Body&Paint; Center in South Orange Count - convienently located in beautiful San Juan Capistrano!

When your vehicle is in need of auto body repair you are already under a lot of stress. You are trying to think of everything and hoping that your vehicles repair come out looking great. You have a lot to worry about so you should have something to help you as you prepare to get your vehicles auto body repaired. Here are a few tips for getting your vehicles auto body repaired.

First of all you need to be sure that you take the time to find a great auto body repair shop. You must find a shop that has a good reputation, so ask around and see what you find out about auto body shops near you. Also you should get a good feeling from the auto body repair specialist as well, so if you get a bad feeling move on. You can and should ask to see examples of work they have completed so that you can see for yourself their standards of workmanship. You also want to make sure that you are getting a good deal. Most auto body shops will give you an estimate for free, so ask for one from each shop you are considering. If you are going to be using insurance to help pay for the repair you must ask if they work with the insurance provider before you get the work done. After all this research you will move to the next step.

Once you have found the auto body shop that will work for you, your vehicle and your budget you will want to set up a time to get your vehicles auto body repaired. Before you set up a time you should ask the auto body repair specialist how long they will be working on your vehicle so you can plan for it. Some auto body repairs take more time than others. Once you set up the time you are on your way to a great looking vehicle. However you may need a rental car depending on your situation. Be sure to ask if they offer any discounts on rentals at nearby rental facilities that way you can save a little money. Plan on a little set back when getting your vehicle auto body repaired. They may have told you a 4 hour time frame, but may tell you they are running a little behind. Things can come up while repairing your vehicle that they might not expect. It will reduce the amount of stress you encounter if you simply just plan for a little delay. Once your auto body repair is complete they will usually contact you to let you know and you will be able to go pick up your vehicle. Usually when it comes to auto body repairs they can be completed in a way that it is not even visible that there was ever any damage to your vehicles auto body.

Follow these tips to getting your vehicles auto body repair and you will find that auto body repairs can really get your vehicle to look great!    ---    *Source: Samantha McCartney

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These keywords reflect the nature, description and locations of the business: Collision Repair, Auto Paint, Auto Body serving these zip codes and surrounding areas: 92675 92690 92691 92692 92693 92694, 92672 92629 92607 92677 including San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Dana Point, Laguna Nigel, Monarch Beach and throughout all of Orange County, Ca. with Auto Painting, Body Repair, Paint Shop, Body Shop, Bodyshop, Dent Removal Repair, Frame Straightening, Water Borne Dupont Paint.
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This Is Not Your Father's Auto Body Repair Shop (Amy Goodman)

From Gerry Chmiel | Coastline Collision Center

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Remember Coastline Collision Center, the #1 Auto Paint&Body Center in the South OC Beach Cities area, very convieniently located in beautiful San Juan Capistrano.  We really want your business and we promise to save you money on a great paint and/or body job.
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It can be said that most of us never would want to see the inside of an auto body repair shop. Often you can often smell the solvents being emitted by automotive body vehicle repair shop as we drive by. You well ponder and think how on earth those people can make it through the work day with all of these volatile and intoxicating fumes? Never mind at having to be so very precise and accurate? After consumers are most demanding when it comes to fixing and repairing their vehicles – new and used. Colors and body form has to be retained in the repairs – whether they are newer SUV’s, hummers or passenger cars.

It can be said that few people wake up in the morning routinely planning to visit a collision auto body shop. Most are there only due to their personal misfortunes. Luck of the draw or their driving habits so to speak.

Most shops now bear little relation to the establishments you may remember as a child – dark and dusty surrounded by both piles of used and new car parts as well as a mean guard dog in the yard. There may be a few of those still around but they are a dying breed. Repairing cars now, especially with the electronics in today’s vehicles, requires both skill, education and training, sophisticated tools and an ultra clean, modern shop.

Modern body shops now seem to be uniformly clean, well laid out and well lit. As well many body shops are laid out in several distinct separate staging areas. Vehicles are estimated in one area, body work done in another, electronic repairs in yet another area, painted in a very separate area, and finally detailed and presented to the customer in a display area.

If the vehicle has major damage, then it is moved to a disassembly area and onto a frame machine. Unibody construction is utilized by most autos today. Unibody is a an automotive and mechanical body term which describes how sheet metal is stamped, formed and welded together to form the structural portion of the car or truck body. The purpose of the “frame machine” is not to straighten the car frame now – rather it is to straighten the unibody construction of the vehicle.

>>> CONTINUE READING ONLINE

I came across this the other day – a nice ‘primer’ , no pun intended, on how to select a new paint color for your car or truck.  – Gerry Chmiel | Coastline Collision Center

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These keywords reflect the nature, description and locations of the business: Collision Repair, Auto Paint, Auto Body serving these zip codes and surrounding areas: 92675 92690 92691 92692 92693 92694, 92672 92629 92607 92677 including San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Dana Point, Laguna Nigel, Monarch Beach and throughout all of Orange County, Ca. Auto Painting, Body Repair, Paint Shop, Body Shop, Bodyshop, Dent Removal Repair, Frame Straightening, Water Borne Dupont Paint.
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How to Choose Car Paint Colors

By Peter Gitundu

I have noticed that the first thing a person notices is the color of the car I am driving. People do not even notice the number plates on the car. That's why I have become so selective in choosing the cars that I drive.

Selecting car paint colors for a full overhaul of your car is not easy though. These days, there are thousands of shades and variations of blue, Green, white, yellow and so on. You need to have a color code to define the exact color that you need.

I got these kind of challenge sometime back, I was forced to visit my local car dealer shop. I looked at the cars they had on display. Once I had identified the car paint colors I liked, I asked them to give me the numeric color code of that car, which they did willingly. They had to use their computers to be able to identify that particular color code. I would not want you to go through the same process if you really do not want to.

You will realize that there are six basic car paint colors in the United States i.e. beige, blue, silver, Black, Grey and red. Variations of these shades should easily be found. Some of the car colors that have found demand in the States are Classic Black, White and Silver, orange power, blues and greens that give a sporty look, brown on the inside among many other shades. Blue is considered as classy as black while orange is the color of fashion.

Beside choosing a particular color for your car, you will need to either do the painting yourself or employ the services of a professional painter. This will cost a little more and at this point you should be better of having your job done by a paint shop.

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What is important is the environment and auto paint shops like Coastline Collision Center in San Juan Capistrano are changing with the times! JC

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AUTO PAINTING GOES GREEN!

SOURCE: Andre | AP Body Shop North Hollywood

In order to go green, paints for cars are going to a water based system…

Legally in California as of June 1, 2008 all auto body shops must convert to water-based base coats. What that means is: every new car produced since the mid 80’s (with some exceptions with foreign cars in the past 3+ years) has been done with a two stage paint finish. The color is the base coat, and the clear coat is the top coat, hence two stage painting. Some cars even have three stages (color-base coat, pearl mid-coat and clear coat).

Since the mid 80’s all the base coats have been solvent (petroleum) based. These are very harmful to the environment. But there was no other way to make the paint. The solvents used are really 50% of the base coat which is the harmful part. As the base coat is shot onto the car it immediately realeases pollutants and evaporates into the air.

The clear coats are usually only mixed with a catalyst and the pollutants going into the air are much lower than in the base coats.

To help reduce pollutants greatly the base coat was the one engineers have focused on altering. After years of research engineers managed to develop high quality base coats that are WATER based (instead of solvent based) making them almost completely harmless to the environment (an approximately 90% harmful emmisions reduction). This is a momentus shift in automotive paint refinishing.

California is the first state in the US to regulate the implementation of a state law requiring auto body shops to use water based base coats instead of the solvent based ones.

Going from shooting solvent based base coat to water based is like going from riding a bicycle to riding a unicycle. There is a certain speed and style that goes into applying base coat. Because of the shift to a water based system there now is the need to allow much more time for the drying of the coat. The solvent based system evaporated much faster than water based: a three layer application of solvent based base coat on a small repair job in an ideal temperature may take 15 minutes to dry. While with a water based base coat that time may increase to about 45 minutes. I’ve found the increase to be at least 3x longer. So on a big job that may translate to hours or even a day.

So what does all this mean to you as an auto consumer? Well if you get into an accident and need to have part of your car repaired and repainted then it may take additional time and cost everyone in the process (shop, insurance, consumer) more. A shop’s production flow will be greatly affected by this change. Depending on the shop you take it to, this could translate anywhere from a half of day to a couple of days difference in getting your car back!

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South, Orange, County, Ca, including, Aliso, Viejo, ca, 92656, 92698, Capistrano, Beach, 92624, Corona, Del, Mar, 92625, Dana, Point, 92629, Ladera, Ranch, 92694, Laguna, 92651, 92652, Hills, 92637, 92653, 92654, Niguel, 92607, 92677, Mission, 92690, 92691, 92692, Rancho, Santa, Margarita, 92688, San, Clemente, 92672, 92673, 92674, Juan, 92675, 92693, collision, repair, auto, body, paint, shop, shops, center, car, and, automotive, painting, dent, damage, custom

When repairing or restoring your vehicle's paint and/or body knowledge is power.

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10 things to know BEFORE having your vehicle repaired

1. You have the right to choose the repair shop of your choice. Your insurance company cannot require you to go to a specific repair shop.

2. You have the option to leave your vehicle at our shop and ask the insurance company to inspect the vehicle here. Some insurance companies ask you to visit their drive-in claims center before having work done.

3. There is no law requiring you to obtain more than one estimate or appraisal for vehicle repair.

4. Let us assist you in negotiating your repair claim with the insurance company. We have the expertise, experience, and knowledge to provide you with the best possible outcome unique to your situation.

5.  Never drive a vehicle that could be unsafe due to its damages.

6.  Ask if the repair shop will be using genuine manufacturer (OEM) replacement parts.

7.  Be sure to choose a shop with uni-body repair equipment and technicians that are certified by I-CAR or ASE.

8. It is common to see differences in repair estimates. Lower estimates may not include all necessary work. If you have concerns about why one estimate is different from another you have received, feel free to ask us for more details.

9.  Ask if the repair shop offers you any kind of repair warranty or guarantee.(We have a Lifetime Guarantee!)

10.  Your vehicle is the second largest investment you're likely to make. You can preserve its value and your safety when you have professional repair work done.

Bottom-line:  Choose Coastline Collision Center for all of your auto paint and body needs!

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Proper Paint Procedures

Source: Autobody Pro

Comeback paint repairs all have one thing in common: they are absolute financial losses for the collision shop. These "re-do's" reflect poor quality standards, inconvenience the customer, and can cost the shop more than just money if they lead to a bad business reputation. It makes good business sense for collision shop managers to be proactive in stopping paint comebacks before they occur.

There are several reasons why refinish repairs end up as comebacks: shoddy preparation; a poor paint finish (such as a dull topcoat); grinding marks showing through the surface; paint cracks, runs or dirt on the surface; and paint overspray on glass, jambs, moldings and/or wheels. And then there's the most common complaint of all: the color doesn't match.

Let's face it--mistakes happen. But it's important to treat each comeback as a learning experience, analyze what went wrong and make adjustments to prevent the problem from occurring in the future.

The blame for many complaints usually falls on both the technician who performed the repairs and the management team who failed to maintain a level of quality control for the shop production process. Either way, you have some work to do.

Technician Character and Conduct

"Painters are in a world of their own," says John Leach of Delran Auto Body, in Delran, N.J. "Their character and disposition are different [from that of] technicians." Another shop owner believed that paint technicians are more like artists and artisans who must be pampered each day in order to produce quality refinish repairs.

But while a good painter is worth his (or her) weight in gold, allowing shoddy or inefficient work processes in the name of keeping that employee happy doesn't do the shop--or the painter--any good in the long run. Artistic or not, every technician needs good work habits and a certain amount of discipline to ensure uniform quality at all stages of the repair process. Setting those quality standards is up to the management team. Costly mistakes can be eliminated by following specific shop guidelines and standards.

A collision shop paint department is constantly being lambasted with problems, whether it's staffed with apprentices or veteran technicians, says Leach. Some of them (usually the novices) bluff their way through assignments without really knowing what they are doing. When complaints surface, either from customers or other technicians, the painter generally blames the paint, the materials, the equipment, the shop conditions and even the weather, but rarely himself.

According to Leach, many refinishing complaints occur because inexperienced painters fail to realize that a quality paint finish is largely dependent on understanding preparation for topcoats. A shop owner who does not appreciate the importance of paint preparation may never obtain quality paint repairs if his technicians don't receive proper training in preparation.

Several paint manufacturers recommend using a guideline or procedure format that includes items such as proper cleaning before beginning surface preparation, level sanding, proper sand scratch filling, vehicle covering and application techniques. The paint companies also suggest that a mistake in any of these areas can result in a paint comeback ... and costly damage to the shop's reputation.

Establishing Guidelines and Standards

According to Ferdie Gonzales of High Tech Auto Body, in Philadelphia, Pa., problems in the paint department usually start with a lack of understanding of the shop's guidelines, procedures and standards of repair. It's also important, he says, to have equipment and products necessary to perform those repairs. Gonzales' standards include having the proper authorization, a qualified technician, and enough money to complete the repairs.

And, he notes, it is not enough to simply establish guidelines: you must make certain that each technician knows, understands and can follow those guidelines. "The amount of comeback repairs will decrease if every technician [adheres to] shop standards," says Gonzales.

Another guideline: Perform each repair as as if it is an "A" repair. For example, he says, some technicians gauge their repair according to the condition of the undamaged portion of the vehicle: if it looks like a pigpen, the technician will repair it that way. Technicians may be performing "A," "B" and "C" types of repairs, none of which follows any kind of shop procedure. "The condition of the vehicle should not prevent the technician from completing a quality 'A' repair," insists Gonzales.

So, quality repairs begin with quality technicians and repair shop guidelines.

But another problem that affects some paint repairs is whether the shop is being paid for performing specific procedures. According to Gonzales, getting paid to perform the repairs does not--and should not--be the employees' problem or the customer's concern: "The [Pa. Appraiser's] Law explains that non-payment of a procedure does not mean that the technician should not do it." There should be an obligation to the customer to perform certain necessary repairs, says Gonzales; the customer should not be forced into accepting a less-than-professional job. Unfortunately, the reality of the situation is that insurers often insist on materials caps and refuse to pay for necessary procedures, making this admirable dedication to quality difficult to achieve at best.

Leach agrees that you need quality technicians and quality products in order to prevent comebacks. He believes that technicians must attend ongoing training programs in order to become and remain qualified. Proper training also helps the technician learn to think about the repair before it becomes a comeback. For example, Leach set guidelines for his paint department on how to properly blend tri-coat and pearlcoat colors. The procedure helped his technicians reduce customer complaints and maintain his shop's reputation for quality repairs. Leach notes that although painters may have individual techniques, their results and performance should be positive if they follow the product application procedures. Leach also believes that spending money on a good product and its support can reduce comebacks.

Cleaning and Surface Preparation

One major paint manufacturer has compiled a list of proper preparation guidelines to follow in order to help avoid costly "dirt" comebacks. Extensive cleaning should be the first phase in preparing the vehicle for refinishing. The goal here is to eliminate any contaminants which can ruin the paint job. And cleaning should not begin with the vehicle, but rather with the paint shop area. While a collision shop should be kept clean at all times for health and safety reasons, a refinish area should probably be as close as possible to sterile. Shop dust and pollutants are one of the worse contaminants, and paint technicians may be walking dust magnets. A top priority in the cleaning operation should also be the painter.

A top-notch technician realizes that the spraygun is only a tool of his trade: what really counts is the person behind the spraygun. The technical knowledge of the painter must encompass many areas of refinish--how a spraygun works, adequate air pressure at the gun, the importance of application conditions and how to properly clean a spraygun. (This may sound foolish, but some technicians concentrate only on cleaning the cup and not the moving parts.)

Before the refinish application:

Clean the area in and around the paint shop daily and, if possible, before each refinish repair. (This is also recommended for technician health and safety reasons.)

• Keep the paint spraybooth clean at all times, and have it thoroughly washed at least once a week.
• Maintain filters and ventilation areas weekly. Replace filters at recommended intervals according to your shop production levels. (Again, this is recommended for technician health reasons.)
• Make sure the area being refinished is free of all hardware, lamps, mirrors, moldings, trim and bolted-on options. This will help eliminate topcoat/clearcoat cracking.
• Wash the vehicle with soap and water before any surface preparation in order to remove water soluble contamination (e.g., bird droppings, dust, soda, fresh tree sap). Some paint companies suggest a pressure wash. NOTE: The sanding process does not remove surface contamination; instead, contaminants are pushed below the surface, into the sand scratches, making later removal (by surface cleaners or detergents) difficult or impractical.
• The vehicle should be detergent-scuffed with a mixture of an all-purpose household detergent and hot water. This will remove most "high-tech" wax and paint sealants. Scrub the surface using fine, waterproof sandpaper or a gray nylon scuff pad. Rinse well and dry.
• All areas on the vehicle that require refinishing should be solvent cleaned with an appropriate grease- and wax-remover. Surface cleaners must be used liberally in order to work effectively. Contaminants broken loose by the cleaner float on top of the wet film, and are then removed by drying the surface with a clean, lint-free wiping cloth. Never use thinner or reducer as a surface cleaner.
• It may be necessary to remove the old paint finish from the damaged area using a 24 to 36 grit grinding disc. Grinding the damaged area is generally included in the section for the application of body filler.
• Upon grinding the damaged painted area, sand the old paint film along the edge of the damaged area with a random orbital sander and 80 grit paper. Gradually taper (feather) the edge away from the damage until a minimum 1/4-in. of each layer of undercoat, colorcoat and clearcoat is exposed.
• Apply an etching filler over body filler and/or bare metal, and featheredge the area to provide adhesion and corrosion protection. For maximum protection, the etching filler dry film should be at least one mil thick.
• A primer surfacer application is recommended in two to three medium coats of tintable two-component acrylic urethane primer surfacer, allowing five to 10 minutes of flash time between coats. Blend the last coat of surfacer into the fine grit sanded area. For faster coverage of basecoats and single-stage finishes, choose a primer surfacer color that closely resembles the topcoat. Using an acrylic urethane primer surfacer eliminates the need for a sealer to provide gloss holdout, thereby saving an additional step. The cure time of the primer surfacer can be greatly reduced by force drying it with short-wave infrared heat or utilizing a baking booth.
• However, cold temperatures and excessive film thickness will extend the cure time.
• Block-sand by machine or hand with 320 grit treated sandpaper. Avoid sanding through and exposing the substrate. Re-apply primer as needed and finish-sand with 400 grit or finer treated sandpaper. For best results in finished appearance if you're not sealing, wet-sand with 600 grit waterproof paper. Using tintable acrylic urethane primer surfacer, then finish-sanding with 600 grit sandpaper, eliminates the need for a sealer as a ground coat or for gloss holdout.
• The painter should wear a body suit, gloves and head covering. (One strand of hair on a clearcoat surface looks like a heavy rope.) In addition to protecting the painted surface from dust that may be on clothing, a suit can also protect the painter from isocyanates that may be absorbed through the skin. Gloves keep moisture and/or oils from the hands from being transferred to the surface to be painted.
• Finally, use only recommended spray equipment for base- and clearcoat application. Adjust air pressure to the required psi for either conventional equipment or HVLP, depending upon the procedure.

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When educating your staff, take advantage of the materials your paint suppliers can provide. There are excellent pictorial data sheets that are designed to give the painter clear instructions in the use of refinish products, product development and proper painting procedures. Some of the printed procedures offer information about the entire process of repairing a vehicle properly, including which hardeners and thinners work better in different temperatures and airflow filtration systems. Some illustrate techniques for blending, plastics repair and polishing. While the materials vary from one paint company to the next, most feature step-by-step guides to using products effectively. These can come in handy when you're negotiating with a less-experienced adjuster to justify what is necessary for a proper, quality repair.

Paint Manufacturer Training Programs

In addition to product instructional sheets, some companies offer training classes on topics such as safety, sprayguns, paint chemical fundamentals, product use, substrate prep, sanding, spraygun technique, undercoat systems, single-stage system application, basecoat/clearcoat system application, and tricoat application. Some programs are designed not only for technicians, but also for body shop owners, managers and insurance personnel. Classes on more advanced procedures may include color theory and its practical application to specific refinish material used in tinting.

A few tips from paint suppliers:

Proper application, sufficient drying and flash time between coats, and correct sanding techniques are paramount in creating an invisible refinish repair.

Always use the manufacturer's recommended mix ratios. Never substitute chemical hardeners or change the mix ratios, because it may affect the drying and/or curing property of the paint.

A proper sanding technique is described by one supplier as "the one single action that may have the biggest impact on sand scratch swelling." Guidelines for sanding should include the use of various grits: the finer the grit, the smaller the sand scratches will be, and the better the refinish job will look once it is topcoated.
Controlling Paint Waste

With the cost of some products well in excess of $100 per gallon, you can't afford not to control usage with a good mixing system. Waste in the paint department will penalize a shop not only in terms of squandered inventory, but in increased disposal costs as well. And in the end, it is the shop owner who pays dearly for these mistakes.

A skilled technician can help the shop maintain its productivity and reputation. That's more than enough reason to examine your refinish production process today!

Gerry Chmiel | Coastline Collision | 949-388-1555

Paint technology basics

by Brian Martin

There are many different types (or more correctly, technologies) of products you can use in the restoration or repair of your vehicle. Some have a variety of uses while others are very limited with only a few of specific uses. Proper choice of products can help you get the job done faster and/or help with the longevity of the repair. Let's start with some basic definitions. I couldn't possibly know every paint manufactures terminology or product use. These are generalities and should be used as a guide only to then read the tech sheets of the products you have chosen for proper use. These tech sheets can be found at the jobber and are given away free. Or most manufactures have them on line, USE THEM. They are a wealth of information and can save you many headaches. You don't need to read every word in the mind numbing text, they usually have a "product at a glance" or something like that will cut to the chase and give you what you need.

Basic terminology's:

"Solvent" is a generic term and refers to any "reducer", "thinner" that is used to reduce the viscosity ("thickness") of a product to aid in spraying or applying. It could be acetone, lacquer thinner, urethane reducer, a special "basecoat" reducer, water, alcohol, etc. These solvents ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE; each product MUST be used with the specific solvent recommended by the manufacture. "Etch primer" an acid containing primer. "Primer" a product that can be applied to bare metal "Surfacer" (or "primer surfacer") A primer that has "body" or solids and is used to fill imperfections and provide a film thickness to sand or block a surface to a smooth base for paint. "Sealer" a non-sanding product that is applied prior to painting. "Primer-sealer" A sealer that can be applied over bare metal and then top coated without sanding. "Flash time" the time you allow the solvents to evaporate out of the film you have applied.

Basic technologies

"Single component" or RTS (Ready To Spray). This is a product that uses no additional components. Just pour it from the can into your gun and shoot. Examples are: Some plastic adhesion promoters and primers and even some top coats like vinyl colors.

"1K" This is a product that uses no hardener, catalyst, activator, etc. It may have an added solvent, but no hardener or activating reducer. 1K products like RTS dry with the evaporation of solvents and are soluble, meaning that they are could be wiped off with a rag soaked with lacquer thinner. They could in THEORY be scraped off and put in a can with solvent and stirred back to a sprayable condition. Of course ALL RTS products are 1K. Examples: All lacquer products, some synthetic enamel products, and some acrylic enamel products. Because of the low VOC regulations the 1K product options are getting scarce, with most limited to "specialty products" like adhesion promoters.