How To Paint A Car: Steps, Supplies, & Tips

Painting a car is one of the most rewarding DIY automotive projects you can tackle. It doesn’t matter whether you’re restoring a classic automobile or simply refreshing your daily ride: nothing beats the feeling of turning a faded, scratched, or outdated finish into something that looks like it just rolled off the lot. 

Fortunately, a professional-looking paint job is achievable when you have the right supplies. At Red Label Abrasives, we've spent over 40 years helping DIYers, hobbyists, and small shops achieve flawless finishes on everything from wood to metal. We know that when it comes to automotive painting, the prep work - sanding, smoothing, and creating the perfect surface - determines the quality of the final result. 

In this guide, we'll walk you through each stage of painting a car, from initial surface prep to final clear coat, and share the supplies and professional tips you need to get it right the first time. With patience, attention to detail, and quality abrasives, you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish in your own garage.

Steps To Painting A Car

We cover all of the steps in more detail with tips below, but the quick overview of all the steps involved in painting a car is as follows: 

• Choose a safe location to paint
• Do some deconstruction
• Treat the surface
• Sand
• Remove rust
• Prime the surface
• Apply masking
• Wipe the surface clean
• Apply paint
• Sand again and lacquer

Supplies

• Orbital Sander
• Air Compressor
• Abrasives (sanding sheets for hand sanding & sanding discs for orbital sanding)
• Paint sprayer
• Cleaning solvent and rags
• Masking tape
• Primer (epoxy, etching, or surfacer)
• Sealer
• Grease and wax remover
• Tack wipe
• Paint thinner
• Polyurethane paint, enamel, or acrylic enamel
• Face mask and safety glasses

To get the same color as your vehicle's original paint, start by locating your car's paint code, which is usually found on a sticker or metal plate inside the driver's door jamb, in the glove box, or under the hood. The paint code is a series of letters and numbers that identifies the exact color formula in the shop, including metallic content or underlying shade.

Once you have the paint code, you can take it to an auto paint store like PPG, Sherwin-Williams Automotive, or NAPA. They'll mix the exact factory formula for your vehicle's year, make, and model. For older vehicles or partial repaints, many paint shops offer color-matching services. They'll use a spectrophotometer to scan your existing paint and create a custom formula that matches the current color, including any fading. This costs more but gives you a better blend between old and new panels.

Pro Tip:Your car's original paint has likely faded from sun exposure, oxidation, and weathering over the years. The fresh paint mixed from the factory code will be brighter and more vibrant than your aged paint. If you're only painting one panel (like a fender or door), this difference will be noticeable. But if you're repainting the entire car, using the factory paint code works perfectly since everything will be the same new color.

Our Auto Sanding Discs and Sheets

At Red Label Abrasives, we carry industrial-grade speciality abrasives engineered for automotive surface prep. 

Abrasilk Sanding Discs

Abrasilk sanding discs are recommended for automotive paint work. When you're sanding contoured body panels, door edges, or around trim, traditional discs can dig in and create low spots or uneven surfaces. The flexible foam backing on Abrasilk discs conforms to curves and body lines, giving you consistent results across the entire panel without those telltale gouges or dips that show up after painting.

Abrasilk sanding discs also run cooler and last longer. The ultra-breathable foam reduces working temperature, extends product life, and makes the disc compatible with any hole pattern dustless sanding system. The breathable design keeps temperatures down while you work, and the anti-clogging backing means you're not constantly swapping out discs loaded up with paint dust.

Finally, these speciality sanding discs can be used for wet applications, which is important because you need wet sanding to achieve that glass-smooth finish. The bonded aluminum oxide abrasive handles everything from putties and primer fillers to final paint coats, so you can count on prime cutting power throughout the project.

Orange Film Sanding Discs

Orange film sanding discs are the workhorses for general automotive sanding tasks. They’re manufactured with a premium waterproof polyester film and an industrial-grade aluminum oxide abrasive grain, making them tougher than paper-backed alternatives. Flexible polyester film has superior performance on curve, corner, and edge sanding applications, maintaining constant contact with the surface so you get even results.

These discs cut fast and last. The abrasive particles break down during use to expose fresh, sharp cutting edges. This means the disc stays aggressive throughout its life instead of glazing over and stopping cutting halfway through a panel. Available in grits from 400 to 3000, these discs cover the range you need for sanding body filler, smoothing primer, and final wet sanding before paint.

Indasa RhynoWet Sandpaper Sheets

Indasa RhynoWet Sandpaper Sheets are the go-to choice when you need the control and finesse that only hand sanding can provide. This premium abrasive line is designed with the highest quality aluminum oxide mineral grains and a lubricant coating to resist clogging. When you're working with auto body steel, aluminum panels, or stainless trim pieces, you need an abrasive that won't load up and quit halfway through the job. The lubricant coating keeps the sheet cutting cleanly instead of glazing over.

Step One: Choose a Safe Location to Paint

Where you paint is just as important as the materials you use. It’s better to do so indoors, so rain or windblown debris don’t mess the new surface, but take some safety precautions first: 

• Always wear a respirator.
• If you’re painting in your garage or a shop attached to the house, tape a plastic sheet over the connecting door to keep the fumes out. 
• Vent the room by cracking the garage door.
• Mist the floors with water to keep sanding dust from becoming airborne.

Once you’ve got your location chosen, decide when you’re going to do the work. Generally speaking, early morning is best in spring and summer because fewer bugs are around and you can leave the windows open. If you’re working during colder months, afternoons are preferable because temperatures are warmer.

Step Two: Do Some Deconstruction

Start by removing everything that can get in the way of a smooth and even paint job. This includes stickers, emblems, and parts you don’t want to paint, such as door handles and bumpers. While you can opt to tape around these parts, it will affect the uniformity of the final result, so take a few extra minutes to remove them and set them aside.

Step Three: Treat the Surface

Paint reveals the tiniest details, so if your car’s surface has scratches, scrapes, chips, and other small flaws, they won’t disappear beneath a new coat. If anything, these imperfections will be even more visible.

Use a finer grit sanding paper (320 to 500) to remove the paint. If you’re not stripping it down to the bare metal, you’ll need to feather the edges of any scratches or chips, meaning that you sand them until the edges are too fine to feel with your fingers. However, if the old paint is peeling or cracked, you’ll need to strip it completely: damaged paint is always visible even beneath a new coat and eventually it will create surface issues.

Step Four: Sand

Basically, if you're going to paint a car, you'll need to do a lot of sanding! The trick is to get the right abrasive grit for the recommended surface treatment.

If the current coat of paint is in decent shape, you can prepare it using 500-grit sandpaper, which will make the surface just rough enough to ‘grab’ the new coat. The bodywork and primer should be sanded to a minimum of 220-grit, and preferably 320-grit. You should not sand the body with anything higher than 500-grit, because the paint requires some roughness to adhere.

You can sand your entire car by hand, but it’s easier to do most of the work with an electric orbital sander and use hand sanding sheets for the smaller details. If you’re sanding by hand, you’ll want to stick our Rhynowet sanding sheets to a block to avoid applying uneven pressure while sanding.

Pro Tip: Make sure you get the right abrasive material for auto body work. Most sanding discs designed for stripping paint and smoothing metal are manufactured using closed-coat aluminum oxide. Closed coatings prevent debris from getting trapped among the abrasive grains. A higher grit-to-surface ratio also allows for aggressive cutting and smoother finishing. 

Step Five: Remove Rust

If the car has experienced body damage, some rust may have set in. It will have to be removed: even the smallest amount can ruin the new paint job and keep eating into your car’s metal. Minor rusting can be sanded away, but anything heavy should be treated with rust killer or replaced completely. 

Some tips:

• If you use a spray-on rust killer, let it cure for at least 48 hours before applying paint on top.
• Avoid using body filler to treat rust holes. If the holes are too deep or extensive, metal work will need to be done. 

Step Six: Prime the Surface

You need to apply primer to a car before painting it. There are several different coats that may have to be used, depending on how you start out.

If you’re working with bare metal, you’ll need epoxy or etching primer to scuff the surface for filler primer or surfacer, which is a thicker primer applied to fill chips or scratches (but not dents). Once applied, block sand the entire surface of the vehicle, prime it again, and block sand it again.

Sealer is the last surface coating you apply before it's time to paint. It effectively seals all the primer and provides a smooth and uniform canvas for the paint. 

Pro Tip: Make sure that the primers you use are compatible with the final paint color. You should also work with only one brand. If you switch brands or even series of paints within one brand, you can get compatibility issues that lead to paint checking, peeling off, and other problems.

Step Seven: Apply Masking

You’ll want to mask the car, unless it is completely stripped. Don’t use newspapers: the inks can transfer to metal, creating a mess. Use painter's masking tape and automotive tape to mask your vehicle. If you keep the lines neat and tidy, the final product will be much better.

Step Eight: Wipe the Surface Clean

Wiping the body clean is the last step before spraying paint. You’ll need the following:

• Grease and wax remover
• Tack wipe

Use one lint-free cloth to wipe the remover on the car (taking one small section at a time), and another cloth to clear away the remover. Don't let the chemicals dry on the car. If it happens again, re-wet the surface and then wipe it dry.

Once you’re done, wipe the entire area with the tack wipe. Now you’re ready to paint!

Step Nine: Apply Paint

To apply the paint, you will need a gravity-fed paint gun that is connected to your air compressor. For automotive painting, you’ll be using an LVLP (Low Volume Low Pressure) and/or HVLP (High Volume High Pressure) gun.

Pro Tip: LVLP is better for clear coats and single-stage enamels, since its spray is very smooth and finely atomized. However, the HVLP method is faster when it comes to thinned paints such as latex. Most people use an HVLP gun for their base coat and an LVLP gun for their clear coat, but an LVLP machine can do the entire job. 

In terms of compressors, it is recommended that you go for the larger tanks, as they will allow you to complete the job without having to stop and refill as often. They typically range between 60 and 80 gallons in size.

To paint, hold the spray gun six inches from the surface of the vehicle. Use side-to-side motions to apply light, even coats. Depending on the size of your car, it may take three to four coats before you’ve covered the entire surface. Once you’re done, let the paint dry for the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer.

Step Ten: Sand Once More and Apply Lacquer

To remove any powdery residue before applying your final coat, sand the surfaces again and then wipe the surface with a clean rag. Then apply a clear lacquer using the same application technique you used with the paint. While the lacquer is still wet, carefully remove all masking tape from the car surface. Let the clear coat dry for the manufacturer-recommended time. Finally, buff all painted surfaces and use a rubbing compound to achieve a glossy finish.

What if You're Working on a Vintage Vehicle?

With vintage vehicles, the biggest hurdle is finding the right paint. Many classic car colors were discontinued decades ago, and the original paint codes may be impossible to track down. Your best bet is to find an automotive paint supplier that has vintage color databases and can mix period-correct formulations.

Old paint technology was different. Cars from the 1960s and earlier used single-stage paints (often enamel or lacquer) rather than the modern basecoat/clearcoat systems. If you're doing a restoration, you'll need to decide: do you want to match the original paint type for authenticity, or use modern products that last longer and look better? Most restorers go with modern basecoat/clearcoat systems because they're more durable and easier to maintain, but purists sometimes stick with period-correct materials.

Be warned: prep work takes longer. Vintage cars have decades of paint layers, rust, filler, and repairs hiding underneath. You'll likely need to strip everything down to bare metal to see what you're really working with. This means more aggressive sanding with coarser grits to get through multiple paint layers and old body filler. 

The metal is also thinner. Many vintage cars were built with thinner gauge metal than modern vehicles, particularly in areas like door skins and fender edges. This means you need to be more careful with heat when sanding and painting. Abrasilk discs that run cooler are particularly valuable here, since overheating thin vintage metal can cause warping.

The good news is that the actual painting technique remains the same. Once you've done the prep work and chosen your paint system, the application follows the same principles as any other car.

Quality Abrasives Are Key to a Perfect Paint Job

Good results depend on how well you prepare the car’s surface for painting. When you’re dealing with damaged old paint or heavy chipping, you want to use an abrasive that’s been manufactured to sand these flaws away without damaging the metal. 

At Red Label Abrasives, we sell industrial-grade sanding discs for auto body work. They include hook and loop wet/dry film-backed sanding discs, which are flexible enough to sand complex shapes while maintaining the durability needed to strip away layers of caked/on paint. Our Abrasilk sanding discs are also specifically designed for automotive paint finishing. If you need help choosing the right size for your sander, please call 844-824-1956 or fill out our contact form, and an abrasive specialist will soon be in touch.

Car Painting FAQs

How Much Does It Cost To Paint A Car Yourself?

The cost to paint a car yourself varies widely depending on materials, tools, and the quality of finish you’re aiming for. A basic DIY paint job can cost as little as a few hundred dollars if you already own equipment like a compressor and spray gun. Higher-end DIY projects using premium paint, primers, and abrasives can reach $1,500 or more. While that’s still far less than a professional paint job, investing in quality prep materials pays off by reducing mistakes, rework, and premature paint failure.

What Safety Gear Is Required When Painting A Car?

Automotive paint products contain chemicals that can be harmful if inhaled or absorbed through the skin. At a minimum, you should wear a proper respirator rated for paint fumes, safety glasses, gloves, and long sleeves. A disposable paint suit is also recommended to keep overspray off your clothes and skin. Adequate ventilation is critical, even in a garage setting. Never rely on a simple dust mask: professional-grade respiratory protection is essential for safe automotive painting.

How Do You Choose Between Single-Stage And Basecoat/Clearcoat Paint Systems?

It depends on what you’re trying to achieve. Single-stage paints combine color and gloss in one product, making them simpler and faster to apply. Basecoat/clearcoat systems require more steps but deliver deeper gloss, better UV protection, and easier repair later. Most modern vehicles use basecoat/clearcoat systems, which are more forgiving for beginners when correcting minor flaws. If durability and long-term appearance matter most, basecoat/clearcoat is usually the better option.

What Temperature And Humidity Are Best For Painting A Car?

Environmental conditions have a major impact on paint results. Most automotive paints perform best between 65°F and 80°F with low humidity. Cold temperatures can prevent proper curing, while high heat can cause paint to dry too fast, leading to texture issues. Excess humidity increases the risk of moisture contamination and poor adhesion. Always check the paint manufacturer’s recommendations before spraying. If conditions aren’t ideal, it’s better to wait than risk defects that require sanding and repainting later.

How Long Should You Wait Before Washing Or Waxing Fresh Paint?

Fresh automotive paint needs time to fully cure, even after it feels dry to the touch. Most manufacturers recommend waiting at least 30 days before washing with soap or applying wax. During this curing period, avoid harsh chemicals, automatic car washes, or abrasive cleaning methods. Gentle rinsing with water is usually acceptable if needed. Waxing too soon can trap solvents and interfere with the curing process, dulling the finish or causing surface issues. Patience here protects the final result.