Our crew argues over prep time for paint jobs

In our auto body shop, we're split on how much prep to do before spraying paint. Half the team insists on hand sanding every panel to bare metal. They point to that vintage truck we did where the paint still looks new years later. The other half says for most cars, a good scuff with a dual action sander is plenty. They mention all the fleet vehicles we've painted that held up without issue. I'm stuck in the middle and want to hear from others. Where do you stand on this?

2 comments

2 Comments

wyatt85111h ago

Check what's under the paint first. I've seen jobs fail from skipping bare metal on bondo repairs, but scuffing fresh factory paint is usually fine. Why not split the difference and test adhesion on a small area? That way you're not wasting time or risking a peel.

the_brooke8h ago

So how do you pick which spots to test on a bigger job, like a full repaint?