Selection of paint for a car in St. Petersburg: computer and with tinting

For a modern person, a car is by no means a luxury. But every owner tries to make every effort to make his car look as attractive as possible.

The main impression of a car is created not by its prestigious brand and attractive shape, but by how well and harmoniously it is painted.

Process components

Painting a car is a complex, volumetric set of operations. This process begins with stripping, grinding, blowing with compressed air, wiping surfaces, and ends with painting, drying, conditioning, and rubbing the entire car. At the same time, hundreds of units of various chemicals, materials, equipment, and tools are used in specialized centers. Which one is suitable is up to the car owner to decide.

The lack of necessary substances sometimes leads to unpredictable results. The quality of the paint job suffers and the car looks unpresentable. To paint a car flawlessly, you need to accurately select the color scheme, have practical experience, and have the skills to handle paint and varnish materials. The masters of special centers, who have been involved in manufacturing for many years, intuitively and accurately select materials for any machine that are ideally suited to it.

Russian car owners often carry out paint and body work themselves.

Practical tips for choosing the type of paint

1. Use car cosmetics only from the world's leading manufacturers. 2. Do not use car enamel with a high hardness index in places of bends and vibrations. 3. Glypthal enamels require a long drying time - sometimes it takes several days to completely cure. In addition, they are sensitive to ambient temperature (they are susceptible to thickening and therefore require proper dilution before use). Parts must be primed before painting. 4. Acrylic enamel should be used in several layers. It is not recommended to varnish it. 5. After applying and drying the metallic varnish, do not forget to cover the surface with colorless acrylic varnish (always included with the base colored nitro enamel). 6. When working with enamel, which can be used directly over rust, take the time to tidy up at least the most problematic areas by removing deep loose rust.

Paint preparation and finishing operations

Green paint for auto tints
At the final stages of work, a protective decorative coating is created. It should be as effective as possible, as resistant to external adverse environmental influences as possible. For these purposes, experienced painters use the following specific compositions:

polishing pastes;
putty substances;
primer mixtures.

Putties

Damaged, cleaned areas on the car body can be painted only when all surfaces are smooth and repaired from defects. Straightening marks are erased using putty. It is made with one or two components. The first formulations are sold ready for use. Two-component ones are sets of putty and hardener. After mixing, a viscous mixture is obtained, which is applied to the metal.

Depending on the base, putty, just like paint, is divided into types:

nitrocellulose;
polyester;
acrylic.

Primers

Primer mixtures for cars are used to enhance the adhesion properties of the dye to the surface of metal, plastic, masking areas visible after puttying, and anti-corrosion protection. Types of primers: epoxy, adhesive, acrylic. Each primer composition is adapted to the enamel of the same name. What brand of enamel, the same primer should be chosen.

Polishing paste

If you need to smooth out small scratches and defects after painting a car, you won’t find a better substance than polishing paste. It refreshes the color, adds gloss, and improves shine. Polishing paste can be used to give the surface of a car a matte finish. To perform various operations, different pastes are produced: fine abrasive liquefied, medium abrasive, non-abrasive liquid. made with special napkins.

A codeword

It would seem that everything is simple: the paint is selected according to the code that is indicated on the nameplate on the car, or is stamped according to the VIN code. However, in most cases, the resulting color differs significantly from the “native” body color. This is due to two factors: production features and the abundance of color matching systems (programs).

The main catch is that there is no single production of paint of certain shades. At automobile factories, the desired tone is obtained according to a certain recipe: a package of pigments is added to a barrel with the main color. For each batch of machines a new batch is made. And just as parts can differ from each other by a tolerance, so paints also vary slightly in shade.

Selecting paint, depending on its complexity, takes from 30 minutes to 2 hours. The price of a liter of paint is from 1,500 to 10,000 rubles. Powder pigments are the most expensive

At a car plant, you won’t find two barrels with a 100% color match—even cars from neighboring batches have different colors.

Factory-prepared paint is not supplied to the secondary market, and during body repairs at any service center you have to select the tone. For this purpose, there are color matching systems - they are offered by all major manufacturers of paint and varnish components. Technologists select the shade recipe to match the factory codes using a single algorithm, but the output colors are different. The reason is that different manufacturers have different main components - base paint, pigments, varnish.

In the event of a critical discrepancy between tolerances, the shade of paint selected according to the code may differ greatly from the factory one. This is why you need a competent colorist - to level out the difference in tone and make it invisible to the eye.

How to choose the right paint by eye

polishing a car with your own hands after painting if shagreen appears

This option is suitable for experienced car owners. Take some body part with you - the gas tank cap is most often used - and use it as a reference. When you come to the store, be sure to ask a consultant for help - it’s easier to avoid mistakes together. However, even professionals sometimes make mistakes by a couple of tones, so you should resort to this method only in cases where others are impossible.

There is also a choice of paint via the Internet, on the manufacturer’s website. Many companies place special selection systems on their websites. You enter the color code and get instant results. Another option is selection using a palette. Stores often provide a catalog containing information about the colors available. It’s much easier to make a choice based on it, but it still doesn’t guarantee 100% fit.

Many manufacturers include the shade information on the cap that covers the spray paint. The information exactly matches the contents of the container. Instead of simply selecting by eye, it is better to use a color code - there is less chance that the renovated area will differ from others.

Selecting paint using software

The most expensive, but the most reliable and convenient option. Maximum shade matching is guaranteed. During manufacture, each vehicle is assigned a specific unique code. The specialist enters it into a program that analyzes the saturation, contrast and level of fading of the existing paint layer. Then a comparison with the samples is performed. Based on the data obtained, it is possible to make the right choice.

This method has many advantages:

versatility. It is possible to choose paint for any car, regardless of the place in which it was made and the year of manufacture;
accuracy. The difference between an old and a freshly painted part is invisible even to specialists. Before starting work, a test coloring is carried out, which guarantees an even more accurate combination. The paint composition is selected individually for each car;
efficiency. There is no need to paint the entire body - thanks to precision, only damaged areas can be treated;
simplicity. In most cases, there is no need to dismantle the element to be painted and remove the factory coating, which means the process will not take much time.

The appearance of the vehicle, and therefore your driving pleasure, depends on the correct choice of paint.

Sooner or later, every motorist needs to choose paint for the car so that the color of the components matches the previously painted surfaces. A set of rules on how to choose paintwork color is a procedure that is useful to drivers for several reasons:

There are special palettes with which you can select paint by eye

traffic accident with damage;
poor quality of previous car paint;
if you have not repainted your car for a long time.

The choice of paint for a car in the event of an accident is made after purchasing or repairing the damaged component.

Selecting paint is not as difficult as it seems, because for each tone a designation has been created that contains numbers or has a specific name. For the question: “How and where to choose paint for a car?” Dozens of websites provide the answer, offering to use a program or a sign with the names of car paint shades. Selecting paint colors using utilities or tables has the following advantages:

the ability to choose the tone of Vika paint and other acrylic, water-based and other matte and glossy compositions;
choice of shade for protective paint “Raptor” and composition “Gravitex”;
less chance of error than when choosing the composition yourself.

Selection by VIN code

You can find one in the registration certificate of your vehicle, or under its hood (often). If your car has not previously been damaged and painted (in a different color), the seller, thanks to the code, will select exactly your shade. Today, selecting paints for cars in this way is considered the simplest and fastest.

In any case, take with you some part of the body of your car, for example, the hatch from the gas tank. This is what will allow you to make sure whether they are selling you the paint color you need or just the opposite.

Important! The risk of making an error in selecting the required tone is very high! Therefore, always take the body part with you!

Subtleties when choosing paint for a car

How much paint do you need to paint a car?

For example, if you decide to completely repaint the car body, then if the color slightly differs from the original body color, it’s not a problem, it’s important for you to simply find out the paint by the VIN code. After which you can safely paint the car in the color you found.

But if you need to paint over a certain part of the body or scratches, then the color chosen by the VIN code is just a guide.

It is also necessary to take into account the fact that for a car of a certain brand, the base color, which is indicated by the manufacturer according to the VIN code, may differ slightly due to a possible error.

Today, colors such as pearl or metallic are considered popular. So for these colors it is unacceptable to use the “by eye” method, since it is very difficult to distinguish shades using this method; for these colors it is recommended to use color selection using a computer program.

There are cases when even the color and shade were perfectly chosen, but when painting a certain part of the body, visually this part differs in color from other nearby parts of the body that were not painted. This case is very typical for metallic colors. To get rid of this problem, you should make a smooth transition, that is, paint over the adjacent parts a little with fresh paint. This method will smooth out the differences in shades at the joints.

In a word, to choose the type of paint and accurately select the color and shade for painting a car, you need to:

The type of paint is selected based on the number of parts requiring painting; the conditions under which the car will be painted and the amount of money allocated for painting. Of course, the easiest and most preferable way is to have the car painted by professionals in a specialized workshop, but this will cost a lot of money.
The paint code is determined by the VIN code and a comparison is made, either visual or computer, with the real color of the part being painted. For greater effect, use a powerful lamp to better define the shades.
Using a computer program, a recipe for the required shade is prepared, then the necessary components are poured in with high precision, which are then thoroughly mixed.
The resulting color is painted onto a test plate, which is then applied to the car and compared under very good light. If the color does not match, then the components that are missing are added. Then the comparison is made again, and so on until the colors completely match.
The surface of the car prepared for painting is painted with the resulting color, previously selected by the painting method. After the paint has dried, you need to check the color again, if the result is correct, then everything is fine, you need to save this recipe for possible subsequent paintings.

And then a video about how to paint a car right in the garage:

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Published in: Useful tips and car devices

Tags: Tips for motorists, Tuning

Using computer programs

Determining the appropriate shade of enamel using a computer began to be used relatively recently. This method allows you to automatically select the color using a special program

. The process consists of comparing the tone of the original paint and the colors of the existing palette.

This method allows you to accurately select identical shades, so the painted areas will not stand out after drying. The program will help you work with any car, regardless of its make and year of manufacture.

Some owners try to cope with the computer enamel selection procedure on their own. There are many online services for this. However, often the car coating contains paint of various tones, the number of which can be from two to eight. An error in selection may lead to the need to repaint the entire body.

In order not to doubt the success of the upcoming business, you should use qualified help. Car service technicians will quickly and accurately determine the desired color

, taking into account the features of the original coating.

This method allows you to select the appropriate shade

. To work, you will also need a device that mixes paints in accordance with the data received.

Hand tinting “the old fashioned way”

Although the manual coloring method

considered obsolete, some craftsmen still use it. To do this, you need to take a part with the original color and, in good natural light, compare it with the existing palette. This is a very delicate and responsible job, so you can only trust it to experienced colorists. An amateur who does not feel all the subtleties of color will not be able to take into account the effects and characteristics of the coating.

Manual tinting

It is considered an extremely complex procedure that can only be performed under certain conditions. In addition, this requires a specific stand with a palette of possible shades and some additional equipment. Not every service can provide this service efficiently, so when doing local painting it is better to pay attention to other methods of selecting the shade of enamel.

Buying enamel for local painting

When working on painting local areas, the car owner does not need to purchase a large amount of paint. This substance cannot be stored in an open container, so you should not buy it “for the future.” Many car dealerships offer clients paint in the amount required to treat the selected area. This enamel can be applied using a spray gun or airbrush.

To paint a very small surface, you can do without special equipment. To do this, you can buy an aerosol can, a paint marker, or a line corrector to remove minor scratches. To use such items, you do not need to have special skills. The main task will remain the correct choice of the appropriate color. By following the instructions for use, every car owner can cope with the elimination of minor defects.

To achieve the most accurate paint shade match

, it is better to use products that are sold at an official dealer of the car brand.

Traces of car use - scratches, chips, dents that appear on the paintwork - are eliminated by partially painting the body elements. The final result of this process depends not only on the painting technology, but also on the correct selection of the shade of paint used - a visual difference between the painted area and the background color of the car is unacceptable. Professional selection of car paint will allow you to achieve the highest quality results.

A complex process that depends on many factors, which we will talk about in this article. You will learn how specialized auto repair shops select paints for cars using computer programs and according to the manufacturer's code.

Distressed paints

The most difficult thing to choose is those paints that include various reflective additives. First of all, these are metallic, xerallic and mother-of-pearl. These additives themselves change the color of the paint, so by adding or reducing their amount, you have to adjust the base color.

Not every computer selection service handles complex paints equally well. Here a lot depends not so much on the equipment, but on the experience of the specialist performing the selection. Therefore, it would be a good idea to ask clients how well a particular company selects colors.

Some colors, such as red, require a lighter base to make the paintwork brighter. If you apply several layers of the same red paint, the resulting shade will be slightly darker than expected. Therefore, some, usually very experienced painters, first paint with a lighter color, and only the last layer - matched exactly to the tone.

Sometimes it is impossible to replicate the original dosage of different paint effects. In this case, there is only one way out - complete repainting. There is nothing to be done - beauty requires sacrifice.

gelezjaka › Blog › About COMPUTER paint selection. NO pictures!

Well, this entry

.
I don’t know how to write much, so I honestly made an entry from the “ Automalaria
” website. Briefly, the point is that many car enthusiasts are sure that the paint for touching up or painting a car is selected and done by some kind of super-duper computer (hence - COMPUTER selection). Where the truth is is up to YOU to decide. I will only outline (in other people’s words) the essence of the selection.

That's it, there's a lot of text below, don't read it for the lazy)))

First, about the paint code

Paint code

vehicle identification number (not to be confused with the VIN) is assigned at the factory and placed on the vehicle.
This does not mean that if it is present, you can “just pour” paint on it. Companies that produce selected repair paints create various options for one specific code, and it is not at all necessary
that at least one of them will fit well with a particular car. This situation arises due to different places of origin of one car brand, different batches of paints supplied to the plant, and repairs already carried out.

However, the code makes the selection much easier and faster. And it's not that hard to find. You can see where the code for your particular car brand is located and what it looks like in this section. However, there are key areas on the body that, if you look at them, you will most likely find a code. This is the engine compartment (TV, rear partition, glasses, mudguards, the hood itself), door pillars (middle, front, both driver's and passenger), the doors themselves (front), luggage compartment (spare spare area, trunk lid). The code is placed on the sticker and nameplate; in addition to it, there may be other information there. Often the code is preceded by the designation Paint, Color, C, Lack and others. On my own behalf, I will add that some cars make their way into Existence. Who needs it, ask, I will answer how.

Selecting paint using a spectrophotometer

In order to effectively select the right color for a car from a can, it is necessary to analyze what is available. There is a specialized device - a spectrophotometer and a stand for marking paint characteristics. This method is quite expensive, but the result of its work is most effective. Such equipment is indispensable for a colorist. The spectrophotometer allows you to quickly search for colors and tint them.

A spectrophotometer is the most effective and useful tool for color matching. This equipment has the main features:

Significantly speeds up the color selection process.
Helps to figure out a color that is unknown, for example, if the car has already been repainted.

Whatever method you choose, be it a spectrophotometer, the use of spray paint, computer equipment, or others, you must remember that shades come in a variety of colors and you need to choose the color carefully. Trust the selection of paints and their mixing only to professional craftsmen!

Car owners often have to deal with the problem of choosing paint for their car. This is connected not only with getting into an accident, but also with the need for minor repairs - masking chips and scratches, applying airbrushing. Paint selection is carried out in special service centers. There is no point in covering the entire body with it, so it is better to purchase a small can. Why in a can?

This paint is easy to apply and even a non-professional can handle it;
No special conditions are required for application; it can be done right on the street;
As a rule, spray paint has a wide range of colors and can always be matched to the tone of the body;
It has a low cost;
Applies evenly to the paintwork using a spray gun.

There are several ways to match the paint to the body color. One of these is to choose a shade from a special catalog. To do this, the car owner should contact a car service center. There he will be provided with a catalog of paints, with which he must approach the body of his car and visually determine the body tone number. Currently, there are a large number of catalogs that are developed by paint manufacturing companies. But can you trust them 100 percent? Of course not. Why?

There are objective and subjective reasons for this. So, for example, on cars older than 10-15 years, the paintwork fades and fades; choosing a shade in this case is quite difficult and it is often necessary to use tinting. In addition, different people perceive color shades differently, and the selection can be influenced by factors such as weather, sunlight, and gloss level.

It is best to come to the service center with any car part, for example, the gas tank flap. Using a special device - a spectrophotometer, the shade that best matches the scale will be determined in the center. Next, the colorist either selects a ready-made color scheme or prepares it individually.

You can also determine the tone of the body by the code that car manufacturers indicate on special stickers. If you have a domestic car, such stickers can be found on the trunk lid; if you have a foreign car, look for information under the hood or on the glove compartment pillars. Remember that the body shade number must be indicated in the accompanying information that the driver receives when purchasing a car. Next, the tone is determined by the code. To do this, the service specialist applies a test system to the car, which is produced by each manufacturing company for specific models. If there is not enough daylight, a special lamp is used. This method is suitable mainly for new cars whose body color matches the factory color as closely as possible.

The last way to select paint is to find it on the Internet. To do this, you need a resource that offers tone selection services, enter the make and model of the car, as well as the VIN number and place an order. However, this has its own risk - it is not a fact that the paint will be exactly the shade that you ordered.

Therefore, after all, if you decide to paint your car, it is better to contact a specialized center. If this is not possible, use a few recommendations:

Before painting, apply paint to an unwanted piece of metal;
Wait for it to dry completely;
Compare the tone on the metal with the tone of the car body.

Selection techniques

At the moment, there are several selection techniques, each of which differs in the cost of performing the operation itself. Unfortunately, most motorists select the color “by eye”, after which they are wildly surprised: “Why is it so noticeable that it is the wing that is painted? The masters are 100% to blame for this!” Not really! You need to choose a color according to the VIN code or with the help of a car “colorist” - then “in the light of day”, and even at night, the painted wing will not differ from the general color of the TK (vehicle).

In general, regardless of the method of selecting paint, before starting work you need to study the following subtleties:

the paint should be assessed only after it has dried (before this, its shade may differ - in some cases dramatically);
It is important to choose a good specialist. The tool he uses to apply the paint also plays a role. The higher the level of knowledge and the better the equipment, the better the result. If you plan to carry out paint and varnish work yourself and, at the same time, without having any experience behind you, be prepared for possible failure.
Different manufacturers have the same paint tone marked with different numbers (remember this and be careful when purchasing);
Before painting, you need to perform test work (on some old part from your vehicle that you no longer need). This will allow you to measure the pressure of the spray gun, as well as finally understand the tone directly.

Having assessed all the results, you can start working (of course, if you are satisfied with everything).

Selecting auto enamel by VIN code

Experienced craftsmen advise car owners to study the information provided by the car manufacturer before purchasing paint. Knowing exactly the code of the enamel used when painting the body, you can easily make a choice. This data is indicated on a special nameplate, which can be placed in one of the following inconspicuous places:

under the hood;
under the protective cover of the gas tank;
at the bottom of the left or right pillar;
inside the trunk.

Each manufacturer independently chooses the place where the nameplate is attached, so it is difficult to say exactly where it can be found. Once the owner manages to do this, he can begin purchasing suitable paint.

This method is suitable if you need to repaint the entire body, however, if you have to work with a separate element, then you need to find another selection option.

Computer paint color selection

By identifying an existing part with paint (usually a gas filler flap with the required paint), the computer system reads the data in real time and displays the corresponding result on the monitor, displaying the type and code of the paint coating that is ideal for the car. What follows is a lengthy process of identifying the required enamel, which the colorist works on personally.

Many manufacturers produce special test systems that read the available data. In addition, on thematic sites, using data in the form of this year, as well as filling out columns like “car brand,” you can automatically get the paint you are interested in. This method does not take into account shades, but only offers a factory-made paint option for purchase. This method is suitable only for those cars that have been in use for a fairly short period of time and the paint on their body has not yet had time to fade.

When the color is found, a special person (colorist) carries out individual work to fill the can with the required color. Within 2 hours, the work ends with the client being given the necessary spray can with the color, shade, and enamel required by the client, if the painting is not carried out in a service center.

Painting a car with spray paint

When you have purchased the entire amount of paint in cans, you must check its service life.
After this, shake the first can so that the chemical elements of the coloring matter are mixed and can be fully activated and enter into the necessary reactions with each other. The paint, completely distributed throughout the can, is ready for further use. Try testing the paint on a piece of metal to avoid any unwanted surprises related to the quality of the paint material. After this, proceed to carefully study the relevant instructions included with the can itself.

Take into account the fact that painting a car is carried out at a distance of about 30 cm. After all, the paint is sprayed with a certain force, so you should adhere to certain safety rules. The room temperature should not exceed 20 degrees. Therefore, it is unlikely that such conditions can be organized on the street. But you shouldn't work in a garage where there is too much humidity.

After applying the first coat, it is important to ensure that the entire work surface is completely painted. This is the base layer that promotes the formation of the initial protective film.

Try to apply about two layers on top of the initial one so that the color becomes more saturated. Subsequent coats will be required if you want to provide additional protection to the body of your vehicle. It all depends on how thick the paint is.

After completing all types of work, the result should be secured by applying a special varnish. It will create a special shine effect that allows you to update the appearance of the car.

How to select car paint using a computer program

Computer selection of paint for a car is a set of actions performed in order to obtain a complete match of the shade of the material used with the current color of the car. The selection of paint begins with entering the VIN code into the program - a 17-digit number that contains information about the factory color of the car.

The program looks up the VIN code in a car color database and provides the exact paint color ratios and proportions that need to be mixed to match what the manufacturer used to paint your vehicle.

However, even when checking the VIN code in the program, it is not possible to match the real color of the cars and the option proposed by the computer. There are several reasons for this:

Differences in the quality of materials - the tonality of paints with the same code from different manufacturers differs. The use of compounds that specifically paint your car, which are not available on the domestic market, entails additional financial costs associated with the need to purchase material in another country;
Car paints change their color under the influence of atmospheric factors during the operation of the car. Even the shade chosen to perfectly match the factory color will not match the actual color of the car.

With the help of computer paint selection, it will be possible to match the shade of the material used with the current color of the car.
The selection of paint for a car after using a computer program is just beginning - colorists come to work, who finalize the original color of the composition by adding pigments to it and mixing different shades to obtain the required palette.

Things to consider

In any case, before painting you need to consider some nuances:

The result of coloring largely depends on the artist who will carry it out. The equipment and materials used are also important. It is worth noting that the use of a color substance in a spray can reduces the quality of the paintwork renewal. This applies to mixed paints. The color can be assessed only after the enamel has completely dried. Therefore, there is no need to apply the substance to the entire machine or part. First, choose an approximate color, and then calibrate it

So, blue can have several shades. If a spectrophotometer was used during the selection process, then painting should still be carried out carefully. It's best to start by processing the old part

This will make it possible to evaluate accuracy. After this, you can begin to completely paint the car.

Before choosing paint for your car, you need to take all these features into account. This will ensure the quality of the final result. This also applies to the type of paint, for example, metallic auto enamel has some application features.

Using a computer

One of the best methods is to select paint materials using a computer. It is relatively inexpensive and gives 100% results. For this there is no need to use expensive equipment, since everything is carried out using special programs. Among the advantages of computer selection of paint for a car are:

Possibility of partially painting the car. This is especially true for damaged areas.
There is no need to dismantle the element, which allows you to leave the factory assembly intact.
There is no need to use any additional equipment.

Computer paint selection is very popular among car owners. This method is used relatively recently and is carried out using machine code. You can use it to find out the paint numbers for certain cars.

To set the auto-selection code, the wizard uses a special computer program. It compares the color saturation of enamels, contrast, and fading of the paintwork over a certain period of time. Using this method allows you to choose the right car enamels that will be identical to the factory color.

Important! The VIN code used in this method is assigned individually to each car upon release. As a result, choosing a dye becomes much easier.

Computer color selection is carried out in several stages:

First, paint mixing equipment is used. Here the selected composition is taken and tested.
When the paint has dried, it is leveled and compared with the main shade.
If the master notices even the slightest difference between the colors, the compositions are tinted. As a result, the autoemulsion is made anew.

The cost of such a procedure largely depends on the color saturation; for example, bronze and metallic blue will be in different price ranges.

On video: computer paint selection technology.

Enamels selection service

To select automotive enamels, there are special services that carry out computer paint selection. For a fee, specialists will be able to select any enamel. As a rule, this matter takes from 2-3 hours to several days - it all depends on the availability of the queue.

The selection is carried out as follows. Pickers look for the paint code on the car. If they find it on the body, then the selection process becomes much easier for them, because after entering this code into the computer, the exact proportion of the different base colors is displayed on the monitor.

The result is a finished shade, which remains to be slightly adjusted for fading. If it is not possible to obtain a color code, then the paint is selected according to the sample using the method of numerous mixing and test painting.

About serious nuances in the rules for choosing a shade for a car

Whatever method of choosing the enamel color the car owner uses, in order to get a truly high-quality result, you need to know the key rules of painting.

Firstly, immediately before painting, 3-4 trial test versions must be carried out (the main thing is to apply each layer without changing the intensity). Such tests on the body should be done where the maximum similarity with the base color of the vehicle is visible. After a series of such simple procedures, you can already make a comparison and accurately determine the shade of auto enamel that is suitable.

Secondly, the final result of staining will be directly affected by the method in which the enamel is applied. Let us remind you that after final drying the paint takes on a slightly different shade! This must be taken into account when finalizing the paint for your car.

Thirdly, each manufacturer of car enamel has developed its own system that designates the color scheme and all its shades. And if a car enthusiast does not want to experience a discrepancy between expectations and reality, he needs to use materials from a specific manufacturer. Only in this case will the selection of paint be easy.

What types of car paints are there?

Initially, cellulose paints began to appear in the production of cars, which began to be actively used at the beginning of the twentieth century. The main advantage of this paint can be considered the ability to quickly evaporate solvents at normal temperatures. This feature makes it possible to apply paint even in ordinary rooms without observing the temperature regime.

Cellulose paint

cellulose paints

Despite this, cellulose paint for painting a car also has a lot of disadvantages:

high flammability;
the need to apply 2-3 layers of paint;
quickly lose brightness;
To add shine, the coating must be polished.

Before applying cellulose enamel, the surface must be thoroughly puttied, polished and primed. It is best to apply paint with a spray gun. In this case, as a rule, the ratio of enamel and white spirit is 50% to 50%. It is better to make only the final layer the fourth part of the enamel.

Glyphthalic paint

Nowadays, cellulose paint is actually not used for painting the body. Like cellulose, glyphthalic paints have been used for a long time. They include special artificial resins. This paint got rid of most of the disadvantages of its predecessor.

Glypthal auto enamels

The main disadvantage of this paint can be considered the long drying time at normal temperatures. After a day, the surface hardens, but despite this, it remains very sensitive to damage and solvents. In order for the process to be completed completely, you need to wait at least two to four weeks.

If you use drying at a temperature of 70 degrees, the drying time is significantly reduced, but this temperature can damage individual plastic parts.

This type of paint is highly sensitive to changes in temperature and can greatly change its viscosity level. This fact must also be taken into account when diluting paints. Paint companies may offer different flow rates, but generally around twenty-five percent is needed.

Acrylic car enamel

Acrylic paints for cars have a history of more than fifty years. It uses artificial resin as a base, which is obtained from petroleum products. Thermal-hardening and heat-resistant varnish is distinguished.

Thermo-hardening is used only for painting bodies in factory conditions and is not used for repair work due to the high temperature required for it to dry completely. Heat-independent paint does not require an increase in temperature, and it is for this reason that it is often used for painting for renovation purposes.

The key advantages due to which acrylic varnishes have gained serious popularity include the excellent quality and uniformity of the coating after painting, as well as an excellent level of gloss. The paint dries very quickly and after that becomes extremely resistant to any kind of solvents. Among the disadvantages, one can note poor coverage ability, which may make it necessary to apply not one but two or three layers.

There is no need to apply varnish after using acrylic paints. Even without this it has very good reflective characteristics. But despite this, if you apply two or three layers of varnish, the effect of color depth will increase. Before applying the varnish, you need to dry the applied paint and make the coating matte using light sandpaper.

Solid acrylic paint provides an extremely scratch-resistant finish with high durability. Less shrinkage during painting can also be considered an advantage.

Alkyd automotive enamels

Alkyd paint can be considered an excellent balance between cost and quality. Their main advantages include low cost combined with excellent resistance to damage, as well as excellent coating quality. The paint is easy to apply, and the end result is a fairly thick layer, which reduces the number of painting steps.

The downside of this paint is the drying time, which can be slightly accelerated by heating. Metallic varnish can be considered the most popular car paint option at the moment. Despite the fact that this type of paint was invented more than fifty years ago, it is often used in factories to paint even high-end vehicles.

Features of choosing paint for a car body

Car paint belongs to the enamel category and consists of binders, varnish and pigments. Its distinctive feature is uneven drying. The outer layer dries first, which creates the misleading impression that the layer has completely dried over its entire thickness. In fact, the lower layers dry much later.

Thanks to modern technologies, car paint can contain other components that enhance the visual effect of chameleon, pearl or metallic, but choosing a shade in such situations is even more difficult than usual.

Often, car paint of a suitable shade requires mixing up to 15 different paints in precise proportions; the weight must be calculated down to 0.1 grams using the most accurate electronic scales. Next, special test plates are used to compare the resulting shade with the color of the car under special lighting conditions.

The quality of the final result directly depends on how strictly the following nuances were observed.

The professionalism of the colorist and the artist who will carry out the coloring affects the result in the same way as the quality of the materials and equipment used. In the case of paints in a can, you should prepare for a decrease in the quality of the paintwork renewal, especially when it comes to mixed colors.
There should be 3 - 4 trial versions before final painting. When applying each subsequent layer, the intensity cannot be changed.
Do not forget that the shade is distorted to some extent after drying, so test versions must be compared with the surface of the car and calibrated only after they have completely dried.
The method of applying enamel also affects the final result.
The selection of paint for a car can be simplified as much as possible by using materials from one manufacturer, since each manufacturer develops its own system of designating shades and color schemes.
When using a spectrophotometer when choosing a shade of auto enamel, painting should begin with a small and old part, so you can evaluate the accuracy of the selection. Only after this stage proceed to complete painting of the car.

Choose paint for your car

The technology of this process is the most complex; selection is carried out according to the car code. Each vehicle is assigned a code at the time of assembly, and it is always individual.

The code is entered into a special program, after which the contrast, color saturation and degree of paint burnout are compared on a car part that was specially removed for these purposes. The method helps to achieve complete identity of the painted part with the original color.

Using this program, you can choose a shade for absolutely any car: both for vehicles made in the post-Soviet space, and for foreign brands, new or released decades ago. Using a computer-assisted paint selection method helps eliminate the difference between the original paint color of the car and the newly painted part.

Selection using special programs

It is worth noting that this method of selecting paint for a vehicle by color is one of the most expensive. However, it is the most accurate. It guarantees a 100% match (even used car sellers will not notice that you have painted any part of your car).

Advantages of this method:

if there are minor damages, there is no need to paint the entire car - just walk through the “damaged” areas;
no need to remove factory paintwork;
In almost all cases, paintwork is carried out without dismantling the “damaged” part of the car.

Selection of paint for a car - modern options and possibilities

You will learn how specialized auto repair shops select paints for cars using computer programs and according to the manufacturer's code. How to choose paint for a car by code The paint code used in the factory painting of a car is indicated by the manufacturer on a special information plate attached to the inside of the door, trunk or hood. You can check the specific location of the tag in your car model on the manufacturer’s official website. This code, according to current legislation, is also indicated in registration documents and the warranty certificate, but not everything is so simple.

Selecting paint for a car according to the code does not give accurate results, and it is irrational to use this method when partially painting individual parts or when restoring the paintwork in areas of scratches and abrasions.