[Genesis]

Hi all,

The rear of my car has been damaged by heat of the past year, and a bit of rust has shown its face.
Being new to painting, I'm hoping you guys might be able to help me out with some steps.

[Note] I don't have professional equitment such as compressor/guns etc.. I planned on using Aerosol cans. I know it's not the 'bes't more professional look but at this stage, I want to keep my car from rusting/peeling any further.

Firstly, the rusty area is my main area I want to focus on before it gets worse. It does feel like its only surface rust, but what I've been told is to sand all the rust away with 80grit. Would there be any reason I should smooth our the 80grit marks with 120/180 paper ? of best to keep roughed up for the primer to stick to ?

2nd, what primer should I use ? I checked out my local auto store and found many types of primer (from 3M), ranging from Etch Primer/Enamel Primer/Primer Filler/Primer Surfacer .
* Should I apply some sort of Rustkill before apply the 1st primer ?
*I also read that Primer can't really be sanded. Unless I use a 2nd type of primer, which i then sand with, then apply base coat.

3rd, base coat, should I use some sort of Acrylic paint or Enamel ? So I sand after every coat ? or wait till I apply all my coats then give it a light sanddown with maybe 800grit ?

Same with Clear coat, sand after every coat or after all coats applied, with 1500 - 2000grit ?

Would any recommend some polish to use for buffing too ?


Sorry if I don't make much sense, been researching everywhere and mostly find how to paint with gun and compressor etc.. not much in the way of Aerosol paints.
Basically I'm looking for a step-by-step guide, in terms of "sand to this point" then "apply this", "apply that".

Thanks.

Regards

[KMatch]

Just a quick comment or more of a sidestep, but as far as spray cans go, many paint suppliers can mix you up a batch of real paint and either charge a spray can with it or it will spray from a bottle attached to an aerosol sprayer. This gets you away from the likes of krylon and rust-oleum junk. It doesn't lay on like a spray gun (it's a can...) but it allows you to use chemicals that won't lose as much respect on these boards.

[Genesis]

Hey KMatch, thanks for the reply,

I'm hoping to be checking out a place in the town I work, apparently they just do paints, so hopefully they'll have something there.

Regards,

[cyclopsblown34]

I think the sprayer that uses aerosol cans as propellant are called Preval. Good luck on the project and take it one step at a time.

[cyclopsblown34]

Rough up the surface and remove the rust with 36 grit sandpaper.
Apply a filler that is suitable for direct to metal application, when you mix it, mix it thoroughly so it is a uniform color.
Sand the filler with 80 grit sandpaper on a sanding block either bought or homebrewed/improvised.
Feel the filler for an even surface, if it feels like it is even with no low spots or high spots proceed with 120 grit and 180 grit sandpaper on a sanding block.
If it has low spots, fill them and then sand the area to a uniform surface.
Once satisfied the surface is even proceed to sand with 120 and 180 grit sandpaper on a sanding block.
Spray the repair area with two or three coats of a primer surfacer extending beyond the repair area, you should have sanded beyond the repair, in essence featheredging the repair.
Once the primer surfacer is dry, sand it with 220, 320 and then 400 grit sandpaper.
If the surface feels good to you and no filler is showing through, you can either use a sealer or thin your primer surfacer and spray a thin coat as a sealer and you're ready for paint.
As for paint, if you're spraying a solid color, you can stop sanding at 400 grit and you can get away with single stage paint which requires no clear. If you're spraying a metallic or pearl, you need to sand to 600 grit and use a clearcoat over the paint.

Once you have painted the surface and clearcoated it if needed, you can sand it with 600 grit and apply three more coats of either the color(if a single stage) or clear.

You'll then want to sand the paint or clearcoat with 1000 then 1500 grit on a block and wet with some soapy water.
Let it sit a day and then you can polish it with polishing compound and then glaze it with a decent glaze. Meguiars brand is pretty common around here and is what I'd suggest as an easy system to use.

[Genesis]

Awesome, thanks cyclopsblown34, gives me something to go on .


Regards,