How many gallons to paint?

Hey I was wondering if anyone knows about how many gallons of paint, primer, and clearcoat it would be roughly to repaint my truck. I am wanting to go with a custom acrylic paint with a clear coat. I have a good connection to get all the stuff, I just need to know how many actual gallons, etc. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

1 of each man and it will come out cherry no forget the reducer and hardner for the clear and stufff. also the thinner for clean everything

 

a gallon should do it, unless you're changing colors and have to do all the jambs and/or a dramatically different color and/or using cheap paint with poor coverage, then probably figure a gallon and a half.

 

I would say two gallons because I've painted my 1951 Chevy with 4 layers off primer and 4 of the color and 8 on the clear I dam near used it all

 

You shouldn't need any primer unless you are painting over bare metal or doing a drastic color change.

Typically when I have painted cars in the past, keep in mind I am talking about a car not a truck slightly less surface area. I would typically use around a gallon (already reduced). This was usually 3-4 coats of base. The place I buy my paint from will reduce and mix it for you at the store if you want. I would typically use around a half gallon of clear coat + catalyst (hardener) which = 1/4 of the amount of clear. The clears I have used are usually a 4.1 ratio. Then you need some acetone and/or laquer thinner for cleanup. I usually use acetone to clean my gun up when i'm done, it works well and I can buy it just about anywhere.

Are you doing a color change? if so...I would highly recommend against it because you will never recoup that expense and typically doing so actually brings your resale value down. Your vehicle may not have been wrecked but a potential buyer will typically associate a new paint job with some sort of accident.

 

I am doing a drastic color change. Going from Silver Streak Mica to Candy Apple Red is night and day, heh. Not worried about resale value because not selling the truck........ever. Lol. Im wanting to get all the supplies needed to do the complete color change right so it will look awesome and last like it was a stock color.

 

since you are going red, be prepared to use a red tinted primer and a lot of base. red is probably one of the hardest colors to paint. It's terrible at hiding. You're probably gonna spend 3-4k for a complete color change even with a "hookup". candy paint is EXPENSIVE.

don't mean to be a debbie downer...just giving you a headsup.

 

Are you painting the truck?? Candy apple is a huge leap for a first time paint job.

Depending on your choice of base color? (i.e. Gold, Silver, etc...) You shouldn't need primer.

In fact I'd stay away from any unnecessary coats. You'll want to go deep on the clear!

1 Gallon of base coat should be good.
The Candy depending on your painting style, and how deep/dark you want it? That will determine how many gallons of candy you'll need.

The clear I'd get at least 2 gallons!

Anyone can paint a car. But not just anyone can paint it good!

With Candy you need to apply it with extremely thin coats, it will look splotchy at first but the more thin coast you lay down the better it will look. (Your coats need to be as thin as possible)

I don't recommend Candy as your first attempt at a paint job. But it's up to you?

Good Luck!

 

painting candy apple red lay down a basecoat of silver then shoot as many coats of the candy red u want till u get the desired colr. then clear 1 medium coat then 2 wet coats. if u have no experience painting. i def would not be shooting candy for your first paint job. your in over your head. im a ppg cerified painter so im just trying to prepare u thats all.

 

Try and avoid the TIGER stipes!!!

 

stripes

 

what the process for reclearing the whole truck

 

Oh Hell no Im not painting it, lol. I have a friend who runs a body/paint shop whose personal truck is a lighter candy apple red chevy 4x4, and the guys doing to work know how to do it right, they've done pretty nice work around my area, mostly on trucks and SUVs. What Im trying to do is get all the paint and other supplies from a wholesale online site to offset the labor cost from the crew doing it the right way.

 

if you do have it painted, some basic prep work goes a long way.

REMOVE (not mask) anything you don't plan on painting.
Grills, Lights, Mirrors, Door Handles, window trim and moldings. Remove the back window, the front windshield (plan on getting a new one). Completely gut the interior, everything from door panels and the dash, center consoles and seats, seat belts. Basically drive (or have towed) to the pain shop with a milk crate as a seat to move it around. Wrap any brackets or anything else you dont want painted in masking tape. I know bumper brackets are hidden, but if you can see any paint on them, it takes away from the vehicle.

Good luck, post pics.

An old Chevy C10 I had painted Laser Red. To many pics to post of the build in here.

 

wuldn't you axe your friend how many gallons then?

 

then personally I'd let the guys use their own product, giving them something else to work with could throw them off.