The trick to painting a Honda Civic is to sand the entire car smooth before applying your primer and then your paint. While it is preferable to sand the car down to bare metal, this is NOT essential. What is essential is that the car be sanded smooth with all scratches and dents removed, and with all top gloss removed and all old paint either removed or rendered non-shiny.
Instructions
1. Remove all chrome and any emblems that you can. Those that can't be removed need to be masked with tape.
2. Sand the entire car with 320-grit sanding block. Sand in one direction only, not in a circular motion. Use your 320-grit paper for areas which cannot be sanded with the sanding block. Either sand the entire car down to bare metal (preferable) or sand until all clear coat has been removed and the old paint has been surface-sanded.
3. Remove any dents. Most dents can be removed by inverting a bottle of compressed air and spraying the dent until it is frosted over. Then immediately heat the area with a hair dryer. The rapid change in temperature should expand the metal and pop out the dent.
4. Inspect the entire car for any glossy spots that may have been missed. Touch up any missed spots with 320-grit sandpaper.
5. Sand the entire car once again with a Scotch Brite scouring pad. Sand in only one direction and sand lightly to remove any remaining scratches. Wipe the entire car down with one or more tack cloths.
6. Move the car into your dust-free painting area. Make certain all parts of the car which are not to be painted are masked off. Spray the entire car with primer as evenly as possible.
7. Sand the primer with 0000-grade steel wool. Sand in only one direction, not in a circular pattern. Wipe down with one or more tack cloths.
8. Spray the first coat of paint. Allow it to dry thoroughly. Buff the surface lightly with 0000-grade steel wool. Wipe the car with tack cloths. Spray the final coat of paint. Allow it to dry. Spray with clear coat and buff with 0000-grade steel wool. Spray a minimum of one more clear coat.
