Which automotive primer to use

Once you've mixed your car primer paint, before you proceed with priming any part of your vehicle, you'll want to make sure you've accomplished a few preparatory tasks first:. Fill any large dents, dings, scratches, or pock marks on your vehicle's body, unless you've selected a primer that's known for good build, like polyester primer. Sand down any blemishes or inconsistencies before priming, and especially after filling or using putty. Once you've completed the sanding and other prep, you'll want to make sure the vehicle's surface is as clean and free of particles as possible to allow for better contact.

Give your vehicle a quick wash and spot clean any areas you may have sanded or ground down with a wet rag. As always, allow the vehicle surface to dry completely before applying any type of paint or primer. How you apply the primer will depend on the scope and size of your project.

If you're just performing small touch-ups, brushing the primer on by hand will definitely work, and you'll want to use smooth, even strokes to avoid visible lines in the end paint job. If you're going to be painting your entire vehicle or repainting larger portions of the car, using a spray gun will be your best option. Always start with a clean spray gun, and keep a bucket of thinner on hand in which to soak spray gun parts as soon as you're finished to prevent build-up on your equipment.

Once you've applied the auto primer, curing time will vary between types, so make sure you read labels and instructions. Smears and poor curing jobs lead to poor paint jobs, so err on the side of caution if you're not certain the primer coat is completely dry and allow extra time if needed. The number of primer coats you'll need will also vary.

For large areas and whole-body work, two coats is the standard. This allows maximum coverage and rust prevention, and provides the best base for paint adhesion. For smaller touch-ups, use your best judgement.

Only one good coat might be necessary. The kind of car paint primer you end up using will vary with your project needs. You can ensure a lasting, high-quality auto paint job and extra rust protection with a good primer base. Different types of automotive primer will also withstand sanding differently, and depending on your project, you may want to consider this.

Epoxy Primer - Epoxy primer is considered a good standard base when it comes to ensuring the auto paint bonds to the metal and promotes a quality paint finish. It's formulated specifically to prevent corrosion, so epoxy primer for cars won't sand as well as other types, like urethane primer.

Urethane Primer Surfacer - This type of two-part primer surfacer is often used in conjunction with any putty or fillers you're using to perform repairs and is applied over a secondary base primer as it doesn't provide the best corrosion resistance.

Polyester Primer - Polyester primer has what's known in the auto world as excellent "build" - it fills small scratches and dings much like a putty or filler would and has the highest filling capability of any sprayable primer.

This makes it perfect for filling bodywork blemishes AND achieving a good paint bonding surface at the same time. However, it tends to be a bit more brittle and prone to cracking than urethane or epoxy once dry, so this makes a great primer for small repair and filling jobs but may not be the best choice for an entire car.

Urethane Sealer - This type of primer is best used merely as a strong adhesive layer for the paint to bond to. Urethane sealer doesn't really have any filler capabilities, but is perfect for when you're painting a vehicle that's already in decent condition or you need to seal off a good amount of filler or bodywork.

Thanks, Paisano. Can I get the paint and primer kit formulated for Fiberglas -vet has NO paint on it was totally sanded off? You would want to apply the clear directly over the base coat without sanding when it comes to metallic paints. Thanks for the tips. I really am glad to see the tips in this article! Very well explained on step by step to come out with a nice finish.

Just painted my 06 ram Looks bad ass. Thanks for the help. Remember,block sand, block sand until u hate it, then do it again. How do I blend the graphite paint to match the 9 year old paint on the car? Would this work? Should I let the silver coat dry or shoot the graphite right away?

Thanks Ron. You must be logged in to post a comment. Preparing a Car for Painting There are a few ways to prepare your vehicle for paint. Stripping or Cleaning Disc — These come in a couple of sizes and are good for removing paint in large areas hood, roof, fenders, etc. Media Blasting — Media Blasting is a popular method to quickly remove paint, primer, and rust by shooting the metal with pressurized finely ground abrasive media. This method requires an air compressor and extreme care must be taken to avoid warping the body panels.

Chemical Stripping — This method is applied by brushing the liquid stripper on the metal. You must then allow the chemical to slowly soften and lift the paint. You can then use a scraper or wire wheel to remove the softened paint. For the best results we suggest using a DA in conjunction with a block sander. Block Sanding — This is the slower, more labor-intensive manor of preparing a vehicle for paint, but it allows you to leave a flat, uniform base for paint to be applied to.

Check out the different types here. Repairing Body Damage Before repainting a car, we suggest trying to repair any damage found on the body. Hammer and Dollies — Using a hammer and dolly is the most basic way to repair dents and is also the most common. Beginners and seasoned vets alike can benefit from picking up a copy of The Key to Metal Bumping to help learn how to correctly attack a dent with a hammer and dolly.

Stud Welder — A stud welder is another method used for pulling dents in metal. This process is simple but does take some practice to perfect. It involves using a tool to spot weld small pins to the damaged area. You then use a slide hammer to pull the pins and dented metal out. Once you have pulled the dent out you can cut the pins off and grind the surface smooth.

Inflatable Dent Removers — These are like balloons on steroids. Place the inflatable dent remover behind a dented or damaged body panel and slowly inflate it. The pressure of the dent remover pressing between the dented panel and the inside structure of the body will force the low or dented areas up. This works well for shallow dents but will not take out deep or creased dents.

Check out our alternative dent removal tools here. Additionally, glazing putties can be used for filling small pinholes or minor imperfections as they are thinner and flow out easier than normal body fillers. We suggest using body filler sparingly and only to smooth out small imperfections in the body. It should not be used to fill in bodylines or trim holes as it can fail over time. High-build primers are usually 2-pack products which are mixed from 3 elements primer, activator and thinner.

High-build primer can be mixed with thinners in various ratios to provide coatings of various thicknesses. Etch primer The purpose of etch primers is to replicate the cataphoretic dip priming process used by vehicle manufacturers to protect panels against corrosion. Etch primers contain an acid which etches bare metal, ensuring that there is a very strong bond between the primer and the panel surface. Etch primers can also be used on galvanised metal or on top of existing primer to cover any minor damage in the protective galvanising coating.

Etch primers are usually two-component products, which contain an acid activator. The acid etches the bare metal, allowing the primer to adhere strongly to the panel, and providing excellent corrosion resistance.

Generally, etch primers do not require sanding, and 1K primer high-build or otherwise is usually spayed over the top before preparing the panel to receive the colour coat. Etch primers are the only primers suitable for use directly on galvanised panels.

Primer-sealers are generally enamel based. They can be used to prime bare metal and as a sealer under any enamel paint job. The type of sealer to use depends on the paint to be applied. Check with an automotive paint shop to be sure you match up the primer-sealer or sealer correctly with the paint you intend to use. Depending on the condition of the old paint, the type of new paint being used and the repairs that were done, sometimes a sealer must be used and sometimes a sealer should be used.

Next, tape and mask off all trim and glass just as you would for painting, then mix up the primer where necessary. No matter what kind of paint is going to be used, use the recommended multi purpose primer with the appropriate thinner where applicable — ask for advice at your local automotive paint store. Mix them according to the directions, then stir thoroughly.

For primer, adjust the spray gun so the spray pattern is about mm wide, mm from the gun head.