6 Types of Auto Paint: Pros, Cons & Best Car Paint Options

In today’s market, there are many types of auto paint available. When choosing auto paint, you should consider the following factors: the type of finish, budget, and resources. Cutting Edge Collision Center provides reliable and trustworthy auto painting services in Tucson, and we can help you choose the right type of auto paint.

Our trained technicians use premium paint with the most innovative materials. We offer superior workmanship with paint matching and body modifications to restore your vehicle’s paint job. Let’s examine the popular types of paint and what makes them unique. 

1. Lacquer Paint

New vehicles do not use lacquer paints, which were popular in the 1920s and 1950s. A lacquer paint job may look good on an old car, but urethane paint provides better surface protection. These acrylic paints require more handwork with up to eight coats to achieve a good level of shine. 

2. Enamel Paint

Unlike lacquer paints, enamel paint dries into a hard shell. This paint only comes in basic premixed colors and works best if it does not come in contact with harsh conditions. Most body shops bake enamel paint in heated ovens, but you can also buy them in spray guns and aerosol cans.

3. Urethane Paint

Urethane paint is one of the longest-lasting and most durable types of auto paint that comes in many colors. Although all paint jobs require protective gear, such as facemasks and coveralls, urethane auto paint is highly toxic. Urethane also requires three separate parts: clear, reducer, and catalyst, so these paint jobs are best left to professionals. One key benefit of urethane paint is its UV resistance. Cars are less likely to fade in the sun with a few coats of urethane paint.

4. Metallic Paint

Metallic paint is popular today among manufacturers who offer a wide variety of metallic and pearl color options. These paints hide blemishes and minor scratches better than regular paint. When compared to pearlescent paints, metallic does not sparkle in the sun.

5. Matte Paint

Modern luxury cars tend to use matte paints. Instead of a glossy finish, they give off a flat appearance. A matte finish provides a clear coat that contains tiny dimples to prevent light reflection.

6. Water-based Paint

Non-toxic water-based paints are the latest innovation in auto paint technology. It’s possible to apply these paints to metal, primers, or existing paint jobs. If you want to add graphics to a vehicle, repaint one panel or door, or change your entire car’s color, water-based paint is an excellent choice.

Work with a Professional Auto Painting Company

Cutting Edge Collision Center can help if you have a vehicle with peeling paint, scratches, and other imperfections. We use color-matching software to find the perfect shade by comparing different types of auto paint. Our team offers complete paint protection, so visit us to learn the benefits of paint protection film.

Contact Cutting Edge Collision Center in Tucson, AZ, today for a free auto paint consultation. Call us at (520) 339-6901.

Car paint is meant to be on the vehicle’s body for a lifetime. While mainly seen as an aesthetic element, the main purpose of automotive paints and coatings is to protect the car body from rust, sunlight, dust and rain. Quality car paints can extend the lifespan of the vehicle’s body by preventing corrosion of the material underneath. 

In this guide, we will cover all you need to know about car paints. Its composition, types and process. 

COMPOSITION OF CAR PAINTS 

Automotive paints are made of three basic components:

• Pigment: Provides the colour to the paint
• Thinner: Ensures the consistency of the paint
• Binder: Binds the pigment and thinner

Moreover, there are chemical compositions of car paints. The following are chemical compositions of car paints:

URETHANE

The urethane car paint is one of the long-lasting paint options. Moreover, urethane paints don’t fade for more than 10 years but they are more expensive than other paints having different chemical composition. 

ACRYLIC ENAMEL

The acrylic enamel car paint lasts a long time as it creates a hard shell on the car’s body. They are not easy to apply and require an experience and professional car painter.

ACRYLIC LACQUER

Auto manufacturers have used acrylic lacquer car paints in the earlier vehicle models. Acrylic lacquer paints provide a high gloss to the car’s body but they don’t last long and fade when exposed to the ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun.

ACRYLIC URETHANE

It is one of the new options for car paints. Water-based polyurethane enamel paints are most commonly used as they are environmental-friendly car paints. 

STAGES OF CAR PAINTS

Paints on cars go through three stages: primer, base and clear coat

The following are stages of car paints and they all are equally important for a proper and finished look:

PRIMER

The first stage, primer, is also known as pre-coat. Primer is composed of urethane or epoxy providing following advantages:

• It reduces the use of oil for protecting the body from rust and corrosion.
• It helps in levelling the surface of the body.
• Primer, also helps in overcoming the minor defects.

BASE COAT

It is the colour coat for automobiles. Base coats can be dull but they can be beneficial in the following ways:

• Base coat fixes the minor dents and imperfections.
• It enhances the appearance of the body and makes it ready for the final clear coat.

CLEAR COAT

The final stage of the car paint process is a clear coat. It must be durable to resist corrosion and withstand the strong UV light. Clear coat can be categorised into two types:

• Waterborne Car Paint: These paints use water as solvent and they are not harmful to the environment. They only use 10% of solvents other than water.
• Solvent-borne Car Paint: This type of car paint uses base solvents like lacquer, urethane or enamel. They contain a high amount of volatile organic compounds. They also have environmental concerns, that’s why companies have reduced the use of solvent borne car paints.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF CAR PAINT FINISHES

Auto manufacturers use different types of car paints to give a finished look to the vehicles. The following are the different types of base coat paints and each have their own pros and cons:

SOLID PAINTS

Solid car paints are inexpensive and easy to repair

Most vehicles have a solid base coat. The solid paints come in different car paint colours, for instance, white, red, blue and black. These are followed by lacquer clear coat (solvent-borne paints) to provide an extra protective layer to the vehicle. You can have a look at used Skoda Fabia for sale in the UAE as they are base coated with solid car paints.

PROS

• They are inexpensive. Manufacturers use it to design affordable cars.
• Solid paints are easy to repair. Minor chips and scratches can be fixed with the pen of the same colour making it easy to maintain. 

CONS

• They have a limited colour range consisting of only four colours.
• They can sometimes have an orange peel because of the moisture that may have affected it during the coating process.

METALLIC PAINTS

These paints provide a more shiny and bright look to the car’s exterior

This type of car paint is similar to solid paints. However, they have metallic powder mixed in the solid paints providing a more complete and finished exterior look. You can buy second-hand BMW 3 Series in the UAE which has a metallic base coat that adds to its sleek look. 

PROS

• They provide a more shiny and bright touch to the vehicle. 
• Metallic paints can hide minor damages when looked from a distance and hold up together if they are maintained and cleaned regularly.

CONS

• It is more expensive than solid coats.
• Same metallic colours are much harder to find if damaged.

PEARLESCENT PAINTS

The major difference pearlescent coats have is that they use ceramic crystals mixed with solid paint instead of metallic powder. High-end auto manufacturers offer dozens of colours with pearlescent paints. You can have a look at the used Audi A6 for sale in the UAE which uses this type of car coating to provide a shiny pearl effect to the vehicle.

PROS

• They disguise the minor scuffs and minor damages.
• This type of automotive paint provides a more premium look to the vehicle providing spectacular colour effects when looked upon from different angles.

CONS

• They are more expensive than the metallic and solid car paints.
• Pearlescent paints are hard to find and the body repairs require more expense, attention and time.

MATTE FINISH

Matte paint is one of the premium car paints and coatings

This type of automotive paint is available in premium vehicles. They add to the sleek and high-end look of any vehicle. They are typically available in black and grey colours only. You can have a look at used Tesla Model 3 for sale in the UAE as they have a matte finish to add to their premier look.  

PROS

• It is one of the most premium and prestigious automotive coatings.
• The paint absorbs more light producing a dull shine which is appealing to the users.

CONS

• They are too expensive to repair.
• Matte finish requires lots of maintenance and products such as specialised polishes and shampoos for cleaning purposes.

SPECIALITY PAINTS

Various auto manufacturers use different techniques and mixtures to provide a more finished look to the car. Specialty paints also include BMW E-Ink colour changing technology which changes colours at a touch of the button. This colour changing technology uses white and black pigments and electrodes to switch from one colour to another.

These were all the different car paint types explained and the stages that they are applied in. There are different causes of car paint damage. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you visit car service centres for any upgrade or repair of car paints when you buy a used car in the UAE. 

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