A deteriorated paint job not only devalues your Jeep but also cheapens its overall look. So read the article to learn how much it cost to paint a jeep.
Are you thinking about repainting your Jeep? Well, that’s a decision you won’t regret. A fresh paint coat won’t only restore your vehicle’s original pristine condition but also extend its life. This way, your jeep’s resale or residual value will increase significantly.
The question that arises here is how much does it cost to paint a jeep? Thankfully, repainting a jeep is not too expensive. According to rough estimates, the cost of painting a jeep ranges between $150-$3000. The price may vary based on several factors such as the age, type, & size of your vehicle, the condition of the current paint coat, and whether you’re getting professional help or going for DIY strategies.
Likewise, if you opt for advanced paint job techniques or get high-end paint to coat your Jeep, it will add up further to the total cost. What are other factors which may drive up and down the paint cost? Should you paint your Jeep yourself or call a professional for the job? How can you paint a jeep yourself? To know the answers to these and other similar questions, dive into the article!
How much does it cost to paint a jeep yourself?
Painting your Jeep by DIY strategy is quite cost-effective since it cuts down one major expense; labor cost! While painting a vehicle on your own, all you need to invest in is paint and tools for sanding, finishing, and filling, to get the job done.
Generally, the cost of paint can be as little as $300 but if you want top-notch paint which can sustain weather extremes, you should never settle for paints costing less than $800. On searching on the internet and local market, you may also find some cost-efficient options which won’t only be light on your pocket but also provide lasting coverage.
Before purchasing a paint, don’t forget to read consumer reviews. Also, read the description to ensure the paint is compatible with your Jeep model. Besides, remember that you’d need to do two to three coats to give your vehicle a like-new finish so buy enough paint.
Don’t know how much paint would be enough to cover your jeep? Well, that’s not anything difficult! Just measure your Jeep’s entire body in square footage to get an exact estimate. Some people make the mistake of using online measurements which come out to be wrong afterward. Your jeep’s specifications and dimensions may be different so it’s better not to rely on online data and measure your vehicle manually.
The surface area of most jeeps is around one hundred square feet. To paint such a vehicle, you’ll require six quarts in total; two quarts of primer, two quarts of base color, and two quarts of finishing coat or clear coat. Considering this, you’ll spend around $200 only on purchasing paint, to cover your jeep.
How much does it cost to paint a jeep by professionals?
Of course, hiring someone to paint your Jeep will cost you more than doing the job yourself. Professionals not only charge for the paint and tools but also a hefty labor cost which in turn, may increase the overall paint cost up to $1000.
Mostly, the professional charges as per their service hours but these hourly service charges may also vary from place to place. For example, if you’re living in a main city, the professionals over there might charge as high as $100 per hour. On the other hand, professionals in the countryside are relatively inexpensive and charge half the former. Besides location, the skill level and experience of a professional also determine the job price.
On average, certified and experienced professionals charge around $200-$400 per hour whereas beginners charge quite less (around $50-$100). On the other hand, depending upon the amount of detailing and painting you want on your Jeep, the price may fluctuate.
In this case, most professionals have to work for 10-30 hours so they charge accordingly. The price of detailing is relatively higher than plain painting as in this scenario, the painter has to remove the top, unbolt the rims, etc.
Besides, charges also depend upon the equipment and skill level of professionals so you should not fall prey to cheaper deals. Remember that your Jeep is a valuable commodity so don’t subject it to a nasty paint job just for the sake of saving a few dollars.
Generally, most professionals ask for $500-$700 for below-average paint jobs and $1000-$3000 for high-end paint jobs. Anyone asking less or more than this price range is a scam so be aware.
How to paint a jeep yourself?
So you think you can paint your Jeep without any professional help? We believe in you! Here is our quick how-to guide which will ease this time-consuming paint job for you!
Gather supplies
Things you’d need to paint a jeep are enamel paint (preferably in a spray can), masking tape, newspaper, rough large towels, rough rags, primer, sandpaper, orbital sander, mineral spirits, protective clothing, gloves, safety glasses, and goggles.
Park in a well-ventilated area
Before you start working with heavy chemicals, park your vehicle in a well-ventilated area. The best location for this purpose is a carport or your garage with open doors and windows but if you don’t have access to both, you may consider parking your Jeep in any shady area.
However, before parking it under the open sky, make sure the weather is clear and it won’t rain for the next few days. Prepping and painting a jeep may take more than 24 hours during which you won’t be able to move your car so think thoroughly about the parking location before starting the job.
In addition to this, you should also cover yourself properly by wearing PPE, an N95 mask, gloves, and safety goggles. The N95 mask will keep the solvent and paint particles from going inside your windpipe whereas your safety goggles will prevent scraped-off paint particles from getting into your eyes.
Cover tires and glass
After you’re done covering yourself and parking your Jeep at a suitable place, the next step is to cover all the parts which you don’t want to get painted. For this purpose, you can use newspaper and masking tape to cover mirrors and tires.
For sleeker and more sensitive parts like mirrors, taillights, and headlights, use masking tape. This will ensure that the whole surface has been sealed tightly and no paint particles could now escape. On the other hand, for large areas like tires, windshields, and sunroofs, use newspaper. Secure these newspapers with masking tape so they won’t fly away.
Prime your Jeep
Some paints have primer in their composition so if you’re using such sorts of paints, you can skip to the next step. On the other hand, if your paint is primer-free, you need to coat a layer of primer on your vehicle.
Although primer doesn’t fix huge damages like dents or breakage, it can smooth away minor scratches by getting filled in them. This way, when you apply a fresh layer of paint on the primed surface, you’ll get a flawless finish. It’s more convenient to purchase primer in a spray form so applying it would not be too difficult.
However, if you can’t find one in a spray bottle, get spray guns and fill them with primer liquid. Once done, apply a primer in a rapid back-and-forth motion so the final result will be smooth, with no pools or drips. After applying primer all around your Jeep, you need to wait for it to get dried.
Remember that primer requires at least five hours to get dried completely. Before that, you can’t move to the next step so you better consider this fact and manage the time accordingly.
Sanding
Sanding is done to make the vehicle surface seamless and smooth so the paint will cover it elegantly, without slipping off it. Don’t think that you can get a fantastic paint job by skipping this crucial step.
To sand your Jeep, you first need to buy a sander. It’s a tool that will make the entire sending process effortless. Put the sandpaper on the sander, hold it close to the vehicle’s surface, and start moving the sander over it in a sweeping pattern.
Sending an entire jeep may take as little as two hours. You can’t rush the process since doing so will not give you desirable results. If possible, call a friend to help you so you can switch turns and take breaks without stopping work.
Prep for paint
After sanding your Jeep, when you’re sure that your vehicle’s surface has become completely smooth, you can start painting it. But before this, you need to do one last step of wiping out all the sanding residue off the jeep’s surface.
For better cleaning, we recommend using mineral spirits or acetone since they will deep cleanse all the sticky residue particles. However, you should remember that these cleansers are also chemicals so you must wear hand and eye coverings.
To remove the dust from sanding completely from your vehicle’s surface, dip a small rag into the cleaning solution and wipe all the paintable surfaces down with it.
Coat evenly
Now your Jeep is ready for a paint job so get a high gloss car paint in a good amount and spray the paint in a sweeping motion. Coat one panel at a time and make sure to hold the can six inches away from your car to get even coverage.
After the first coat gets completed, let it dry and do a second coat after it. If you’re using aerosol paints, wearing a painter’s mask is compulsory.
Remove spots
The last step is to remove the paint from places where you don’t want it. For instance, if you’ve painted a point unintentionally, remove it using the same cleaner you used to buff off sanding dust.
Generally, we use acetone for this purpose. Wet a small rag with acetone and rub it off the surface which you want to clean. However, you need to remember that paint needs to be removed before it gets dried. Otherwise, removing it will be nearly impossible.
Wait till it gets dried
Allow the paint to dry for an entire day. Don’t touch it or tap the surface to check whether the paint has dried or not otherwise it will leave marks on the surface. Likewise, don’t drive your car before 24 hours and let it stay parked in a well-ventilated area.
If the weather is cold out there, it’s better to be more patient and wait for at least two days. Once the paint gets dried fully, remove paper, towel, and newspaper from all the parts of your vehicle and enjoy your ride.
Professional VS. DIY paint job: What should you get?
Both professional and DIY paint jobs come with their sorts of pros and cons. Professional and certified services ensure a praiseworthy paint finish but can make huge holes in your pocket. On the other hand, a DIY strategy can help you save significantly but the quality of the result is not guaranteed unless you are the craftiest person out there.
However, if you are still confused about whether you should get professional services or a DIY paint job, ask yourself a question; why are you painting your Jeep? Are you doing this to increase its resale value or to restore its original condition?
If the former is the case, DIY fixes will definitely help in elevating your jeep’s vehicle for some time which in turn will increase its resale value. However, such small paint fixes are not durable and won’t be able to stand the test of time for long.
On the other hand, if you want to restore your family jeep by bringing it back to its pristine condition, it’s better to leave the job to a professional. An expert will, although, charge a bit more, he will also fix all the scratches, returning your vehicle with a high-gloss, appealing finish.
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