Brush Painting a Car – Is It a Good Idea?

Brush Painting a Car – Is It a Good Idea?

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Do you want to change your current car color? Does it lose its shine? It may be time for you to give your vehicle a new look by painting it.

You can choose three car painting options: car spraying, paint roller, and brush painting.

Brush Painting a Car

In brush painting your car, there are a lot of preparations you have to make to have the best result. You also have to consider a lot of things to get it done.

We will explain through this article all you need to learn about painting your car using a paintbrush and whether it is good!

What Is Brush Painting?

Brush painting is when you utilize a paintbrush to apply coats of paint to your car.

With brush painting, you can pick more colors or make a customized color by just mixing the paints. Brush painting can have good results when you use tools that are high quality.

Usually, the paintbrush applies a thin coat; therefore, the angled brush works excellently for the best results.

Angled brush allows you to paint detailed areas of your car that have specifications.

Brush Painting Preparation

Before you grab your brush to paint your car, you must consider the preparation first.

Understanding the preparation for brush painting will help you decide whether to DIY or let the pro do the work for you.

Here’s how you prepare before brushing paint on your car:

Choose a Suitable Environment to Paint Your Car

You have to find an ideal place where you’re going to park your car for painting time. Parking in a secluded area could be better.

If you want your paint result to be good, you should avoid dusty or dirty places that may ruin your paintwork.

If you are in an open area, debris or leaves might fall onto your car, leaving a mark on the paint.

A paint booth area is good, or if you don’t have it, the garage will work fine as long as it is not dusty.

Choose Paint Color

Of course, before painting your car, you must choose a color according to your preference.

Make sure that you have enough paint of that color to paint your whole car, or else the result might look uneven, or you can’t finish painting at all.

Cover the Parts of the Car You Don’t Want to Paint

Next is to cover those parts of your car you don’t want to paint, such as headlights, mirrors, and every component that is not included to paint.

You can use plastic or tape to cover those parts to ensure they won’t be stained while you paint.

Or, to ensure that they won’t be tainted, you can dismantle those parts as much as possible.

Check the Existing Paint Layer

You must also check the existing paint layer to see any damage. If you find any damage, you must repair them as much as possible, or it will be visible later after painting.

It would be best to fill or prime those damaged areas before painting.

Sand Lacquer Layer

Another thing is to sand those lacquer layers with 1200-grit sandpaper to roughen the surface you will paint.

Sanding will make the new paint color stick; otherwise, it will not hold when you paint a smooth surface.

The paint will flake and peel in no time; roughness is needed to provide traction for the color to stick in place.

Brush Painting a Car

Choose Brush Quality

When you paint your car using a brush, you must consider the brush quality.

Make sure to buy high-density foam brushes; they hold the paint very well and avoid residual brush strokes.

An Angled brush works well in cutting along edges and straight lines, so it will be good to use in painting your car and holds the paint very well.

Please don’t use cheap brushes as their bristles might keep losing while you paint, which might ruin your paintwork.

Inform the Registration Authority if You Changed the Color

You must inform the registration authority if you changed your car color.

It has to be entered in your vehicle document, so you must abide by the rules, but it is not required if it is the same color.

Things to Consider In Brush Painting Your Car

Now that you know how to prepare your car before painting, you must also know the things you should consider for your guidance before you DIY.

Ensure Your Safety

You must use proper safety gear, such as full-length clothes or coveralls, a painter’s mask, and eye protection when you paint your cars.

Even when you start sanding, you must wear eye protection to avoid particles getting in your eyes that might irritate you.

Painter’s mask to ensure you will not inhale the toxic chemical from the paint that may harm your respiratory.

Maintain Your Painting Stroke

You must paint your car in the same direction if you want better results. You can paint it from top to bottom and do it repeatedly until you are done.

You should keep your painting stroke the same if you want a pleasing result.

Have Enough Budget

It would be best if you had enough budget for your materials, such as the brush, paints, and other tools needed.

Especially the color, you must have enough of it before starting, so you can work continuously.

You don’t use a single paint only; you need primer and coating to have the best result, and it needs to have enough budget.

Time Commitment

If you are committed to DIY, you should have enough spare time. Brush painting your car is a long project commitment; you must work slowly and carefully to have the best possible result.

You can’t rush it, or else you can’t get the new look of your car that you ever wanted.

Hand painting a car takes 3-4 days in a row as it needs the first coat before the final coat application.

The first coat needs to be dried well before applying the final coating, which requires several hours of drying.

Are You Ready to DIY?

After taking all the considerations and picturing out the brush painting preparation of your car, are you ready enough to do it?

The level of this job is difficult, and if you are not a master in DIY things, it might take you a few more days to finish it.

The only thing that makes brush painting advantageous is that you can customize color, and the paint is a bit cheaper than spray paint per foot of coverage.

Therefore, it needs careful consideration if you are going to do it.

Conclusion

Painting your car using a brush is indeed a difficult job. You have to consider a lot of things, but if you have a lot of time to spend on it, it would be an enjoyable project to do so.

If you love DIY, it would be a great experience to paint your car using a brush instead of spray paint or a roller.

However, if you are busy and cannot commit time, calling a pro would be your best option to give your car a new look. 

Is it good to use a brush to paint your car? The answer depends on your preference.