How to Repair Common Problems With Auto Paint

Automotive finishes can present a variety of problems for vehicle owners and body shop personnel. The painting process can be fraught with difficulties and technicians often find themselves having to paint jobs a second time if certain characteristics appear in their work. Once a vehicle is out of the body shop, it is still possible to experience problems with paint integrity. Knowing how to deal with auto paint problems can save time and money on refinishing costs and preserve the quality of the finish for many years.

Instructions

Application Problems

1

Look for "fish eyes," which can appear as small, circle-shaped holes during painting and are caused by grease or solvent contamination on the panel surface. Wipe applied paint from the surface of a panel with a rag soaked in cellulose thinners before it dries. Leave the panel to air dry once all traces of paint have been removed. Lightly rub the surface of the panel with a fine-grade sanding pad to rectify any marks in the primer and wash the panel thoroughly with automotive "pre-clean" solution before attempting to paint it again.

2

Inspect for paint wrinkles that can materialize when a chemical reaction takes place between existing materials and new paint. They have the appearance of small, snake-like lines that eventually peel from the surface. Avoid further applications of paint and instead remove the affected panel from the vehicle. Apply water-washable paint stripper to the panel surface with a paint brush and use a metal scraper to remove all traces of new and existing paints or primers. Douse the panel with water to kill the active ingredient in the paint stripper and dry thoroughly. Sand any remaining traces of paint back to bare metal with P180-grit sanding discs before priming and painting the panel again.

3

Look for bleeding that can occur when a new paint finish reacts with old colors and lifts the original solvents to the surface of the panel. Leave the paint to dry before rubbing it down with a fine-grade sanding pad. Wipe the panel clean and, before painting again, apply two full coats of transparent sealer to the panel to create a barrier between the old finish and the next application of color.

4

Examine the paint for "orange peel," which can occur because paint has been insufficiently thinned or has been applied at too low a pressure. However, it can be easily rectified. Allow the paint to dry and rub down the orange-peel texture with 1500-grit, wet-and-dry paper until a flat finish is achieved. Polish back to a shine with cutting compound and remove swirl marks with a glazing polish to finish.

5

Look for pinholes, which are caused by small pockets of air that bleed through body filler when too much hardener has been added. Leave the paint to dry and lightly sand over the pinholes by hand with a piece of P800-grit, wet-and-dry paper. Dry the vehicle and remove all traces of water from the pinholes with an air blower. Take a tube of fast-drying polyester stopper and apply a small amount to the edge of a plastic spreader. Wipe the stopper into the pinholes to fill them and wash away any excess material with automotive pre-clean. The vehicle can now be painted again.

Cosmetic Problems

6

Examine the paint for swirl marks that can be caused by poor polishing practices. Apply cutting compound to the surface of the affected panel and polish back to a shine with an electrical polishing machine fitted with a foam pad.

7

Look for "cobwebs," which appear as larger swirl marks and are caused when a vehicle is washed with water contaminated with grit. Once again, apply cutting compound to the surface of each panel and buff back to a shine with a polishing machine. Use a glazing polish instead of cutting compound if the cobwebs are only superficial.

8

Examine the pain for "holograms," which can appear as a floating effect on the surface of a painted panel and are simply caused by negligence. Rinse the panel with water and run a clay bar over the hologram to remove the surface layer of paint. Once traces of the hologram are removed, polish back to a full-gloss finish with cutting compound and a polishing machine.