isrslydunnoman
New Member
Hey fellow civic owners/lovers. My name's Katie & I wanted to show you the DIY body repair & paint job I did to my 96 civic DX. The entire project cost around $90-$100 (USD).
Before the paint job
Before the paint job
- First, a list of supplies -
✦2-4 cans spray primer - $3 per can **if the car is a darker color, get darker primer.**
✦2-3 quarts Rust-Oleum protective enamel - $8 per qt.
✦Various sanding blocks (x-fine, fine, medium) - $10-$15
✦1 can body filler (bondo) - $10
✦2 rolls good quality painters tape - $10
✦1 quart acetone - $8
*Estimate* cost of supplies: $70
- Also needed -
✦Well ventilated area for body work/painting
✦Spray gun or roller (though spraying will be much faster & easier)
✦large roll of paper to cover tires, glass, wipers & lights
✦time, diligence and various dispensable objects to throw when frustration occurs
✦low standards
*Estimate* cost of also needed supplies: time & patience
✦2-4 cans spray primer - $3 per can **if the car is a darker color, get darker primer.**
✦2-3 quarts Rust-Oleum protective enamel - $8 per qt.
✦Various sanding blocks (x-fine, fine, medium) - $10-$15
✦1 can body filler (bondo) - $10
✦2 rolls good quality painters tape - $10
✦1 quart acetone - $8
*Estimate* cost of supplies: $70
- Also needed -
✦Well ventilated area for body work/painting
✦Spray gun or roller (though spraying will be much faster & easier)
✦large roll of paper to cover tires, glass, wipers & lights
✦time, diligence and various dispensable objects to throw when frustration occurs
✦low standards
*Estimate* cost of also needed supplies: time & patience
Of course, body work needs to be done before any priming & painting.
Before you begin, you're going to want to remove any parts that covers a painted area. If you're lazy like myself, you're going to have to meticulously tape over lights, windows & trim before painting.
Take your time & be very thorough during the preparation process. The better job you do sanding, the better the paint will look. If you rush through the prep you'll regret it. Don't sand to bare metal, it's not necessary.
After sanding, apply coat of primer to the car, allow to dry, then apply another coat. Sand with x-fine grit.
Once you're happy with the preparation the fun part begins. Tape & paper anywhere you don't want painted. Try to cover areas really well because there will be over-spray.
I used a spray gun for painting - take your paint (Rust-Oleum gloss) and dilute with a bit of acetone. Thinner the paint, smoother the coat. Spray on multiple coats, allow to dry an hour between each.
Once you're finished applying the paint, allow the car to sit for a couple days to set the paint.
It's a cheap paint job so it's not going to be perfect, but it'll be an improvement.
Before you begin, you're going to want to remove any parts that covers a painted area. If you're lazy like myself, you're going to have to meticulously tape over lights, windows & trim before painting.
Take your time & be very thorough during the preparation process. The better job you do sanding, the better the paint will look. If you rush through the prep you'll regret it. Don't sand to bare metal, it's not necessary.
After sanding, apply coat of primer to the car, allow to dry, then apply another coat. Sand with x-fine grit.
Once you're happy with the preparation the fun part begins. Tape & paper anywhere you don't want painted. Try to cover areas really well because there will be over-spray.
I used a spray gun for painting - take your paint (Rust-Oleum gloss) and dilute with a bit of acetone. Thinner the paint, smoother the coat. Spray on multiple coats, allow to dry an hour between each.
Once you're finished applying the paint, allow the car to sit for a couple days to set the paint.
It's a cheap paint job so it's not going to be perfect, but it'll be an improvement.