Painting a car in metallic: technology
The life of a modern car owner is fundamentally different from the difficulties that we experienced 15-20 years ago. We are talking about the availability of spare parts and all kinds of accessories, fixtures and materials for the repair and tuning of your car. Today, in order to carry out body repair or painting a car with your own hands, there is everything.
Materials for painting a car with metallic
The only thing left is the small thing: your desire to do and learn. The desire to do it depends on you, but we will lay out the theoretical part of how metallic car painting is carried out.
Do-it-yourself painting a car, whether it is metallic or matte, is a difficult and not at the same time difficult task. The technology of painting a car with metallic paint is not much different from the technology of painting a car in general. As in principle, the technology, materials and equipment for full painting or local painting of the body after the repair of chips or cracks does not differ.
Painting a car with metallic paint according to technology differs from standard painting in that it has a two-layer base. Base coat and varnish.
Basis base (in the slang of car painters, simply “base”). The base is a nitro-based paint. In essence, it gives color and a metallic effect. The base has no gloss and is not weather resistant. Drying time between base coats is usually 15-20 minutes. Very important! The application temperature of the base should be about 20 degrees. If the temperature is lower by 5-10 degrees, then the drying time increases and the quality of the base deteriorates.
Лак. Made with acrylic base. The second in line, but the first most important element of painting a car with metallic paint. Lacquer performs a protective function of the paintwork of the body. There are two types of varnish for metallic painting.
Varnish type MS. This varnish is considered a soft varnish. It needs to be applied in 3 layers. The good thing is that it is easy to polish the body, but as a disadvantage it is less economical for work and less durable.
Varnish type NS. This is a hard type of varnish. Only 1,5 coats required. Slightly the first, and thoroughly the second. Gives less smudges when painting. Durable but hard to polish.
Metallic car painting is carried out using traditional materials and equipment: fillers, primers, airbrush, etc. All this remains the same tools of the painter's labor.
The technology of painting a car with metallic is completely identical with the technology of painting a car in standard colors. And it also includes: preparing the car for painting, priming, putty, preparing the place for painting and painting. Body polishing after painting is a mandatory procedure. Do not forget that the process takes place in artisanal conditions and dust - dirt will be required.
Features of painting a car in metallic
When coated with a base, the first layer is called bulk. That is, it exists in order to close all stains from putty-priming work on the body.
To avoid the “apple” effect, especially for light metallics, it is very important to keep a distance of 150-200 mm from the gun nozzle to the surface, preferably a pressure of 3 atm. And, most importantly, the spraying process in one area should not stop. It is worth stopping the movement of the gun for a second, the “apple” effect is guaranteed.
For the base, it is strongly recommended to use exactly the solvent recommended by the manufacturer. Don't skimp and don't use regular 646 thinner. You've already saved money on painting.
It is not recommended to act according to the "12 chairs" scheme: base in the evening, varnish in the morning. 30 minutes is the maximum for drying the base. It is important not to start varnishing the base even earlier. Otherwise, the base paint may rise.
Here, in fact, such is the technology of painting a car in metallic. Theoretically, there is nothing complicated, but you should not relax either. The best option would be to practice on an old body part before painting the car in metallic with your own hands.
Good luck to you lovers of your car.
