What is the car painting process?
2 Answers
Car painting mainly involves three key processes: 1. Primer coating: For painting work, preparation is often very important. If key operation points and defect precautions can be identified before starting, subsequent steps can be carried out more efficiently. Therefore, before painting, it's necessary to first apply the primer coat. This better fills micro-pores and sanding marks on the workpiece surface, enhances adhesion of subsequent coatings, and more clearly reveals any existing defects. 2. Intermediate coating: The intermediate coat is a crucial layer. To ensure the quality and stability of the topcoat, the intermediate coating must be properly applied. During this process, it's essential to prepare a smooth and complete working surface, appropriately increasing interlayer adhesion to guarantee topcoat quality. 3. Topcoat application: Topcoat painting is typically divided into single-layer and multi-layer applications. Single-layer paint, often called solid color paint, determines the color and provides protection. Multi-layer paints include metallic (silver) series and pearl series paints, requiring layered application during work. Multi-layer paints generally offer better stability and more comfortable appearance, making them suitable for decorative coatings with rich colors. Note that topcoat application has relatively higher quality requirements, so the painting should be completed in one continuous session to achieve optimal results.
Last time when I got my car repainted, the technician explained the entire process in detail. First, they either remove the parts to be painted or thoroughly mask the surrounding body panels, sealing the windows and headlights with masking tape. Then they sand the surface to remove old paint and rust spots, exposing the bare metal substrate. Next, they apply epoxy primer for rust prevention, wait for it to dry completely, then apply body filler to smooth out dents, sanding it to a mirror-like finish. The paint mixing stage is most meticulous - the technician spent a long time matching the color using swatches to achieve the factory color. When spraying the topcoat, they use a professional spray gun to apply three even coats with ten-minute drying intervals between each, finishing with a clear coat protective layer. The car then goes into a baking booth at 60°C for two hours, followed by polishing and waxing until the surface feels perfectly smooth. The entire process took two days, with the key being that sanding and color matching can't be rushed.
