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What kind of paint is used on cars?
I’ve been thinking about repainting my car recently, which I’ll probably do myself, but first I want to know what kind of paint is generally used on cars
Andrew Biro · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Great question! If you’re thinking about painting your car, you have four general options to choose from: acrylic urethane, acrylic enamel, acrylic lacquer, and water-based.
Acrylic urethane is the most expensive, but it’s also easy to apply and is very durable—you will, however, need a full respirator to safely paint with urethane, as it is highly toxic.
Acrylic enamel, on the other hand, has the same toughness as urethane but is harder to apply and may require more finishing work. You may also have to apply a clear top coat over the enamel base layer.
Acrylic lacquer isn’t nearly as popular as it used to be, but it’s still available and is a good choice for amateur painters—it’s cheap, goes on easily, and has a high gloss—but it doesn’t stand up to UV rays very well and chips easily.
As the most recent addition, water-based paint is a great non-toxic choice and is incredibly versatile, though it will require a clear urethane topcoat to protect it from UV rays.
Hope this helps!
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