How to Prepare a Car for Respray

Re-spraying is a great way to restore a vehicle's appearance. The process will virtually eliminate signs of minor dents, scratches and other imperfections. Before re-spraying, however, it's important to properly prepare the vehicle in order to achieve desired results. Proper prep will also ensure only the targeted areas of the vehicle are re-sprayed.

• 1

  Move the car to a warm and dry area that offers ideal re-spraying conditions.

• 2

  Rub the surface of the vehicle with 80-grit aluminum oxide abrasive paper until you reach the metal.

• 3

  Tape newspaper over any areas of the vehicle that are not going to be re-sprayed. Use masking tape to secure the newspaper. This type of adhesive will not damage the existing paint job.

• 4

  Spray on several coats of primer to the clean, dry area that you plan to re-spray. Wait 15 minutes between each coat and let it dry overnight for at least 24 hours.

• 5

  Use 1500-grit wet and dry paper to sand down the primer. Continue sanding until it feels smooth.