How does paint overspray occur on cars?

There are four main ways overspray occurs on cars.

1. Bodyshop Repairs

If your car has been to a body shop, it is possible that they didn't properly mask up the car. However, even if they did, your car could have been contaminated with overspray while they were spraying another car.

Good crash repair centres do everything to avoid this happening, which is part of the reason resprays are fairly expensive. And so there is a temptation to seek cheaper providers.

2. Mobile Smart Repairs

With minor scuffs to bumpers and even wheels, there are mobile smart repair technicians who can visit you at home or even at work. Unfortunately, while they may mask up your car, they won't mask every other car in the car park.

Spray-painting outside on a windy day isn't advised, but if that's what you do for a living, the weather won't stop them. Most take a great deal of care to avoid creating overspray, but most isn't all.

The quick drying paints they use will normally dry in the air, meaning they will fall as dust, but temperature and humidity can increase the chances of creating overspray.

3.  DIY Painting

Much of the overspray we see on cars is caused by people painting fences, sheds and railings, which these days are often sprayed to save time. However, even brush painting them can flick tiny specks of paint or stain into the air, which can be carried on the wind.

Because fences are often painted DIY by people who are unused to painting outdoors, it may not occur to them that there is a possibility of overspray contaminating cars, the neighbours' washing line, etc.

4. Industrial painting

Your local council will occasionally find the money to repaint lampposts, bollards or railings, or there may be a construction site nearby where they are treating the concrete with a sealant or rust proofing RSJs. There's an almost limitless number of things being painted, out in the street, on an almost daily basis. This is generally done by professionals who take care to avoid paint contamination, accidents can happen. 

Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 01/03/2024 12:56

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