Remember that day when your vehicle rolled off the showroom floor? It was a feast for your eyes, and you were proud to own such a lustful masterpiece. But years passed by, and the elements did their job. Annoying spider webbing on the hood, small dings on the doors, and irritating hairline fractures on the fender flares... Day after day, your car is getting older. Even if it still runs really well, it does look like an old beater. You do know what to do, don't you? Right, get quality auto paint and breathe new life into your vehicle.


Paint fades and peels for a number of reasons. Tree sap, UV rays, freezing temperatures and road salt – all those things can easily ruin the delicate finish. And if you don't take care of the parking lot dings, they will start to rust in no time and result in serious damage. Well, whether you want to repaint the body or need to touch up a small scratch, CARiD.com has everything you need to get the job done.

The era of Japanese varnish has ended long time ago, and today, there are more types of car paint than you can imagine. You are now free to choose from myriad products – primers, single-stage paints, basecoats, midcoats, and clearcoats. With such a variety of options, it's so easy to make the wrong choice. Luckily, we are here to help you out. Let's walk through the process. So first off, strip down all the paint, sand glossy or rusted surfaces, and repair all dents to improve adhesion. Now you can apply the primer.

Primers are also known as surfacers, sealers or adhesion promoters. However, if you're looking for specific qualities, you must know the difference between those products. The goal of the anti-corrosive primer is to shield the substrate against degradation caused by rust. There are surely several types available. The 2K epoxy primer is good for refinishing of bare metal; self-etching primer can be used in auto collision repair as it dries really fast; and enamel primers are good if you need something affordable. The surfacers or fillers handle hiding defects such as chips, gouges, scratches, etc. There are urethane fillers that offer long-term durability and polyester primers which cost less. The above products require sanding, yet if you're looking for a non-porous foundation without sanding, primers sealers are your choice. And if all you need is great adhesion, you need an adhesion promoter.


After you've applied the primer, allowed it to cure, and sanded it, you are ready to paint the body. The painting techniques vary depending on the area size and the original finish. It's enough to use the touch-up paint if the area is small, yet anything larger will require spray-painting. Now, decide on the paint type. The single stage or direct gloss topcoat require no clear coat. The acrylic lacquer is the fastest to dry and the most affordable option, while the urethane single stagers are the most durable and can make fantastic finishes. The single stage paints that were among the first to be used on vehicles are alkyd and acrylic enamels, as well as nitrocellulose lacquers. They are not as durable as the today's products and are mainly used to restore vintage vehicles.

If you are ready to spend more time to achieve a better result, the two-stage system is the right choice as the effect will last much longer. This process requires basecoating and clearcoating, and sometimes there is also a midcoat involved. The urethane basecoat is the most popular option today. It's extremely durable and requires the use of small amount of catalyst. There are also polyester basecoats, however they are not as durable as the urethane ones. If you want to create a truly color, you should also apply midcoat. The midcoats are either the same or similar chemistry as the basecoats. Last but not least, apply the clearcoat. It resist the outside influences and carries the biggest part in the technological performance.