4x4 Truck Basic Paint Jobs - 4Wheel & Off-Road Magazine

If There's One Project Not Many Enthusiasts tackle, it's painting their vehicles. Most do-it-yourselfers think it's complicated and messy, and if they screw up, their work is final. While it's true that painting can be tedious and frustrating, if you follow a few simple steps and basic rules you could possibly crank out a basic paint job your friends will envy.

A garage paint job will turn out as well as the amount of effort you put into it. We're not talking about a showstopping paint job here (which of course you can achieve with some work); we're talking about a good, quality paint job you can do yourself, even if you have never painted a 4x4 before. think of it this way: you paid a nominal amount for that old rig in your garage; do you really want to spend thousands for a halfway decent paint job? Heck, have some fun and do it yourself!

Let us put a home paint job in perspective for you. Depending on your skills and ambition, you could paint your vehicle and do an amazing job for about $300 to $500. Also keep this in mind: More than likely you're going to take your 4x4 on the trail and scratch it up anyway. Maybe you are building a buggy and would just like to paint the sheetmetal panels. it's really no big deal, just paint it! We'll get you started with the basics-it's up to you to do the best job you can and make a masterpiece out of that jalopy.

A. HvLp spray gun with regulator.
B. Flat-faced sanding board (hand file).
C. Wet-sanding sponge block.
D. Body filler applicators.
E. Dolly for bodywork.
F. Chemical degreaser and cleaner.
g. nason paint catalyst/hardener.
H. nason paint.
I. Body filler. use a good quality body filler, not the cheap stuff.
J. thinning the paint requires use of virgin acetone. Do not use the lacquer thinner or acetone you find at the hardware store.
K. Seam filler. this is a flexible, paintable material used to fill seams.
L. Wet or dry sandpaper. you will need 36-grit up to 1,500.
M. Compressor (not shown).

We didn't want to paint a whole vehicle, just a door from one of our projects to help us choose a color. We're sure there are computer programs that could have done this for us, but painting was much more fun and it's good practice. the door we chose to paint wasn't in bad shape and required very little bodywork.
We didn't want to paint a whole vehicle, just a door from one of our projects to help us c
Disassemble as much of the vehicle as you can. things like door handles, hinges, and emblems are usually easy to remove. When removing our door handle, both screws snapped off, so we'll deal with this problem later. if you are removing parts from an older vehicle, oil the nuts, bolts, and screws the night before. this will ease their removal and prevent problems like these broken fasteners.
Disassemble as much of the vehicle as you can. things like door handles, hinges, and emble
An easy way to keep all your parts together is to place them in a Ziploc bag. We realize this isn't cool, but it works and it works well. if your memory is really bad use a marker and write the part description on the bag.
An easy way to keep all your parts together is to place them in a Ziploc bag. We realize t

The window sweep weatherstripping on this door was cracked and hard as a rock. We cut along the edge so we would still have a place to stick masking tape. We recommend removing the strips so you can paint underneath. if you don't remove the weatherstripping, push your masking tape underneath it, sticky side up, and then fold the tape over. This will keep the tape from being blown off by the spray gun.
The window sweep weatherstripping on this door was cracked and hard as a rock. We cut alon
If your old paint is in good shape you don't have to strip your car or parts to the metal; it can be used as basecoat. Wash all the parts with soap and water, then wet-sand the paint with 400-grit paper. Make sure the edges of any chips in the paint are sanded smooth. Proper prep work is the most important factor when it comes to a good paint job.
If your old paint is in good shape you don't have to strip your car or parts to the metal;
Not all body fillers are created equal. use a good quality filler and follow the manufacturer's directions to a t. Mix only what you can use in three to four minutes, and use the proper plastic spreader as well as a good base. Once it starts to harden, get rid of it instead of trying to work it in.
Not all body fillers are created equal. use a good quality filler and follow the manufactu

As a home-based painter you are still required to follow the same local, state, and federal laws as a commercial paint shop. the laws apply to all commercial and noncommercial coating applications. if in doubt about local regulations ask the professionals at your paint shop or local fire department. if you can't find a clear answer, check with the air quality management district in your state. Keep in mind that there shouldn't be anything the automotive paint suppliers are selling that is illegal for you to use at home. Any paints that had high levels of volatile organic compounds (vOC) in them have been discontinued as mandated by law. in fact most paints in the future will eventually be water-based. Don't let that concern you; one of the best paints on the market today is a german water-based paint. However, you still need to be safe around all paints and chemicals. Make sure you wear all safety equipment, especially a respirator.

You can apply the filler in layers-thinner layers dry faster and are easier to sand by hand. Start knocking the filler down by using a coarse-grit paper, and the closer you get to your desired surface height use a finer grade. Don't sand the body filler by hand as your work will end up uneven. Make sure you use a sanding board or a sanding block for smaller areas. Once you are happy with your work, clean the surface and spread a quality glazing and spot putty over the filler. the glaze will fill pinholes and tiny imperfections. Let the glaze dry thoroughly, and once it is fully cured sand it down with 400-grit sandpaper. After you're satisfied with your bodywork, prime the entire surface of your project. Once the primer is dry it should be lightly sanded with 400-grit paper.
You can apply the filler in layers-thinner layers dry faster and are easier to sand by han
Mixing paint is not as complicated as it seems. We chose Du pont nason paint, which is a good quality, economical paint. A gallon of nason, catalyst, and reducer may cost just around $150. using the paint requires a 6:1:1 mix; six parts paint, one part catalyst, and one part reducer. these foolproof mixing cups are a cinch to use. Choose any point on the cup such as line 5, and fill to that point with paint. Fill to the second 5 line with catalyst, and the third 5 line with reducer. Don't mix more paint than you can use, we recommend mixing a cup at a time.
Mixing paint is not as complicated as it seems. We chose Du pont nason paint, which is a g
Make sure your High volume Low pressure (HvLp) spray gun has an airflow regulator. psi ratings vary from paint to paint, and the technical data sheet (tDS) will give you all the specification. For example, we shot our nason at 10 psi, Du pont recommends 8-10 psi. Most guns have three adjustment controls. the fan control is usually located on the side of the gun; it controls the air distributed around the fluid nozzle. it also atomizes the paint and ultimately controls the spray pattern. the fluid control located at the back of the gun controls the amount of fluid being dispersed by the gun. the air micrometer adjusts the air volume and pressure that is delivered to the air cap.
Make sure your High volume Low pressure (HvLp) spray gun has an airflow regulator. psi rat

To test our gun's spray pattern, texture, and paint we taped a large sheet of paper to the wall before painting. We highly recommend you do the same. your gun should have come with instructions on how to adjust the spray pattern and paint volume. When painting, start from the left or right and move slowly in one direction, and stop at the end of each pass. this is where the practice on your paper comes in.
To test our gun's spray pattern, texture, and paint we taped a large sheet of paper to the
Once you get the hang of painting with your gun, move on to a smaller section of your work. this nason solid color paint was applied in two coats, a medium coat which was allowed to tack, and then a second coat. the paint will dry tack-free in 60 to 80 minutes and will harden overnight. Dependant on conditions, we recommend letting the paint sit three days and come to a full 100 percent cure before color sanding.
Once you get the hang of painting with your gun, move on to a smaller section of your work
Sanding will remove orange peel and runs. this should be done with 1,200- to 2,000-grit paper. Choosing the right grit depends on how bad the imperfections are. Crosshatch your sanding, which means doing your work in one direction, then making a pass in the opposite direction. Example: Sand left to right, then up and down to minimize possible scratches. After sanding, we recommend polishing with a cutting compound, then a fine rubbing compound, and following up with a good quality nonabrasive carnauba wax. We think the door on the right is far better!
Sanding will remove orange peel and runs. this should be done with 1,200- to 2,000-grit pa