Maaco Collision Repair & Auto Painting

PHONE:

604-514-8960

Surface Preparation

Surface Reconditioning:

If your car is showing any of these problems, then before we can paint your car, we will need to carry out additional surface reconditioning as per details below.

Paint Cracking?

Prevent further auto body paint damage by maintaining your vehicle paint finish.

Cracking usually occurs when a car is 3 to 6 years old. It is found most commonly on the upper panels, which are readily exposed to the sun. It is the sun’s UV rays that hasten the breakdown of auto body paint.

Cracking begins slowly. But once the process is set in motion, it moves quickly. That’s why the sooner you treat this problem, the better!

As you can see from the timeline below, cracking begins with microchecking – microscopic breaks in the paint. It’s easy to mistake microchecking for the less serious problem of paint fading.

Cracks must be treated or they will spread and cause the metal below to rust and pit. To ensure the cracks don’t return, the affected area must be stripped down to bare metal before painting.

Clear Coat Delamination

Delamination process for clear coat finishes.

Clear coat paints have their own timeline when it comes to delamination, a peeling away of the top surface. Frequently, this timeline is based on the amount of exposure to the sun. Other times, this effect results from a manufacturer defect.

The delamination process begins with pockmarks on the paint surface. Then, the clear coat separates from the pigment. Finally, the paint peels in small or large sheets. This accelerating process exposes the metal to moisture and the sun, and can lead to rust.

Maintaining Old & Porous Paint Jobs

Professional paint job maintenance using state-of-the-art technology.

As auto paint ages, it becomes porous. When new paint is applied to the surface it has a tendency to soak into the old finish causing uneven color and gloss effects. Sealers provide a uniform base so the new paint sets up evenly with good "hold-out" from the old finish. This gives consistent color and gloss throughout the entire painted surface. Primer sealer also provides an excellent material for the new paint to chemically bond to, thereby insuring good adhesion.

Poly-Lok auto body paint primer sealer

Maaco's state-of-the-art, two-component primer sealer is the industry's best substrate for new paint. Its tight molecular structure gives a base that is virtually impenetrable, so new paint will set up with a great look all over. You can’t get a more chemically compatible surface for your new paint.

Surface Repair Vehicle Maintenance

Improve finish durability with auto body surface repair

The overall look and durability of your new finish depends as much on proper surface preparation as on the actual paint. In many cases, a vehicle’s existing finish provides an excellent substrate for new paint. However, in other instances a car will need extra attention before the new car paint can be applied.

Removal of chips & scratches

Painting over chips and scratches often intensifies the problem. The damaged area should be machine sanded and featheredged so the rough edges are gradually tapered back. This insures that the edge will be invisible, and the new paint finish will look smooth and glossy.

Auto paint stripping (Paint removal)

Some surface damage such as cracking, clear coat delamination, peeling or excessive chipping can only be corrected by complete removal of the old finish. Cracks require stripping since they always penetrate to the bare metal. Sanding alone would still leave the cracks in the surface after applying new paint.

Peeling and delamination require this kind of repair because any attempt to sand these areas would only make the condition worse. The damaged paint would keep breaking back as it was sanded, preventing proper repair.