Getting a good paint job on your truck begins with the preparation process. Without properly preparing your truck for paint, the results can be less than impressive. The surface may not be smooth or the paint may not adhere well, among other things. Preparing for paint also means protecting the surrounding surfaces not intended for paint. With materials and supplies from a parts store, prepare your truck for paint and start your paint job off right.
Wrap the 220-grit sandpaper around the sanding block and sand the surface of the truck. Sand all areas that are going to be painted. Keep the sanding block flat against the truck's surface to evenly sand the old paint off. Sand until the entire truck is dull and most of the top layers of paint are gone.
Sand the entire truck again, using 400-grit sandpaper and a sanding block. This removes the deeper scratches left from the 220-grit sandpaper and smooths the surface for the paint.
Place masking tape and paper over all areas that won't be painted. This includes the window glass, tires, wheels, lights, trim, grille, door handles, key holes, mirrors and other trim.
Wipe the truck's surface down with wax-and-grease remover and a microfiber towel. This removes the sanding dust and debris, wax particles from past cleaners and grease from fingerprints. All of these things can harm the finished paint, so they need to be cleaned from the surface. The wax-and-grease remover evaporates quickly, so no further cleaning is needed. The microfiber towel does not leave lint on the surface. The truck is now ready for paint.
