Automotive Paints, Primers, and Underbody Coatings

Adding automotive paint prep products (such as filler, primer, paint, and car underbody coating) to your vehicle body prevents rust and corrosion from forming on metal surfaces. It also provides protection to panels from small scratches and blemishes after being applied. This will allow your vehicle to last a long time and keep steel and aluminum parts from corroding.

Properly preparing your vehicle's body with filler and primer, and then adding paint to complete the finish will help transform or restore its looks. This investment adds to the resale value of your car or truck and will help you to stand out from others.

There are many options to buy automotive primers, paints, and underbody coatings online, but only one clear destination. With over 60 years in the business, JEGS has been selling automotive paint (matte, semi, gloss, etc.) and body products for a long time, offers competitive prices, and ships in-stock items fast, often the same day.

There are three types of fillers used for bodywork:

Standard - lightweight filler, used on small scratches and minor dents, cures in less than half an hour.

Medium - commonly called "fiberglass filler", useful for tiny holes and tears in metal or fiberglass.

Premium - sometimes called "aluminum filler" (contains very small aluminum particles), for larger dents and repairs, doesn't shrink, is easier to sand, and is stronger than the other fillers.

The following are the three most common auto restoration primers:

Epoxy Primer - adheres well to bare metal, auto primers, filler, and old paint. Creates a harder coating with minimal shrinking. Wet sanding is the best option with this primer. Rust has to be completely removed before applying.

Polyester Primer - very thick two-part system used when lots of bodywork and filler is required. Works great over fiberglass and epoxy and shrinkage is minimal. This primer sands easy and dry sanding only is recommended. Add one round of urethane primer afterwards before moving on to sealer and color coats.

Urethane Primer-Surfacer - contains great filling qualities and can be used after polyester primer. Block sand (wet) before applying a sealer.

The following are the most common types of automotive paints:

Water-based - newer technology for auto restoration paints, this paint is non-toxic and can be applied to metal, primer, or existing paint. It is commonly used for graphics applied on top of existing paint and does require a topcoat of clear urethane for protection.

Urethanes (Acrylic) - this paint can be used alone or in multiple stages that include a clearcoat with a 2-stage process being the most common. It is easy to apply, similar to lacquer but with enamel toughness. Urethanes require minimal finish work and are highly durable, long lasting, and resistant to chipping and fading. A clear coat urethane is available in three types: clear, reducer, and catalyst. Urethanes are mostly used with a spray gun, but are also available as an aerosol. This paint can be sprayed over lacquer. It also is newer, more expensive, and more trouble regarding application than enamels. Urethane requires 3 products: color, reducer to match spray gun viscosity (can have flow issues), and a catalyst to speed up drying time. After mixing, it must be used and what's left must be disposed of properly as it will not keep. Urethane is highly toxic, requiring gloves, suit/coveralls, respirator and goggles. It does have quick drying time, is less prone to running, and can be applied over many other paint types. This paint is recommended for professional painters, not DIY users.

Enamels (Acrylic) - This paint type dries to a hard shell and is often baked onto the surface in an oven at a high temperature. For this reason, it is only recommended for professional painters, not DIY painting. Enamels last a long time, are tougher than lacquer auto paint coatings, but do not lay down as easy as lacquer and require more finishing work. Some enamel colors require a two-stage (base then clear) system with a clear topcoat, others only require single-stage (base and clear mix) application. This paint is available in aerosol and for spray guns. Enamels provide a high gloss finish, but are a softer paint, which doesn't hold up as well to UV light and chemicals. After mixing, it must be used, with remaining paint disposed of properly as it cannot be reused.

Lacquers (Acrylic) - The first type of popular auto paints, used until the 1960s. This paint is now illegal in some areas due to its harmfulness to the environment. Lacquer paints are inexpensive, lay down easy, and provide a high gloss. However, they chip easily and fade, as it is a "soft" paint and doesn't react well to UV light and chemicals. Lacquers also have a short lifespan, making them no longer recommended for automotive use. This paint is available in aerosol and for spray guns and cannot be painted over urethane paint.

One of the biggest first impressions your vehicle can leave is the condition of the paint finish. Having a beautiful paint job without any dents or body damage will increase its value and help it stand out from others. Choose from our full line of automotive body repair and finish products to finish your next paint project.