It's hard for most to see the rest of the car, if the paint is not perfect. Step 1 Vacuum the entire wall using the hose and brush attachments. Youâll need to make sure to dampen your pad a little now and then to avoid burning the paint and be careful not to keep the buffer on one area for more than a couple of seconds or you risk damaging the base coat. I bought a new bumper cover through my local friendly auto body supply store, along with a gray primer and a custom-made single stage paint that they loaded into a spray can for me. Is your car paint is looking faded, flat and dull? Fill a bucket with slightly soapy water and let your sandpaper soak in it for up to an hour before you begin, then wrap it around a soft colour sanding block. Place the pad on the paintwork and ensure itâs on a slow setting. Let one half sit in the water for about five minutes before you begin, then wrap your sandpaper around your sanding squeegee. With a single stage paint, both the color and the shine are shot out of the same gun, at the same time. Work very lightly on the corners and edges and only by hand. Try to do it a little high and not at the floor. Car polish helps to smooth out scratches and imperfections in your car's paint. Make sure you have enough polish so the buffer stays wet, or you might end up having to start over or clear coat the surface again. You need a buffer (Not angle Grinder) you are looking for a variable speed buffer that goes from about 1000 - 3000 rpm ish Use a G3 compound and loads of water and polish the panel until you see it shine. Use the buffer to spread the polish around the area. It makes a mess but it works! Use micro-fine sandpaper, which is less sharp than other sandpaper and less likely to damage the surface. ... "Medium Polish" the trailer using a less coarse grade of Rolite polish using a new wool bonnet on the angle grinder. Evenly apply polish to your electric buffer or foam pad and switch on, but a warning: do not put too much compound on the pad or you could burn through the paint. Then use wet sanding to start smoothing your surface with the aim of removing the tiny bumps and ripples in the paint that may have occurred at the paint spray gun stage, frequently referred to as orange peel. Done by a seasoned expert, colour sanding can turn a good paint job into an exceptional one. Furthermore, the new paint contains a mildewcide, making it safe to use in ⦠While flat paint is a great way to cover your walls, there are many situations in which it can stain or become dirty.When this happens, it is important to clean it as soon as possible. Start with around 1500 grade (1200 minimum, if the surface is acrylic and the scratches are really bad) and work up to 3000 grit. Apply a coat of etch primer to any bare metal; this is a special primer which will burn itself into the metal and ensure that the paint sticks to it. Warning: Do not put too much compound on the pad or you could burn through the paint. This shows how the brown paint alters the appearance of the wood but not drastically. Apply rubbing compound to the automobile by placing a coin sized pool of compound onto a clean rag and spreading it onto the car. Using a chemical formula that is slightly abrasive (like a very gentle liquid sandpaper), polish will get your paintwork looking as good as new when applied properly. Read about the right way to cut and buff paint as the guys work on this classic Chevrolet Corvette. Always make sure you buff away from edges. Sand the entire panel with 400grit sandpaper until all old paint is feathered and filler is perfectly flat. There were no real problems, and your buddies are now patting you on the back and maybe thinking of asking you to paint their cars, too. Once you start sanding, use even, smooth strokes without pressing too hard and using different stroke directions to achieve a âcross hatchingâ effect. The professionals we talked with for this article are at Muscle Car Restorations in Chippewa Falls, WI. The idea is to gradually eliminate the coarser scratches from the paint, levelling the paintâs surface with finer and finer scratches that can eventually be hidden with polish. Quick tip: When using, never buff into an edge. Please note the information provided in this website is General Information only, please read all product data sheets and safety data sheets before commencing any work. "Am I really sure I want to do this?" Nevertheless, by following these steps you will take your paint job from impressive to spectacular. If orange peel is minimal, sand out the texture in the dried paint film with a fine grit sandpaper, then compound and polish to restore gloss. Dip the wet sandpaper into the bucket frequently to ensure there's enough water on the surface of your car. Rubbing compound is the answer. Otherwise, use 1,000-grit paper with lots of water. Make sure your buffing pad is 100 percent clean and properly attached to your buffer before starting. The cut and polish procedure, also known as colour sanding and buffing, is the key to polishing up your paint work and imparting that show-stopping finish to it. If you are using a foam pad, apply the polish in firm circular motions until enough polish has been applied. never rub any other direction on a run other wise you could cause it to drag as the laquor will still be soft. It is possible to clean flat paint; you just need to use extra care. Use light downward pressure to begin. Be particularly careful with the speed and pressure on higher are⦠Again only clear coat is being polished so you wonât see color on the cloth. Choose an area to begin on and spread out a one-foot diameter spot of compound/water mix. Save yourself from yourself! To optimise control, think about working in sections of about a 30 cm squared at a time. Itâs also best to use a slow-starting tool that works up to the top speed you have set. Some sites recommend starting with paper as low as 400 grade, but do not do this! You may need to finish the sanding process with 3000 fine-grade sandpaper. Buffing will then restore the shine and add the depth we all admire. Medium pressure is needed to help cut back those sanding marks and bring up a final shine. If you've never done this before, it might be hard to imagine yourself actually taking sand paper to new fresh paint. It's because no matter how well the final clear coat is laid down, there will always be some texture or "orange peel" in the surface of the paint. (This will give you a much better polish but will still leave ⦠A note before you start; make sure your clear coat has properly cured. Anything under 1200 is going to cause more damage than it solves. They typically look like this (varies among manufacturers): Be sure your surface is clean and dry (remove all contaminants) Use only when temperatures range between 50F and 90F where relative humidity is below 85% Begin and finish spraying off the object using a side-to-side sweeping motion, overlapping your spray slightly with ⦠Apply 2-3 coats of Primer Filler. Wash the glossy surface, using a sponge. Ensure it is a soft block or you risk scratching the paint job. If the paint is heavily orange-peeled, start with 800 grit. Any dirt or debris left on the paintwork may scratch the paint further. One way is to wash it with a strong mixture of trisodium phosphate and water: Mix a solution consisting of 1 cup of TSP per gallon of water in a bucket. © 2021 Hot Rod | MOTOR TREND GROUP, LLC. As you sand, youâll be upping the grade of your sandpaper all the way to micro-fine 3000 grit varieties. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to the  Terms of Use. When your lacquer is totally cured you can polish it to a high shine using a cutting agent and a high quality hand-glaze polish. Do not let the panel go dry, keep putting water on it or it will ⦠On existing paint, it can be used to remove scuffs or shallow scratches or restore the luster of the paint. The paint can be a little dull without some extra attention, though. Remove the old clear coat finish (if your trailer has a clear coat finish) with a paint stripper. These chemicals are toxic dangerous and get absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes. Use long vertical sweeps to avoid streaking. 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