Car paint serves a dual purpose: it not only protects the steel body of your vehicle but also adds visual appeal. But, like fashion, paint trends go in and out of style, with certain tried-and-true colors standing the test of time.
Colors
When you choose a paint color for your vehicle, you choose a way to express yourself. You may want a bold color that says, “Look at me!” or a muted shade that blends in with traffic. Whatever your choice, it’s important to consider resale value and maintenance issues. For example, black and silver paints show less dirt, making them more popular in the automotive industry.
Homeowners in the Pacific Northwest often opt for moody hues, including forest greens and earthy browns that create appealing backdrops for gardens and landscaping. They’re also embracing black and charcoal shades that are trendy yet timeless. However, a car’s color doesn’t affect its insurance rate based on various factors, including the type and extent of coverage, driving history, and location.
Metallics
Painting your car is one of those tasks you put off for a while, but it’s important to ensure the job is done right when it’s time. A paint job in an auto paint shop can add value to your vehicle and protect your investment from rust and damage.
Whether your car has deep scratches or a faded finish, a quality repair can add hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars to its resale value. A professional paint shop can handle this job promptly and with the latest products to ensure it meets all industry standards. It also eliminates the risk of exposure to toxic chemicals and other contaminants.
Mattes
Gleaming metallic hues ruled the car color scene not so long ago, but the trend has shifted to more subdued earth-colored hues that are popular among buyers. Leading the pack is a special type of paint known as matte paint. This style works very similar to conventional automotive paint, but matte clearcoat dries with a rough surface instead of having the clearcoat dry to a glass smooth texture.
This type of finish creates a more muted and less reflective sheen that draws attention to the vehicle’s unique shape. The color also has a more organic look that many drivers appreciate and can help set their vehicle apart from the crowd.
Several cities in Washington pay above the average salary for Auto Paint Technician jobs, including Renton, Seattle, and Tacoma. However, these cities have a higher cost of living than the state average, making them a less-than-ideal place to move for career advancement.
Clear Coats
Clearcoats play a key role in the durability of your car’s paint. Scratches, stains, and other damage to your vehicle’s surface can degrade the clearcoat’s integrity. The good news is that these imperfections are easily repaired, and the finish will look like it was never damaged.
The first step in any vehicle coating process is applying a primer surfacer. This layer protects the substrate from chemicals in the base coat and enhances chipping resistance.
After the primer surfacer is applied, the next step is the basecoat, which imparts your car’s color. The most common basecoats are solvent-borne medium solids (MS) and high solids (HS). Waterborne basecoats have replaced HS bases in automotive painting due to their environmental benefits, including reduced Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). New crosslinking chemistries for clearcoats are being developed, including acrylic/silane/melamine, acid/epoxy, and carbamate melamine systems. These new chemistries improve appearance and mechanical durability.