Many choose acrylic enamel paint on car because it is water based. It will gives your car a bright and shiny finish and acrylic enamel is cheaper than urethane paint. Although urethane does offer the best finish, is industry standard, easier to apply, dries quicker and provides better coverage, it is more labour intensive than acrylic enamel. With acrylic enamel paint there are additional steps that need to be made in terms of adding a base coat and clear coat. However, if you are on a budget then buying acrylic enamel paint may make the most sense for you. When making the choice to use acrylic paint, you don’t have to worry about having to prep the paint, such as mixing in hardeners, as is necessary with urethane paint. All you have to do is add it to a spray-can and apply it to your vehicle. Since the drying time is also slower, you’ll only have to wait at least 24 to 48 hours in-between paint jobs before the paint is dry.
Start off by sanding the spot that you would like to paint with an orbital sander. If you will be painting the entire vehicle then remove all the rust spots and repair any visible dents. After all of these steps are complete, then make sure that you either wash or wipe down your car to get rid of all of the small dust particles and oils on the vehicle. Next tape over or remove any trim that can easily be taken off. Once the car is prepped and ready to be painted, all that’s left for you to do is to prime the vehicle’s surface. If you can and have the proper equipment, blow out all of the seams with an air compressor to remove any trapped water or particles.
Lastly is the paint job. This is the part that is the most satisfying, but can be the most frustrating if the prep part wasn’t done correctly. As acrylic paint dries fairly quickly, you’ll have to be efficient when applying the paint. When holding the paint gun, ensure that it is kept 6-8 inches away from the car’s surface. Once you’ve finished painting the area that you’d like to cover, leave the paint to dry for a minimum of 24 hours and then your car should be good to go. With enough practice you may even be able to do all of your other auto service technician tune-ups yourself!
