Like all painted things, car paint too begins to lose its sheen and gets discolored as the years go by. Wind, snow, heat and other forms of weathering, pollution, abrasions, bird droppings etc are reasons for your car to look old and weather-beaten. But if you are keen on restoring its lost luster and making it look presentable again, there are ways of doing it.

The first step to be taken is to get the car thoroughly cleaned. Wash it with soap if necessary and make sure that every nook and corner of the car is free from grime and dirt. Next is to scrape away the top oxidized layer of paint off the car, which can be done with the help of a foam compounding pad. Once you are through with this you will find a cloudy look on the surface of the car. To remove this haziness off the body, you must polish the car, but before you begin, you must ensure that the polish you are using is mild.

To get back a glossy look again, you must polish with a circular polisher and the white foam polishing pads can give you the best results. Give a finishing touch to the car by using an orbital polisher beginning slowly and then steadily increasing the pace. Take a small patch and gradually proceed ahead. If you want to paint your car you will need to put on a layer of primer.

Before you add a coat of paint to your car, you must work out how you are going to get about it. It is always advisable to use a spray gun to get the right texture of car paint if you want your car to look glossy and smooth. If you think you can manage to paint the car yourself, you will save the expenses that are incurred if you get it done by a professional. A standard spray gun with a pressure of 70psi can do a wonderful job but anything below that will give you a thick smudgy coat.

Facts about Spray texture:

Spray texture also called as "popcorn finish" is a paint-like coating used for painting cars. The texture comes from Styrofoam or polystyrene mixed into a sticky liquid base. The product is purchased dry and is available in various textures. Amount of water used is important as too little water and you have a paint that will not spray smoothly, too much water and it tends to show small cracks as it dries. Paint's hiding ability and adhesion will decrease with the level of water in the mix, so it is critical to have a right amount of water in the mix for sound, long lasting finish.

To assure strong adhesion of the texture, cleaning and priming the surface is very important, the purpose of cleaning is clear from the fact that paint will stick to the dust instead of the surface.

Many of the paint companies give instructions as to the kind of Spray gun that should be used for a particular paint, which can include a specific fluid tip and air cap. Hence, it is advisable that the spray gun be purchased from a paint shop only.

You must know the ratio of hardener or thinner that is required to be added to the paint you are planning to use. Once you have got the right proportion, you can pour it into the spray gun ready for use. Point the nozzle in the right direction and gently spray the coats until the desired effect is obtained.

Now that you'll learn the basics of car painting, learn the advanced techniques of car spray painting with online videos you can download for free. These videos online are great for beginners and professionals alike.