Chapter 16

Painting Fundamentals
 Objectives

• Explain the difference between spot refinishing,

panel refinishing and overall refinishing
• Properly use a spray gun
• Summarize the different kinds of spray coats
• Outline general colorcoat/clearcoat application
procedures
• Explain the key points to keep in mind when
applying multistage finishes
• List general rules for painting/refinishing vehicles
 Introduction

• From the customer’s standpoint, paint is the

most important aspect of body repair job
• Today’s high-solid, low-VOC paints and high-
efficiency spray guns, refinishing procedures
have changed
• The industry is now using high-volume, low-
pressure (HVLP) spray equipment to reduce
waste and emissions
 Preparation Review

• All body straightening should be done and

vehicle should be ready for painting/refinishing
• Pull vehicle into a clean paint booth
• Make sure air circulation system is on, close
booth door and allow system to purge booth of
airborne debris
• Check all masking tape and paper and wipe all
surfaces with wax and grease remover, and
wipe surface dry
• Blow off all surfaces, and wipe with a tack cloth
 Preparation Review (continued)
• Make sure material is reduced to proper
viscosity and mixed thoroughly
• Use a strainer to filter material as it is poured
into spray gun
• If a color stands in spray gun for 10 to 15
minutes, pigment will settle
• Check that air pressure is correct, and perform a
spray test pattern on a sheet of paper
• Check temperature of vehicle, booth and spray
materials
Figure 16-10. Filter all material being poured
into your spray gun. This is “a must” to prevent
paint problems
 Review of Paint
• Most vehicles are finished with acrylic urethane
enamel with a hardener or catalyst
• A color basecoat is covered with a clearcoat to
produce a high gloss, durable finish
• Check manufacturer’s recommendations for
viscosity, air pressure, number of coats, etc.
• Refer to paint code information on body plate to
find correct paint color and type
• Lower and upper body colors will be given if it is
a two-tone paint
 Determining Type of Finish
• With solvent application method
– Rub paint with a white cloth soaked in thinner
• If it dissolves, it is an air-dried paint
• With heat application method
– Wet sand with No. 2000 grit paper
– Heat with an infrared lamp
• If gloss dulls it is acrylic lacquer
• With an inspection method, check for repainting
– If paint is original, use body color code id plate to
determine type of paint
Figure 16-13. The body ID plate or service parts identification
plate gives VIN or other data about the vehicle. Note the paint
and trim code numbers.
 Spray Gun Application Stroke

• Application stroke is a side-to-side movement of

spray gun
• Hold spray gun at a proper distance
– 6 to 8 inches for lacquer
– 8 to 10 for enamel
• Short spray distance causes mist to ripple wet
film
• Long spray distance causes a greater
percentage of thinner to evaporate, resulting in
orange peel or dry spray
 Spray Gun Application Stroke
(continued)
• Hold gun parallel and perpendicular to surface,
keeping gun at a right angle
– Avoid fanning gun with your wrist
• Release trigger halfway right before you stop
moving gun sideways
• Move gun with a steady pass, about one foot per
second
• Spray edges and corners of surfaces first, and in
general start spraying at top of upright surface
Figure 16-18. Do not let the spray gun tilt up or down.
This would also result in uneven paint film.
 Spray Gun Application Stroke
(continued)
• Overlap strokes involve making each spray gun
coat cover about half of previous coat
– Always blend your paint into the wet edge of
previously painted section
– Trigger gun at end of each pass and lower each
successive pass one half width of spray pattern
• For painting very narrow surfaces, switch to a
gun with a smaller spray pattern
 Gun Handling Problems
• Gun heeling occurs when gun is allowed to tilt,
causing uneven film thickness
• Gun arching occurs when gun is not moved
parallel to surface
• Incorrect gun stroke speed means you are
moving gun too quickly or slowly
• Improper spray overlap means you are not
covering half of the previous pass with the next
• Improper coverage means paint film thickness is
not uniform, or is too thin
 Types of Spray Coats
• A light coat is produced by moving the spray gun
a little more quickly across vehicle surface
– Used when applying color coat, helps blend
existing surface with new surface
• A medium wet coat is produced by moving spray
gun at a normal speed – most common
• A full wet coat is done by moving gun slightly
slower than normal
– For applying final layer of clearcoat
– Requires skill and practice to prevent runs
 Types of Spray Coats (continued)

• Mist coat is a very light thin coat applied by

holding spray gun farther from surface and
moving more quickly
– Also called a dust coat, drop coat, or tack coat
– Recommended for some metallics
• Shading coats, or blend coats, are progressive
applications of paint on boundary of spot repair
areas so difference is not noticeable
 Paint Blending
• Paint blending involves tapering new paint
gradually into old paint to make the difference
less noticeable
• Apply colorcoat with a fanning motion, working
from center outward
• Paint blending is commonly done when applying
colorcoat to a spot repair
• Undamaged colorcoat is not painted
• When whole panel is sprayed with a clearcoat,
old and new colors show through
Figure 16-23. This view shows how fanning the spray gun at the wrist will blend the paint
thinner near the outer edges of the repair area. Work the gun from the center outward.
When the paint is thinner, it will gradually blend into the existing paint to hid the repairs.
 Refinishing Methods

• Refinishing methods are selected according to

several variables
– Condition of original finish
– Size of area to be refinished
– Location of repair on vehicle
• Three categories of finish repair
– Spot repair (area of panel painted)
– Panel repair (complete panel painted)
– Overall refinishing (whole vehicle painted)
 Spot Repairs
• Spot repair involves painting an area smaller
than the panel
• Spot repair involves minor body repair,
application of primer, application of paint
• Recommended where a complete panel repair is
either uneconomical or impractical
• Blending with a solid color of paint is used for
situations such as light damage to fender edges
• Matching metallic colors is complicated because
you have to match color and flake density
 Panel Repairs
• Panel repairs involve painting/refinishing a
complete body part
• Blending is only needed when it is difficult to
match paint, as with metallic color
• Panel repair with a solid color covers an entire
panel, and color is matched at panel joints
• It is almost impossible to match a new metallic
finish exactly with previous one
• Blending must be extended over a wide area to
help hide differences
 Overall Refinishing
• Overall refinishing involves painting/refinishing
the whole vehicle – usually done when surface
has weathered and deteriorated
• Keep a wet edge while maintaining minimal
overspray on horizontal surfaces
• Avoid paint runs or sags by changing point of
overlap on each coat
• Spray in this order: roof, rear, driver’s side, front,
passenger side
Figure 16-27. This is a typical sequence for doing an overall
refinishing job when using a downdraft spray booth. Some
painting technicians like to use a slightly different sequence.
 Applying Basecoat-Clearcoat
• Blend basecoat of color around repair, then
spray whole panel with clearcoat
• Two or three medium wet coats of clear should
be applied over two medium coats of color
• Avoid sanding basecoat, sanded area must be
given another coat of basecoat to prevent
streaking and mottling
• Use as much of existing color as possible
• Do not load clearcoats on heavily and do not
use over- or under-reduced clearcoats
 Refinishing Rules

• Common mistake is to miss surface problems

• Finish will not adhere to dirty or glossy smooth
surfaces
• Do not try to paint a vehicle in an open shop –
dirt will almost always settle in finish
• Mix materials following label directions
• Test and adjust gun spray pattern on a sheet of
paper or old part
 Refinishing Rules (continued)
• Leaking cup can drip and ruin job
• Flash time is time needed for a fresh coat of
paint to partially dry
• Hold gun at correct distance, and aim it directly
at surface while moving at correct speed
• Closely watch for deposits on surface, and apply
only enough material for good coverage
• Keep air hoses and yourself a safe distance
away – it’s easy to brush against a wet surface
 Removal of Masking Materials
• If finish has been force dried, remove masking
tape while finish is still warm
• If finish is cool, tape will be difficult to remove,
and may leave adhesive behind
• Pull tape slowly; do not to touch painted areas
• If you used liquid masking material, wash it off
with soap and water – do not wash the freshly
painted surfaces until they are completely dry
• Never let a masked vehicle sit for long periods
 Finishing Urethane Bumpers

• Mask off area to be finished, and clean it with a

wax and grease remover
• Prepare surface by wet sanding with 600 grit
sandpaper and clean surface again
• Apply colorcoat over the section of bumper, or
over whole bumper, as needed
• Use a two-part acrylic urethane with a flex agent
• Apply a clearcoat over entire bumper, and follow
recommended drying time
 Cleaning the Spray Gun
• After using a spray gun, always clean it and
other equipment right away
• Neglect and lack of care is responsible for most
spray gun problems
• You must also lubricate all bearing surfaces and
packings at recommended intervals
• If gun is not cleaned right away, passages will
usually clog
• Always wear solvent-resistant gloves, eye
protection, and an approved respirator
 Spray Gun Cleaning Steps
• Put a small amount of cleaning solvent into paint
cup and put lid on cup
• Shake spray gun so that cleaning solvent rinses
inside of paint cup
• Remove air cap, and use solvent to clean air
cap, fluid tip and needle
• Reinstall air cap, put a small amount of fresh
solvent into paint cup
• Spray fresh solvent through spray gun, wipe
spray gun dry inside and out
Spray Gun Cleaning Steps (continued)
• Never use wire or nails to clean precision
opening in a spray gun
• To clean a pressure-feed spray gun, release
pressure in cup first, then loosen air cap
• Force paint into cup by triggering spray gun;
dispose of paint
• Refill cup with a clean compatible solvent, spray
solvent out of spray gun
• If tank is used, clean as directed by manufacturer
 Using a Spray Gun Washer
• Some areas in U.S. require use of enclosed
spray gun cleaning equipment
• After washer lid is closed a pump circulates
solvent to clean inside and outside of equipment
• Spray gun washer saves time and increases
safety
• Lubricate spray gun by placing a small amount
of oil on packing and high friction points
• Examine needle and nozzle for signs of wear
 Summary
• Most common types of paints are polyurethane
enamels and acrylic urethane enamels
• Spray gun distance is measured from gun tip to
surface being painted
• Typically hold gun 6 to 8 inches away for lacquer
and 8 to 10 inches away for enamel
• When applying basecoat, two medium coats are
sufficient – use enough to achieve hiding, no
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