What Causes Ripples in Auto Paint?
Ripples in auto body paint can be unsightly and take the edge off an otherwise beautiful car and paint job. Whether you are getting body work done on your car after an accident or re-building your own car, it is important to take a few precautions to make sure that your paint job looks beautiful and smooth.
Creating a beautifully smooth and long-lasting car body paint job takes time and patience. A good paint job is a delicate balance of good body work and taking the time to let all the compounds you use dry. Of all of the problems with painting a car, ripples in auto paint are common and can be due to a number of things.
Problems in the paint job can begin with how the body work was done. When you are getting body work done and the panels that are fixed are hand sanded, some of the sanding can cause little dents in the body work that will will show up as ripples in the paint job once paint is applied. Another common cause is putting too much hardener in your putty/bondo when you are fixing the car and then not allowing enough time for it to dry before you paint the car.
If the auto paint is sprayed too thickly or quickly, you can get ripples or orange peeling in the paint. Too many coats of clear or urethane paint can cause urethane peeling and a rippling effect, as well. It's best to get a high quality paint sprayer or use a shop that has one, for a fine, even coat and not to put on too many coats of base paint or clear coat.