Does your car door have paint imperfections that make it look like it is for a different car? It could be due to scratches or an accident that make the overall appearance of your vehicle unattractive. You do not have to repaint the entire car if the imperfections are on a specific section like a door or a hood. Instead, talk to a professional to find out how much does it cost to paint a car door and restore its shiny appeal. We give insights on what it takes to restore your vehicle appeal and what you can do to save money.
We recommend that you take your car to a body repair shop for professional repainting and repair, especially if the door requires repairs before repainting. However, you will have to pay more for a professional service due to the cost of labor. Repainting the car door yourself is an effective way to save on the painting job without compromising on the quality. Nevertheless, you will need to invest in tools and set aside time for repainting your vehicle. Use our guide on how much does it cost to paint a car door and procedures you should follow for professional-like results.
How Much Does It Cost To Paint A Car Door?
How much it costs to paint a car door depends on whether you are using the services of a professional body shop or doing the repair yourself. It is cheaper to restore the color of your vehicle when you undertake the repainting, but it is exhausting and can take several hours to finish the project. You will save on labor costs as you will only need to invest in supplies and tools. However, we do not recommend do it yourself painting if the vehicle has underlying problems as it requires more experience and skills to fix the problem.
How much does it cost to paint a car door also depends on the quality of paint and the necessary bodywork. It will cost more to repaint a vehicle with underlying rust problems as you must remove the rust before applying new fresh paint. That said, we encourage that you get multiple estimates from different professionals to help you have a rough estimate of the cost. Painting the door of your vehicle can cost anywhere from $100 to $700, depending on the quality of paint and preparation work.
Things You Should Consider Before Setting A Budget To Repaint Your Car
The answer to how much does it cost to paint a car door largely depends on your preferences. The quality of the work, paint, and color will affect the budget you will need to paint your vehicle. Lower quality paint will be cheaper to purchase, which will result in savings. Although you will save on the cost, using lower quality paint will negatively affect the results. The color of your choice will also determine the amount you will pay to fix paint imperfections. Black, grey, silver, and white colors are usually cheaper to paint than special colors. Some of the essential things you should consider before setting a car painting budget include:
- Decide on the paint job quality
Do you need showroom quality, mid-level paint, or standard painting? Your choice will influence the amount you should set aside for the job. Touching up your car door paint or fixing the simple scratches is a simple job that requires standard level painting as you do not need to remove the existing paint entirely. Applying a single paint coat will fix your problem and give your car a fresh look. However, you will need to invest more if you are looking for a better shine. Mid-level painting and showroom quality painting requires several paint coats applications.
- Underlying problems
Never apply paint over problems. A cosmetic cover-up will mask the problems, but it would create other issues like noticeable painting inconsistencies. Avoid painting over rust and dents as it can make the problems worse. Always fix the underlying issues before applying paint.
- Understand the work needed
The preparation work needed before painting the door will determine the cost of the project. A painting job with minimal or no preparation will be cheaper as it does not include extra labor to repair door dings and rust. The extra hours and work needed to fix the underlying issues will increase the overall cost of repainting. It will also cost more to add a protective layer as the topcoat to protect your car from weather elements.
- Paying more offers better results
Paying more for a painting job usually results in better results. Various car body shops offer multiple painting jobs, depending on the quality and specialty you desired. A higher-paying painting job tends to have better paint application around sharp bends and crevices. You may need to pay up to $1,000 for a showroom-quality car door painting.
- Set a realistic budget
It does not make sense to pay $1000 for a car door repaint if it has underlying engine problems. Car repaint will not only make your car attractive, but it can also add value to your car. However, you should invest wisely as you do not want to raise the value of your vehicle beyond the market price. We recommend that you avoid showroom-quality repaint for an older automobile with high mileage and low market price. The goal should be to give the vehicle a freshening look with minimal cash outlay. Nonetheless, you should keep off the cheap paint if you are dealing with a classic or a supercar. A cheap finish on a supercar can negatively affect the value of your car.
What Are The Different Types Of Paint Can You Use To Repaint Your Car?
The paint of your choice is a major determinant of how much it costs to paint your vehicle. It also determines the final results with some paints having a shinier finish than the others. Car paint comes in a wide array of options that can be confusing unless you understand the basics. You will have to choose between solvent-borne and water-borne forms, which are the basic-type options. Solvent-borne paints use a solvent like enamel, urethane, or lacquer as the base. Solvent-based paints are less popular as they contain a high amount of volatile organic compounds, which cause health and environmental concerns. We advise that you use waterborne paints as they are less harmful. They use water as the base element and only contain about 10 percent solvent. That said, the main types of car paints you will find include:
- Solid paint – Most vehicles come with a solid paint finish in several hues that include white, blue, black, grey, and silver. Solid colors make it possible to give your car a new shiny look without paying excessively for the paint. Painting your car with solid paint requires you to apply three layers that include primer, paint, and lacquer. You can easily repair solid paints with a simple touch-up at home. Solid colors are the cheapest and easiest to maintain. However, you should apply solid colors carefully to avoid an orange peel finish.
- Metallic paint – Metallic paints provide a brighter shine than solid paints. They are readily available in a wide array of colors at an extra cost. The metallic finishes contain a small amount of aluminum powder that features particles that pick up and reflect light. Applying metallic paints requires multiple layers of paint and lacquer, which leads to an additional cost. Metallic finishes are at their best under natural light. However, they require more care as they can scratch easily. They are also difficult to repair.
- Pearlescent paint – Pearlescent paints offer brighter and deeper shine than metallic finishes. They contain ceramic crystals, which reflect and refract light for an enhanced color depth. You can use pearlescent paints to create a spectacular effect by making the lighter shades iridescent and appear to change colors from different angles. Nonetheless, you will need to use protective measures to keep your car shining as pearlescent paints are more susceptible to scratches than metallic paints.
- Matte paint – A matte finish is for individuals who need a top-quality car finish without the shiny element offered by pearlescent and metallic finishes. Matte options are limited as they are very costly with the commonly available shades being grey, silver, and black. You can use several methods to achieve a matte finish, including paint with high PVC, primer with a high epoxy content, and lacquer with a flattening agent. Matte paint provides a high-quality finish by absorbing more light than it reflects. Nonetheless, matte paint is a high-maintenance finish that requires a regular clean-up with specialized polishes and shampoos.
- Special paint – If you are more experimental, you can consider a range of techniques car manufacturers use to give a more lustrous finish. Car manufacturers can layer lighter shades on top of darker colors like red on top of the black to create a tinted effect. Different manufacturers offer multiple solutions, depending on your preferences.
Conclusion
Fixing paint imperfections on your car door does not have to be expensive. How much it costs depends on your preferences whether you need standard finish, mid-level finish, or showroom finish quality. It also depends on the preparation work necessary before painting.
