Why You Should Get Your Car Painted by a Professional
Why DIY Car Paint Jobs Do Not Work
Automotive YouTube channels and especially DIY videos have boomed over the past couple of years. The issue with this, however, is that there are a lot of people now under the impression that they can paint a car themselves. That is, unfortunately, a great misconception, especially if you expect to get reasonable results using just some spray cans and nothing else.
In reality, painting a car is a time consuming, challenging and complex task. The biggest issue is dust or contaminants that can get stuck into the paint. And this is just half of the story, as the curing process is equally important. For example, not using a spray booth to paint and cure the paint can lead to catastrophic results.
The Preparation Process
The paint prep process is the same, It doesn’t require a paint booth, and it is recommended that you sand down (key) the paint for a respray inside. Sanding the paint to prepare it for the respray will just result in a lot of dust being spread in the area, which is why you should do it in a properly ventilated environment.
The Painting Process
When painting the car, even before applying the clearcoat, dust can float in the air. And since the fresh layer of paint is sticky, it will collect the dust like a magnet. Most of the time, it is difficult to spot the small dust particles while the paint is drying. And even if you do notice them, there is nothing that you can do. You could try to sand the paint layer a bit to remove some of the dust, however, you risk the paint layer becoming thinner.
The proper way to do it is to use a spray booth. A professional car body repair shop uses a paint booth because it provides a sealed environment that keeps the dust away and helps with the curing process. A common process is to pour water onto the floors so that dust will remain on the ground, and apply a plastic foil onto the walls. Plastic foils get charged with static electricity which then turns it into a magnet for dust.
The Curing Process
The fresh layer of car paint and clear coat will need some time to cure. Usually, a car painter will keep the car in the paint booth for about 12 hours to allow it to cure properly and avoid having contaminants stuck into the clear coat.
However, if the car is left out in the open to cure, it will take longer. Paint booths can also have heating systems that accelerate the curing process. Additionally, while the paint is curing in an open space and not in a spray booth, it can collect dust which will be nearly impossible to remove. And sanding off the clear coat after curing can cause deep scratches if dust got stuck into the surface layer.
Do Not Throw Away Your Money
As you should have gathered by now, you can attempt to do it yourself when it comes to car painting, however, the result will be very disappointing. In the real world, if you wanted to do your own paint job or car body repairs, you would need a spray booth, so it is just best to pay a body repair shop to respray your car for you. Inevitably, without a proper spray booth, you will not get the results you expect, and will likely end up having to repaint the car.
We hope you have a better understanding of why it is best to have a group of professionals paint your car. If you have any questions or wish to get in contact with us, visit our contact page or call us on 01604 600581.