Paint protection comes in many different guises. From the simple car wax through to paint protection film (PPF) and ceramic coating, all of these options are designed to keep the factory (or repainted) paintwork bright, vibrant, and free from scratches.
Therefore, if you want to repaint a vehicle, then any paint protection needs to be removed before doing so.
The following looks at the general rules that apply to repainting a vehicle after paint protection has been applied.
If wax is the extent of paint protection that’s been used on a vehicle, then repainting or, to be more accurate, respraying, isn’t too much of an issue. All that needs to be done is to remove the factory paint, which is done by cutting and sanding to expose the bare metal. This will then need to be primed and allowed to dry before the various coats are resprayed.
If the vehicle to be resprayed has PPF applied, then this will need to be removed before you commence the cutting and sanding process. However…. The good news is that, as you’re going to be treating the vehicle to a shiny new paint job, you don’t need to worry too much about causing any damage as you do so.
PPF is removed by applying a gentle heat source to the surface and then peeling the film away. This is a tedious process, and the very reason many people let the professionals do it, rather than attempting it themselves.
Ceramic coating will also need to be removed before repainting. Once again, you don’t need to be too worried about damaging the paint beneath. It can be done by applying a specially-designed chemical product, with clay and iron dust remover, or by using a degreasing agent in combination with polish.
Once you’ve removed the paint protection product, prepped the vehicle, and applied the new paint, you’re likely to want to reapply a new layer of protection. This should, under no circumstances, be done straight away. The new paint needs time to cure and bond to the surface. The solvents need to evaporate and clear from the paint. The minimum amount of time this takes is around 30 days. To do so in this short timescale, the paint needs to heat up and cool multiple times. If the vehicle is kept under cover or in a garage, this process will take up to 90 days.
If you apply a paint protection product before this process is complete, minuscule bubbles can form. These can cause the paint to discolor or even mean the paint will peel when the time comes to remove the protective coating.
To sum up, you can’t repaint a vehicle over paint protection. But you can remove it and prep the vehicle for a respray and, after an appropriate time, you can then apply the paint protection product of your choice.
Applying any type of paint protection (bar car wax) is something best left to the experts. The treatment doesn’t come any better than from the guys and gals at Auto Supershield. Paint protection, car wraps, and window tinting are all we do—for us, this isn’t just some add-on service we do as a side hustle.
Our technicians are highly skilled and trained to treat your precious ride with the expertise it deserves. Whether you’ve just taken ownership of a vehicle hot off the production line or you’ve treated it to a brand-new paint job, you can rest assured that we’ll deliver the ultimate finished article. Every. Single. Time…
Discover more about us at https://www.autosupershield.com/paint-protection-films and get in touch today for a no-obligation quote.
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