How Many Quarts of Paint Are Needed to Paint a Car?

People looking to save some money on an expensive paint job, and car restoration enthusiasts as well, sometimes set out to put a new paint job on their car. This usually proves a mistake, as some expertise is required. Furthermore, literally gallons of expensive paint and primer are needed to do the job properly, and skimping on those things will likely leave the car looking worse than before.

Priming

An often overlooked issue in the question of how much material is needed to paint a car is priming. Priming is recommended before beginning any paint job, to give the surface a blank, neutral color. It is essential if the new color is darker than the old color. Not applying primer can result in needing to put down another layer of paint, so it should never be skimped on any paint job. One gallon of primer is needed to prepare a mid-sized sedan. Primer costs roughly $70 per gallon.

Spray Cans

The usual estimate for painting a car using spray paint cans is between 20-30 cans for a mid-sized car, depending on how adept the painter is. Considering that these spray cans cost between $7 and $35 each, varying with the quality of the paint, going this route is an expensive option. Spray cans are a good option for touching up, but not for painting an entire car.

Small and Mid-Sized Cars

Just as with the primer, a good painter can do one coat of paint on a mid-sized sedan with one gallon of paint. At least two coats, and perhaps as many as four, will be necessary. Given an average of three coats, a mid-sized sedan will need three gallons, and a compact car will need two. The paint costs roughly $60 per gallon.

Large Cars

A large car, such as a luxury car, a station wagon, a big muscle car, or a jeep, will require between three and four gallons of paint. Therefore, to paint a big car, four gallons should be purchased, and all of the paint applied. A slightly thicker coat of paint never hurts.

SUVs and Trucks

The next step up in surface area is the SUV and the heavy pick-up truck. A normal example of these vehicles will require at least five gallons of paint, but an especially large truck or SUV (such as a Hummer) might need up to eight gallons.

Lacquer

Car paint needs to be protected with clear lacquer. A minimum of two coats is required with three recommended. It is therefore best to buy as much lacquer as paint, since just as much lacquer will be required.