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How do you spray acrylic enamel car paint on a car?

How am I supposed to spray my car with acrylic enamel car paint? I heard the best way to paint your car is with acrylic enamel—but I have no idea how to do it. I really don't want to spend the money for someone else to either, so how can I do this?

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Joshua Levy · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Kudos to you for taking on such a big project! The best way to spray your car with acrylic enamel is to use a siphon gun. There are other methods you could try, but siphon guns are affordable solutions that produce quality results!
To get an even spray with a clean finish, follow these steps:
  • Fill the siphon gun’s cup about 3/4 of the way with acrylic enamel then reattach the cup to the gun. Turn on the compressor and test your spray on a piece of scrap material.
  • Adjust the settings until your spray pattern is 6 inches wide when you spray from 6 inches away. If the spray is too thin, you can adjust the nozzle or add a paint reducer to the cup.
  • Hold down the trigger while keeping the gun about 6 inches from the car and spray in an up-down pattern. Make sure you keep a consistent distance from the car’s surface and try to overlap each line by at least 3 inches.
  • Once you finish your first coat, go back over it in a side-to-side pattern. Don’t worry about the paint drips; you can fix them after the paint dries.
  • Let the paint dry completely before sanding it with fine-grain sandpaper. Once you’ve finished sanding it, repeat the process for a clean second layer.
  • Polish your car, take a few steps back, and admire your new paint job!
Before you start a job like this, still consider your other options. Professionals are better equipped to perform a quality job and they’re less likely to make permanent mistakes.
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