Painting your car yourself can save you a bundle of money. However painting a car is a little more complicated than painting a wall or chair, but the most important part of the painting process still holds true. Prep work, sanding and priming can separate a good paint job from a bad one. Here is a little advice on how to prep and prime your car right.
Wash your car. Even though you are going to be sanding and making a mess, you don't want to rub dirt into your car when your sanding. Large particles can cause permanent damage to the metal.
Sand off as much of the old paint as possible. Make sure to remove any gloss and pieces of peeling paint. If all the gloss isn't removed the primer will eventually peel off.
Wash all of the paint dust from your car. Make sure you dry any exposed metal, being unprotected it will rust very quickly.
When the car is completely dry, tape off any part of you car you do not want to get paint on. Cover the windows and other large areas with newspapers attached by tape on the edges.
Spray the car evenly with the primer. Hold the can about a foot and a half away from your car to get a even coat and avoid drips. Be sure to cover ever inch of the car so you don't have to go back.
Remove and dispose of all tape and newspaper. Do not try to touch up the primer after it has dried. Doing this will turn the primer a different color and stick out if you do not plan on painting it immediately.
