Painting in your own Garage...

I am tossing around the idea of painting my car in my Garage myself (my painter friend may help is I beg enough) but I was wondering if anyone has some tips to have the best end result for painting in the Garage. I have some experience in a body shop and doing body work on various cars but it is quite limited. (4 months of Co-op in a body shop and 4 years of random garage jobs)

I just figure it would be better to spend the money on tools and have the paint suffer a bit then to get a perfect paint job on a DD.

Thanks

thats like saying, "Why go out for dinner at that nice resturaunt when I can buy the pots and pans, and make that souffle myself"

Unfortunatly sometimes there are things that we cant do in our garage.

Yes I paint for a living, and yes I do occasionally paint in my garage. But when it comes to a complete paintjob in your home garage, thats a lot of material to spend on something that is still going to look kinda half assed. Spray booths were designed for a reason, and its not only to keep neighbours from calling the cops due to you painting in your garage over the christmas holidays, but they are also for keeping paintjobs clean from dust, and debris. Not to say that some polishing cant correct that issue, but how much time are you willing to invest.

There becomes more of an art and talent than just buying good tools, and painting a car. Yes I have good equipment, and yes I have seen good paintjobs out of a garage. But the flipside can go the opposite way too. I can probably get a better paintjob with a $40 spray gun, than most amateurs can get with a $1000 one, and that is not to seem cocky or conceded or anything. Its just the simple fact that this is my trade, and I did go to school for it, and am well trained to do more than just paint. A good painter can also asses any defects before the final product is even finished. From prep, to issues with cleaners, basecoats, and even hairs and debris in clear. We are trained to eliminate these things before the finish is even cured.

Again, Im not saying you cant get a good finish out of your garage, or anything, Im just stating that good equipment and all those materials may or may not be wasted. So be prepared for either an happy outcome, or an expensive mistake.

-Brad

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slammedcivicsi said:

thats like saying, "Why go out for dinner at that nice resturaunt when I can buy the pots and pans, and make that souffle myself"

Unfortunatly sometimes there are things that we cant do in our garage.

Yes I paint for a living, and yes I do occasionally paint in my garage. But when it comes to a complete paintjob in your home garage, thats a lot of material to spend on something that is still going to look kinda half assed. Spray booths were designed for a reason, and its not only to keep neighbours from calling the cops due to you painting in your garage over the christmas holidays, but they are also for keeping paintjobs clean from dust, and debris. Not to say that some polishing cant correct that issue, but how much time are you willing to invest.

There becomes more of an art and talent than just buying good tools, and painting a car. Yes I have good equipment, and yes I have seen good paintjobs out of a garage. But the flipside can go the opposite way too. I can probably get a better paintjob with a $40 spray gun, than most amateurs can get with a $1000 one, and that is not to seem cocky or conceded or anything. Its just the simple fact that this is my trade, and I did go to school for it, and am well trained to do more than just paint. A good painter can also asses any defects before the final product is even finished. From prep, to issues with cleaners, basecoats, and even hairs and debris in clear. We are trained to eliminate these things before the finish is even cured.

Again, Im not saying you cant get a good finish out of your garage, or anything, Im just stating that good equipment and all those materials may or may not be wasted. So be prepared for either an happy outcome, or an expensive mistake.

-Brad

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That pretty much sums it up.

I've done my share of garage paint jobs with decent success. When it comes down to final paint, I will be farming it out to sombody with a booth. The best paint and prep work in the world doesn't mean anything if you shoot it in a contaminated environment. Not matter how clean you think your garage is, you will never be able to match a profesional booth.

With that said, if you don't mind an errant hair or bug, and you're just shooting for OK on your daily, then go for it. I've picked up a few Sata knock off guns from ebay over the years, they're cheap and work great, especially for the price. There's no reason to drop $400 on a nice Devbliss when it's probably not going to affect the outcome of the paint job much.

Pick up a cheap, decent gun, a bunch of disposable water separators, and LOTS of plastic...and hope for the best.

ive done all my major show paint jobs(even cover paint jobs) without a booth in a dirty ass shop with poor flow. sooo a garage wouldnt be any different. heres the inevitable... u will get a little dust and a bugs can come into play, u just have to be prepared. the other for sure thing is. u will have to fully cut and buff the paint job. i dont care as all my work gets buffed so i a little dust and dieback dont bother me. just a little more elbow grease.

Both of my toyotas were painted in my mom and dads backyard

If you are going to do it, may I make a few suggestions...

1. Go to wal-mart and get the plastic draping shit you would put on the floor to paint the walls in your house, attach it to the ceiling of the garage so that it protects everything in and around the garage and keeps dust from entering the paint area.

2. Buy some fans, open the garage door slightly and face the fans to blow out of the garage.

3. Prep, prep, prep! Clean the garage floor very well and wet it before you begin.

4. A bug zapper somewhere outside the paint area, hopefully it will attract the bugs so they don't come into your "paint booth".

I primered my Mazda in my garage and these are some things that I really wish I would have done before I did it. Good luck man.

I've done my share of garage paint jobs with decent success. When it comes down to final paint, I will be farming it out to sombody with a booth. The best paint and prep work in the world doesn't mean anything if you shoot it in a contaminated environment. Not matter how clean you think your garage is, you will never be able to match a profesional booth.

LOW BLAZER (DOUG)Not matter how clean you think your garage is, you will never be able to match a profesional booth. THIS STATEMENT IS NOT TRUE. 80% OF SHOPS THAT HAVE BOOTHS DONT MAINTAIN THEM THE CORRECT WAY OR WITH CORRECT PRODUCTS. QUESTIONING THIS. ASK EVERYONE YOU KNOW WHAT TIME FRAME THEY CHANGE FILTERS? WHEN AND WHAT THEY USE TO CLEAN THE BOOTH. WHAT DO THEY DO AFTER THEY CLEAN IT?

THEN LOOK AT THE BOOTH MANUFACTURES REQUIREMENTS!

I do all of my painting in my shop.

-I put up 5mil plastic to separate that area of my shop.

-Blow that side out the day before so all of the dust settles.

-I have 2 industrial fans and 2 box fans that blow everything out the door.

-Spray it.

I've done several paint jobs this way and very rarely get major dirt or bugs in my paint. And if you are doing a "show" paint job, then you are already going to be wet sanding so just lay down a little more clear.

The biggest thing is getting the painting area clean, all of the dust and dirt off the floor and out of the air, which is why I blow it out the day before and then let what is in the air settle over night.

I did this once. Ended up high in the garage painting stick figures on the wall jumping into a pit of fire.

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Maztang said:

If you are going to do it, may I make a few suggestions...

1. Go to wal-mart and get the plastic draping shit you would put on the floor to paint the walls in your house, attach it to the ceiling of the garage so that it protects everything in and around the garage and keeps dust from entering the paint area.

2. Buy some fans, open the garage door slightly and face the fans to blow out of the garage.

3. Prep, prep, prep! Clean the garage floor very well and wet it before you begin.

4. A bug zapper somewhere outside the paint area, hopefully it will attract the bugs so they don't come into your "paint booth".

I primered my Mazda in my garage and these are some things that I really wish I would have done before I did it. Good luck man.

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for sure.. It can be done i have had a car painted in a garage and it was just fine.. yes there was more work to do as far as prepping and as far as buffing but if you take your time it can be done..