Sleek and classy, black is one of the most favoured car colours in the industry. It's also one of the hardest to achieve when spray painting an old car. The problem is that a black paint job will show any flaws in the bodywork, from waviness to imperfect filler. To prevent those lumps and bumps from becoming an eyesore, it's important to take extra steps before, during, and after spray painting your car. Here are three tips that will help you get the best results.
Before: Strip the Car to Its Bare Metal
To get a great black paint job on your car, it's important to sand the bodywork down until it's completely bare metal. This gives the black paint the best possible foundations to work with. There are many ways to achieve this. Some spray paint professionals use a media blaster (often a sandblaster) to strip the paint off efficiently and effectively. Others go over the whole body of the car with an air grinder. Whichever method you choose, you'll need to sand the metal down several times before priming it, starting with a high-grit sandpaper and gradually moving down to low-grit. This cleans any dust left behind on the metal and prepares the surface to bond with the paint properly.
During: Choose the Right Single-Stage Paints
Once the car is stripped, sanded, and primed, it's time to get painting. In some paint jobs, it's best to use a two-stage basecoat. With black, however, most professionals have found the best success with a single-stage paint. This is a win-win for the person doing the paint job, as single-stage paints are generally quicker and easier to apply. When you choose your paint, you'll want to look for the darkest shade you can find. Remember, however, that 'true black' is impossible to find in the real world. As such, you may actually find that mixing in some blue or violet paint gives the illusion of a deeper black. When applying the final coat, you can also try mixing in some clear to get that smooth lacquer effect black cars are known for.
After: Never Slip Behind on Maintenance
The biggest downside to spray painting a car black is the maintenance. You'll need to take far more meticulous care of this paint job than you would with a lighter colour, and slipping behind on maintenance will quickly lead to an unsightly mess. Before using your car cover, always wipe your car down. If you don't, dust can get trapped under the cover, grinding against the body and scratching it. Use a microfibre towel to avoid scratches. You should also use a microfibre towel for waxing, which you'll need to do often. Wax protects the car from scratches and improves the shine even more.
Share20 December 2019