Introduction
Having your car painted should be an exciting experience. Seeing your car transformed into your favorite color is often the culmination of an exciting restoration project. However, many find the experience overwhelming when faced with so many decisions on which type of paint to purchase or specify. I wrote this article to help share some of my experiences having been around the auto painting business for many years. If you have any questions please let us know.
Primers
Primers are a critical part of the refinishing process as they prepare the surface making it smooth and uniform as well as protect the surface for corrosion. Sometimes consumers will choose to forgo the primer to save money but this can lead to failures down the road so it is best to use the right primer for your job. Choosing the right primer depends on the condition of your vehicle.
If you have bare metal areas you need a primer that will protect the surface from corrosion. Two part Epoxy primers are the best option for corrosion protection as they have been proven to provide outstanding corrosion protection and adhesion over a wide range of metals.
Often vehicles will need some sort of filling primer as well to hide imperfections such as scratches, smalls dents and the like. For these requirements 2 part (2K) urethane primer surfacers are the best option. Urethane primer surfacers provide the best filling and sanding capabilities and the urethane polymer back bone provides a tough and durable resin.
In some cases where the paint on a vehicle is not in bad shape and there are not bare metal areas to protect, a primer sealer is an excellent choice for preparing the surface. Primer sealers seal off the layers beneath and provides a fresh smooth layer for your color coats to adhere. Primer sealers based on urethane polymers are once again the best choice but many 2K epoxy primers also function as a nice sealer. Colored urethane primer sealers are great options as they often reduce the amount of color coats required and reduce the visibility of stone chips, and scratches that inevitably happen to any paint job over times.
There are other primer types available but these are the best options and often can be obtained for great prices via the internet.