How to Determine the Amount of Paint Needed for your Vehicles Paint Job

Hey there!

I wanted to take some time to go over the approach to figuring out how much automotive paint one needs for their car, and emphasizing why it is oh so important in getting it right. Painting your car is an exciting project, but running out of paint or having to deal with color mismatches can be a major hassle. So, let's get it right the first time, friends!

  1. We want to start by grabbing a measuring tape: We're going to measure the different surfaces you want to paint on your car. It's important to have accurate measurements, so take your time with this step.

  2. Don't underestimate the amount of coats: Consider how many coats you want to apply. You might be tempted to rush through it with a single coat, but trust me, multiple coats can make a big difference in the final result. Take into account any base coats, color coats (if applicable), and clear coats you plan to use.

  3. Let the numbers do the talking: Find the coverage rate of the paint you've chosen. This magical number tells you how much area a specific quantity of paint can cover. It's usually mentioned as square footage per gallon or liter. Look for it on the paint can or the manufacturer's website. Paying attention to this number ensures you don't end up with too little or too much paint.

  4. Time for some math (no sweat, I promise): Divide the total square footage of your car by the coverage rate of the paint. This simple calculation gives you an estimate of the amount of paint you need.

  5. A little extra can go a long way: Now, it's essential to remember that that paint jobs can be unpredictable, and painting can be a tricky process overall. It's always better to have some extra paint on hand than to find yourself in a tough spot. Plan to buy a bit more than your calculated amount to account for touch-ups, mistakes, or any unexpected surprises that might pop up.

We hope this simplified approach has proven insightful! It's crucial to stress the importance of getting the amount of paint right. A proper paint job not only enhances the appearance of your car but also ensures its long-term durability. If you have any doubts or want to be absolutely sure, don't hesitate to consult with professionals (us) or reach out to the paint manufacturer for expert guidance.

Trust the process, and let your car's transformation begin!

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2 comments

I started getting my truck ready to paint. It took three months because we worked on it when we had the chance. It is a 2008 Toyota Tacoma. The clear coat was in bad shape. We ended up taking the paint off down to bare metal. I priced paint for a while and ended up getting it from AutoColorOnline. I ended up having to order more clear coat, reducer, and activator.
Now we dont paint vehicles very often and my son has never painted one in his life. But I let him have a go at it and told him we could always paint over and problem areas.. We bought primer, red paint and clearcoat all from AutoColor Online. We ordered it all and had to reorder a little more. It all came in on time and was very reasonably. Red paint was running as high as $500.00 a gallon in most places. And I had about $500.00 in a Gallon of Primer, a gallon of red, a gallon of Clear coat, 3 gallons of reducer, and 2 quarts of activator.
The primer and paint was Urethane High Build. And you could not ask for paint to go on any better and sanded out great. The Clearcoat went on great also. My son had a little problem with orange peal. But just a little polishing and it shined like a mirror. He had a little problem getting the air pressure and volume right.
But He was using a new paint gun and he just would not listen to me. He should have turned the air pressure up so it would atomize the clearcoat better’
All in all I plan on painting another truck in the near future and I will be getting my paint from AutocolorOnline.
Below is a list of what we used on the truck. It was a General Motors red paint on a 2008 Toyota Tacoma just because I liked the red better. And It is red.
I wanted to leave some pictures but I simply did not know how. And I had plenty of pictures. It turned out better than we expected. I was given a price of $2500.00 to paint the truck. But I could not afford that. So I wound up with a $500.00 paint job that would compare to any other. And the paint I used had a lot to do with how it turned out.

GA WA9260 Victory Red Full Paint Kit for GM: Basecoat (gl).

Clear (gl) Activator (qt), Reducer (gl)
7730- Slow (80+degrees)

High Teck 7730, Urethane Reducer, Slow Speed, 1gl × 1
Clearcoat Kit: 8000 Clearcoat (GL) & 8010 Activator (QT) × 1
High Teck 7720, Urethane Reducer, Medium Speed, 1gl × 1

Danny Moore

I think I have it figured out. Will grab some paint from site. Do you have 636r GM?

Ky Sindry

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