Much has changed in the automotive industry during the last couple of years, including the technology and the craft of auto body paint. As a result, there are many myths that have managed to remain out in the public, even when they were inspired by common practices that used to be the standard in the past, but that just are not true nowadays. That’s why we decided to share with you four auto body paint myths that we need to stop believing, as they might end up being harmful to our cars, causing a lot of problems that might represent an additional expense we were not anticipating.
One of the most common misconceptions surrounding auto body paint is that the more paint is used in a job, the better. However, this is as far from the truth as it could, since applying more than the necessary coats of paint could have poor and detrimental results. Many manufacturers only use a few coats of paint. This is because, when hardened, car paint can become as hard as metal itself. Therefore, the more paint we apply, the more fragile it will become, making it easy to chip off the car.
Another common misconception that tends to be heard more often than it should is that mixing different brands of paint together is okay. This is a practice that could cause serious damage to your car. Every manufacturer uses different components and chemicals in their products, and they design entire lines specifically intended to be used together. Mixing brands or products can cause chemical reactions that will definitely damage your car’s paint and body, and might even extend the whole process, making it more expensive, too.
Many clients have asked us in the past whether we color sand between each coat of paint or not, and this is a myth that comes from the old days, when lacquer materials were the norm. Nonetheless, this is something that doesn’t apply for auto body paint jobs. For example, when we sand a candy color, it could result in an uneven finish, since these colors are almost impossible to sand. Besides, sanding between coats can damage the surface and compromise the end results. If there are many flaws or rough spots, we need to repair them before applying any paint coat whatsoever.
Even when most body filler hardeners look similar, they are all made differently, yet there are some who believe that there is no difference between them. This is one of the most dangerous and harmful myths regarding auto body paint jobs and materials. Each manufacturer will make its own hardener following different specifications, including a higher or lower percentage of benzoyl peroxide, which is the main component. If we use the incorrect one, or if we are mixing two different hardeners, this could lead us to body fillers that just won’t fully harden, lifting, cracking, and tacky surfaces.