How to Do a Good Base Coat Clear Coat Paint Job

Gathering Materials and Prepping the Vehicle

Buy enough primer, base coat, and clear coat to cover your vehicle. For a small- to medium-sized car, you’ll need 1 gallon (3.8 L) of primer, 3 gallons (11 L) of base coat, and 2 to 3 gallons (7.6 to 11.4 L) of clear coat. For larger vehicles, double those amounts. If you want to match your car’s original color, check your car’s compliance plate to find the color code. You can give that to an auto paint store and they’ll be able to match the color for you. It’s always better to have a little extra paint rather than too little. Remember that you can save excess paint for touch-ups.

Assemble your protective gear before you start working. You will need a respirator, protective eyewear, disposable gloves, and clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Check the manufacturer’s instructions on the primer, base coat, and clear coat for any other safety stipulations. If you don’t own a respirator, you may be able to rent one from your local hardware store.

Work in a location that is 70–80 °F (21–27 °C) for the best results. Depending on the weather, you could definitely work outside—just make sure to check that the weather forecast will be clear for a few days. If you live in an area with high humidity, it will take longer for each coat of paint to dry, so consider working climate-controlled space if you can—just ensure you’re working somewhere that has good ventilation. Working in the right temperature will help the paint dry properly.

Wash the car with dish soap and water and dry it with a lint-free towel. Grab a big bucket and fill it with warm water and a few squirts of dish detergent. Then use a large sponge and wash your car, starting at the top and working your way to the bottom. Once the entire car has been washed, use a lint-free towel to dry it off thoroughly. The car needs to be completely free of wax, oil, and dirt, and the dish soap is gentle enough to clean everything off without leaving a soapy residue.

Sand out any rust spots or scratches with 180-320-grit sandpaper. If you have a sander, load the sandpaper into it and work on sanding out any areas that have rust or that are scratched up. You’ll be sanding the entire body of the car later, but this pre-step will help prep those areas to receive the primer, base, and clear coats. Sand corners and small crevices by hand to ensure they’re fully prepped. The sanding machine won’t be about to maneuver such small spaces.

Wet sand the entire car using 1000-1500-grit wet sandpaper. You will need specific wet sandpaper and a spray bottle filled with water. Spray a section of the car, and start sanding in a back and forth motion (not in a circle). Continue this process until the entire car is smooth, refilling the water bottle as needed. If the paint job you’re replacing or fixing is really patchy, sand until you get down to the bare metal frame. If the paint job wasn’t bad to begin with, just sand until you get an even, smooth-to-the-touch surface. Wet sanding makes a really smooth surface as apposed to the coarser surface that comes from regular sanding. You can’t get the car over-wet, so don’t worry about how much water you spray. Use rubber sanding blocks if you don’t have a sander.

Rinse down the car and dry it off again with a lint-free towel. Pay attention to the body of the car as you rinse it this second time. If there are any areas that need to be sanded again, take time now to do so. Once the car has been rinsed, dry it thoroughly with the towel. Rinsing the car off again ensures that all the little flakes of paint and sandpaper are gone.

Tape off the windows, lights, and tires with masking tape and plastic. Place the tape around the seam of each area that you don’t want to paint. Then cover those areas with plastic sheeting and apply a second layer of masking tape to keep the cover in place. Use a putty knife to press the tape down into cracks and crevices. If you don’t have plastic film or sheeting, use 2-3 layers of old newspaper. Check out some online tutorials for extra tips and examples of taping off your car. If you’re working in an area with other tools or furniture, you may also want to spread some plastic sheeting over them to keep them clean.

Priming the Car and Applying the Base Coat

Apply 2 coats of primer before applying the base and clear coats. Check the primer manufacturer’s instructions before you start—chances are you will need to mix the primer with a thinner first. Once your mixture is ready to go, load it into the spray gun. Hold the gun about 6 inches (15 cm) from the body of the car and spray in a back and forth motion until the entire body of the car is covered. Wait about 20 minutes between each coat. Use an old piece of wood or scrap metal to practice spraying the primer before you begin on your car. This’ll help you get the feel for the machine.

Sand the vehicle with 2000-grit wet sandpaper after the primer dries. The primer will leave a slightly uneven and powdery layer on the car, so use your spray bottle and wet sandpaper to gently go over the entire vehicle. Just sand enough so that the surface is completely smooth. Wipe down the sanded, primed car with a damp rag once you’re done and let it dry completely before moving on to the base coat.

Spray on the first coat of the base coat and let it dry for 20 minutes. Check the instructions of the base coat to see if it also need to be mixed with thinners. Load the liquid into your cleaned-out spray gun. Hold the sprayer 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 cm) away from the car and use smooth, even strokes, going from left to right rather than up and down or in circles. It should take you about 10 minutes to apply the first base coat if you’re painting a small- to medium-sized vehicle.

Apply a second coat of the base coat after the first one has dried. Use the same technique as before, moving in slow, even, strokes. This is a great time to check over the vehicle and make sure things are looking even. Once the second coat has been applied, clean out your spray gun to get it ready for the clear coat. If you can still see the metal of the frame through the primer and base coat, you may want to add a third base coat.

Let the base coat dry completely before moving on to the clear coat. It’ll usually take about 30 minutes for the base coat to dry, but depending on the temperature and humidity, it could take closer to 60 minutes. You’ll know it’s dry when it’s smooth to the touch and your fingers don’t drag on it when you touch it. If you notice any residue or bumpy areas, sand the area down again and reapply the base coat until it’s even.

Applying the Clear Coat and Finishing the Job

Spray the first coat of the clear coat evenly over the base. Fill your spray gun with the clear coat, following any manufacturer’s specifications from the paint can. Start at the top of the vehicle and spray from left to right as you make your way down to the bottom of the car. Use even, long strokes. Wait 10 minutes after this first coat before applying the second. The clear coat should be easy to see as it goes on the car, so take your time to make sure the entire body is evenly coated. You’ll know the clear coat is dry when it is smooth to the touch, rather than sticky.

Apply the second clear coat to create a nice, glossy finish. Once the first clear coat has dried, repeat the process to apply the second (and final!) coat. Remember to use smooth, even strokes and to completely coat the entire body of the car. If you want, or if you applied particularly thin first and second coats, you could do a third coat, though two is usually sufficient.

Remove the masking tape and plastic before the paint dries. Right after you apply the last clear coat, carefully peel away the masking tape and plastic sheeting or newspaper. Do this slowly and try to keep the plastic from touching or getting stuck in the clear coat. If there is sticky residue left from the tape, ignore it for now. You can go back to it later and rub it away using something like Goo Gone.

Fix any mistakes or uneven areas by sanding and respraying the area. Be careful when doing this since you’ve already removed the tape and protective sheeting. Chances are, if you have to fix anything, it’ll just be a small section that you can carefully spray again. Remember that you can always use this process of sanding and spraying to fix small scratches in the future, especially if you have leftover paint.

Buff your clear coat for a glossy finish. Make sure the clear coat is completely dry before you buff. You can rent a buffer from your local hardware store if you don’t own one. Use a low setting and buff carefully but quickly—if you leave the buffer on any particular spot for too long, it could burn or wear away the paint you just applied. You don’t have to buff your car if you don’t want to, but it definitely makes it look shinier!