Painting..Suggestions and Tips

[VTAudiA4]

I purchase some black S4 side skirts not too long ago and I am planning on painting them along with the lower front/rear valances to match body color (Santorin). I am a complete noob at body work so please help me out. I have read many online guides and watched countless online vids to gain more knowledge so please do not tell me to search. Below I have compiled the parts needed and an abbreviated version on what I have read online. Please feel free to correct me on anything and give me suggestions/tips. Any help is appreciated as always.

Parts Needed:
* Grease/Wax Remover
* primer
* primer sealer
* tack cloths
* sanding block Edit: 320grit, 600 grit, 800grit
* clear coat
* paint (obviously)

Step 1: Sand down/scuff existing paint. Starting with 80grit then 600grit, then 800 grit
Step 2: Use grease/wax remover and tack cloth
Step 3: Apply 3 coats of primer. Between each step wet sand with 600/800grit and repeat Step 2.
Step 4: Apply 3 coats of paint. Between each step wet sand with 600/800grit and repeat Step 2.
Step 5: Apply 3 coats of clear. Between each step wet sand with 600/800grit and repeat Step 2.

make sure u wet the floor before where ever u paint the car. cuts down on the about to trashed kicked up by the paint gun and walking around the car

[AudiTurrbo19]

Def DON'T use 80 thatll eff up your bumpers/sides use like 320

[biketsai]

No way you need all that stuff or that sandpaper.
All you need is wax/grease remover, tack cloth, and 400 grit wetsanding paper.
All you have to do it wetsand it till you completely knock the shine off.
Wetsand, clean, wax/grease remover, then tack cloth right before you paint it.
I would put 3-4 coats on lightly with about 5 minutes in between.

[Mad_Audi]

make sure u wet the floor before where ever u paint the car. cuts down on the about to trashed kicked up by the paint gun and walking around the car

[VTAudiA4]

^ Cool I heard about that. I will add that to the above post. Thanks

[AudiDude007]

No way you need all that stuff or that sandpaper.
All you need is wax/grease remover, tack cloth, and 400 grit wetsanding paper.
All you have to do it wetsand it till you completely knock the shine off.
Wetsand, clean, wax/grease remover, then tack cloth right before you paint it.
I would put 3-4 coats on lightly with about 5 minutes in between.

thats about right....i normally go 320-400-800....heres my down and dirty painting suggestions

1. Sand old paint off using 240-320 ( the higher you can get away with the less scratches you'll have to worry about later)
2. Smooth the already sanded area with 400-600 ( the smoother you can make the base, the better off you are)
3. Once you have it sanded to your desired smoothness, wash them with dish detergent and rinse, let air dry COMPLETELY!!

**note** instead of degreaser/wax remover, you can use diluted isopropyl rubbing alcohol (50/50 mix)

4.Degrease (or diluted alcohol)Once dry, tack cloth the area to be primed right before you apply the primer....spray light !!! first coat than wait 5-10 mins, second coat than wait 5-10 mins, third coat 5-10 mins..

5.Let primer dry completely!! sand using 600 than 800 wet ( to desired smoothness)

6. wash/dry/degrease

7. tack cloth RIGHT before paint....

8.paint first coat wait 10-15 mins, second coat wait 10-15, third coat wait 10-15

at this point your sanding is done barring any major eff ups

9. wait about 20-30 mins

10. clear coat wait 10 clear coat wait 10 clear coat wait 10

**take your time with the clear coat because this is your final finish, this is usually whhere i make my mistakes and get runs. clear coat tends to run alot easier than primer/paint


anyone please feel free to add or correct anything that was off the top of my head, havent painted in a while.....YES WET THE FLOOR!!! and just be patient !!


MY BUMPER/MIRROR REPAINT

[VTAudiA4]

^ Sweet, thanks. So you you sand the primer coat after you do 3 layers?
Also do you have to remove all the paint from the pice being painted? In your thread you took of all the paint off your bumper.

[biketsai]

No, you dont have to take all the paint off. You can kinda use it as a primer layer. So just sand witht he 400 (wetsand) till the shine is completely off.

[VTAudiA4]

Ok cool. What about the valances since they are not smooth would I use putty to fill. Then sand it down before applying the primer?

Sorry for all these questions but I want to do it right the first time.

[biketsai]

Ok cool. What about the valances since they are not smooth would I use putty to fill. Then sand it down before applying the primer?

Sorry for all these questions but I want to do it right the first time.

That sounds good. I think you might need some plastic adhesion promoter.

[AudiDude007]

haha the valances are a PITA cause they're rough and a little softer than the bumper plastic. just plan on a good hour or so of sanding the valances. as he said you don't need to get all the paint off....i just did for peace of mind.

yeah only sand after 2-3 layers(however many you choose to do)...the more layers, the better it will cover imperfections from sanding the old paint.


i understand you want to do it right the first time, but don't get disappointed if its not perfect it takes practice to really get it down

[VTAudiA4]

Sounds good. Thanks for all the helpful tips. I appreciate it greatly

[TQMB5]

DO NOT WET DOWN THE FLOOR.

sand with 320 grit to knock down the shine. hit with a couple coats of primer, sand with 400 grit, use dishsoap with degreasing agent or any other degreaser. Make sure your garage is very clean before you spray. what i did was wash out the garage the day before, but you dont want a wet floor...

Also make sure you are using a paint system not just random primer and paint. Then again this is just my opinion

[TQMB5]

sorry i didnt see you wanted to paint your lower valences as well. What i did was use SEM high build flexible primer made for plastics. Put it on thick, sand, wash, repeat until their are no more little bumps.

also you dont want to go above 400grit before you spray. The paint needs something to hold on to

[VTAudiA4]

Cool, thansk for the tips. Now what other paint supplies should I use?

any suggestions/tips for spray guns/painting?

I read that you should have the gun set around 40psi so that the paint shoots out around 35psi. Is this correct?

[Davect06607]

Depend on Air hose diameter & length.

A 50ft, 1/4 hose has a much more pressure drop then a 25ft 3/8 hose.\

[Mad_Audi]

DO NOT WET DOWN THE FLOOR.

please tell me why not? i worked in a body shop for a year. we wet the walls and the floor then brought the car in a few minutes later.

[biketsai]

Just wet the walls and floor.

[speedydragon]

what kinda paint are you using? I'm santorin too, and I have yet to find a matching paint lol

[a4rings]

can you spray sideskirts with a 6 gallon 125 psi air compressor?

[biketsai]

I'm sure you can. If you have any friends that paint you might want to ask them to come and help you dial the gun in to get the right air/paint mixture when shooting

[VTAudiA4]

what kinda paint are you using? I'm santorin too, and I have yet to find a matching paint lol

I have not started looking yet because I will be doing this project towards the fall but I am sure I an just go find it at an online shop and just give them my paint code. I've seen a bunch of sites that do that but can't think of them off the top of my head.

[speedydragon]

bumpp..end results?