Car spray painting & colour matching

How colour matching works

Every car has a paint code, usually on a plate or sticker in the door jamb or under the bonnet. That code is the starting point, but it isn't the whole answer: paint fades in the Perth sun, and factory colours vary slightly between production batches. So the mixed colour is checked against your actual car and adjusted before it goes on.

Blending

Even a perfect mix can look different on a freshly painted panel sitting next to an original one. To avoid a visible line, the new colour is usually blended: faded out across part of the neighbouring panel, then the clear coat is applied over the whole area. This is normal practice, and it's why a repair to one door often includes some paint on the next panel along.

Preparation

1. The area is cleaned and degreased so nothing contaminates the paint.
2. Damaged paint is sanded back, and any repaired metal is filled and shaped smooth.
3. Primer goes on to seal the repair and give the colour a uniform base, then it's sanded again.
4. Everything that isn't being painted is masked off.
5. Colour and clear coat are applied in the spray booth, where dust is controlled and the paint can cure properly.
6. Once cured, the finish can be cut and polished to match the texture of the original paint.

What we paint

Single panels after a repair, bumpers, scratches and stone chips, faded or peeling clear coat, and parts like motorcycle tanks. For a full colour change or a whole-car refinish, see custom resprays.