How to Sand a Car for Repainting

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Begin by cleaning the car to remove any dust or potential obstacles for the sander.

   Remove any loose fixtures and any detailing (badges, wing mirrors and headlight surrounds) that can be removed.
   
   Mask everything else with abrasion resistant or masking film.
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   Step 2: Fill or repair any visible dents or deep scratches now - make sure you get a good adhesion if using a filler by cleaning inside the dent

   , Use a smooth motion, not stopping or moving too quickly, to remove the outermost layer of paint.
   
   If you find the coarse attachment cutting too hard, switch to a lower grade, but make sure the entire surface has been cut to the same level. , Continue to remove as much of the primer as possible, ideally reaching bare metal.
   
   There should be no visible scratches at this stage. , That said, there should be no visible marks or scratches left by the final sanding phase.
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   Step 3: chip or scratch and creating a rough surface with an abrasive.

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   Step 4: Attach a coarse abrasive disc to your sanding machine - such as P60 grade - for initial sanding.

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   Step 5: Once reaching the primer

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   Step 6: switch to a finer grade to remove the scratches made by the coarse disc.

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   Step 7: Aim for a matte finish

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   Step 8: not a high polish - a high polish will not provide enough 'grip' for the primer and new paint.

Detailed Guide

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