How To Paint Your Own Car With an HVLP
If you own your car long enough, there will be a time when you face the prospect of needing a paint job. It could be because of a minor accident, because of weather damage, or because you just want a new look for your car. When this time comes, a paint job can be costly. But, with the right tools and knowlege, you can save yourself a lot of money by doing the job yourself.
What you will need:
Sandpaper, mask, primer, air compressor, car body paint, HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) spray gun
Painting the car using an HVLP:
- Establish a clean work environment. This room should be clear from clutter, as clean as possible, and have low humidity.
- Put on a protective mask before you start to sand, and keep it on throughout the project. Breathing in the dust from sanding, or the paint fumes can be hazardous to your health.
- Wash the car using a good car wash. Make sure to get all dirt and grime off the vehicle. Rise thouroughly with a garden hose and let the car dry.
- Sand the surface of the vehicle with sandpaper, making sure that the surface of the vehicle is blemish-free, and does not have uneven surfaces.
- Use a clean cloth to wipe away any remaining sand particles from the surface, making sure the surface is smooth and clean.
- Apply masking tape to all areas of the vehicle that will not be painted. For areas like the windshield, tape tarp to make sure that it does not get any paint sprayed on it.
- Mix the primer completely.
- Pour the primer into the HVLP spray gun. Making sure you are wearing your mask, spray the primer onto the vehicle's surface evenly. Use a light coat of paint.
- Mix the paint to make sure that you have the color you are looking for and pour it into the spray gun.
- Spray the paint thoroughly over the surface with the HVLP spray gun, using sufficient air pressure to cover thoroughly and evenly.
- Wet sand the surface of the car to make sure that any unevenness or imperfections are removed.
- Remove the masking tape to prevent peeling around the edges, where the masking was attached to the car.
- Allow car to dry.