
The quick reply to “Are you able to paint over current auto paint?” is sure, you actually can. There may be fairly a little bit of preparation work prematurely of the particular portray and it’s essential to use trendy paints to have a great consequence although.
Why Paint Over Current Auto Paint?
There are 4 predominant causes for portray over your current auto paint: worn paint, you dislike the colour, to guard it, and to extend the resale worth.
If the paint in your journey is worn and pale as a result of it’s a number of years outdated, it’s possible you’ll wish to repaint it simply to make it look higher.
Manufacturing unit paints typically look good for about 10 years, however different issues can mess up the looks of your paint job.
In the event you dwell in an space the place it’s chilly and so they salt the roads within the wintertime, the paint on the underside half of your automotive will are inclined to fade a lot faster. The identical is true should you dwell by the ocean, as a result of salt has a unfavourable impact on any kind of paint.
In the event you purchase a automotive as a result of it’s a great deal and also you’ve at all times needed it, like a dream automotive– assume 1957 Chevy or an vintage automotive, it’s possible you’ll simply not like the colour of it.
On this case, you’ll be able to select the colour that you simply actually love and paint over the prevailing paint for the automotive you’ve at all times dreamed of and perhaps in a more recent colour that wasn’t out there when the automotive was manufactured.
A very good high quality repainting job on a car makes it look higher, but it surely additionally provides additional layers of safety for the physique itself.
UV-protected paint will hold it from fading as quick within the daylight and extra paint layers additionally defend your car from flying rocks and different objects that may dent or scratch your automotive.
If you will resell a car, including a contemporary paint job will improve the resale worth drastically.
Lately, many individuals listing automobiles on the market on-line and your good new paint job will certainly get observed over the identical car with outdated and pale paint on it.
Do You Have To Take away The Outdated Auto Paint First?
No, you don’t need to take away the entire outdated paint first except there’s injury right down to the steel bodywork that won’t be lined because it ought to.
Typically, you solely must sand down areas which might be gouges and scratches and repair any dents or dings first as an alternative of eradicating the entire outdated paint.
Now, should you resolve you might be altering the colour fully, it’s the greatest thought to take away all of the outdated paint. Portray a brand new colour over a a lot totally different outdated colour will have an effect on the ultimate colour of your automotive.
In any other case you’ll need a number of coats of paint which might be costly and time-consuming to completely cowl the outdated paint colour so that you solely see the brand new colour.
Can You Paint Over A Automotive With out Sanding It?

The method of sanding your automotive earlier than you paint it scuffs up the floor in order that the brand new paint will stick with it and dry proper as properly.
In the event you resolve to skip the step of sanding earlier than repainting, your paint could not adhere properly and it might probably trigger extra drips and pooling that may then should be sanded once more and repainted once more.
It’s positively greatest to sand the unique paint first earlier than repainting it because it doesn’t take that lengthy and it’ll assist you to supply a professional-grade look.
How Many Coats Of Paint Do You Want On A New Automotive?
You must ideally apply two coats of primer first, letting it dry fully between every coat. Subsequent, it’s essential to apply three to 4 coats of your base paint for the colour you select.
Your final steps in your is to make use of three to 4 coats of clear coat on prime for the utmost safety in your new mission car.
This may increasingly seem to be a variety of coats of paint, but it surely will provide you with an expert look, and skipping coats of primer, base paint, and clear coats will prevent some money and time, however on the expense of a substandard trying paint job.
Making ready The Car For The Repaint Job
Your first a part of making ready to color a car is to take away any imperfections within the physique.
You must first pull any dents out with a dent puller after which sand the complete floor of the automotive with an orbital sander utilizing a 500 to 1,200 grit sanding pad.
Use constant stress so the identical quantity of outdated paint is eliminated and scuffed up on the complete automotive.
At this level, in case you are altering the bottom colour, you must sand the automotive right down to the steel to take away all of the clear coat, base colour coats, and primer.
Wipe off any sanding mud with a moist store fabric that’s lint-free. Then use a microfiber cleansing fabric to dry the complete floor completely.
Cowl any areas that you simply aren’t going to color with newspaper or painter’s paper and tape.
This would be the windshields, wheels, and tires, plus the bumpers and the aspect view mirrors if they’re metallic, in addition to the door handles if they’re metallic.
You’ll be able to take away the antenna as an alternative of masking it.
How To Paint An Outdated Automotive Over Current Paint
Dilute your automotive primer in accordance with the instructions on the can. Stir it completely with a paint stir stick and apply it with a paint sprayer in lengthy sweeping motions to cowl the complete floor.
Enable the primer to dry for the period of time on the package deal, which might be between half-hour and an hour.
Then evenly sand it and take away any sanding mud with a moist tack fabric and a microfiber fabric to dry it.
Apply two extra coats of primer in the identical approach whereas permitting it to dry fully and sanding between coats.
Subsequent, you apply your three to 4 base colour coats of paint in the identical approach because the primer, and eventually your three to 4 prime clear coats of paint.
Make certain and let every coat dry completely earlier than sanding them between all coats and don’t sand the final clear coat you apply.
Is Repainting A Automotive As Good As Manufacturing unit Paint?
If you’re an skilled painter with a paint sprayer and also you comply with all of the steps obligatory, you’ll be able to actually produce a factory-appearance-looking paint job.
It’s greatest to purchase high quality merchandise and don’t skip any steps within the course of.
You should buy high quality paints, primers, and clear coats from an automotive dealership as they may use the identical objects as OEM because the manufacturing facility after they do bodywork and repaint automobiles.
How To Discover The Paint Coloration Codes On A Automotive?

If you wish to repaint your car the identical actual colour because it was initially painted, you’ll need to search out the colour codes after which order your paint with these codes for an actual match.
You ought to be conscious that in case your car is over 10 years outdated or so, the colour codes will assist you to return it to the unique “new” trying colours, which might be fairly a bit brighter and comprise extra depth than the present colour.
Discover the service elements identification sticker in your car. It should often be both within the glove field or on the motive force’s aspect door sticker.
Write down the letters and numbers on the underside line of the sticker in your unique paint codes. The primary is BC, which is your base coat colour. If there’s a TC adopted by a quantity, it’s your prime coat.
Some automobiles have each a base coat colour and a prime coat colour that obtain the ultimate colour of the car.
The CC on the sticker tells you that it has a transparent coat for defense on the car. If there’s a U adopted by a quantity, that is the higher physique colour and an L adopted by a quantity is the decrease physique colour.
Some automobiles have a distinct colour on the underside and prime or on the roof and hood. An instance is the unique colours of the 1970’s Ford and Chevy vehicles which might be two-toned.
In case your car is kind of a bit older or there is no such thing as a service elements identification sticker on it, you’ll be able to enter your VIN quantity to search out the colour codes out of your car’s dealership.
Your VIN quantity is on a steel plate mounted on the motive force’s aspect of the dashboard the place it meets the entrance windshield.
Word that the VIN quantity doesn’t particularly state the colour codes however your native automotive dealership can discover them for you and promote you the standard merchandise you want for a professional-looking paint job.
Closing Ideas on the Query “Can You Paint Over Current Auto Paint?”
The above ideas and technique will help you to attain a professional-looking paint job on any car, whether or not you might be repainting it to the unique colours or selecting a brand new vibrant colour that you simply love.
It should additionally assist defend your car from growing rust in any spots the place the paint is already scratched or eliminated, so that it’s going to look new for much longer.