Hi guys...hoping that someone can offer some advice...

I repair a car about every 3-4 years that I drive for myself..these are light collisions...no airbag deployment. I normally replace a panel if it's dinged up too bad but this time I had 2 passenger side doors with large dents.

I took the inside door panels off and pounded out the dents the best I could. i then scuffed up the surface with 80 grit sandpaper and began applying body filler to smooth out the panel. After 3 or 4 application followed by some glaze putty...the panel was smooth to the touch all over. I used a graphite guide coat and some 180 sandpaper to finish it off.

I applied for coats of a 2K primer and after it was cured I lightly wet sanded it with 400 grit sandpaper. I washed it up and looked across it while it was wet and I didn't see anything showing through the primer.

After my second coat of the base coat I could start seeing my repairs through the paint.... where did I go wrong? I will try to get a picture of my door panel.

Thanks for any advice.

first you should have applied your 2k and THEN used 180 not 400 with a long board and guide coat.
Jay D.

Thanks. ...I did some reading and came to the same conclusion. Like I mentioned I usually do light collisions and just replace the panels...this time I thought I try to fix them. I am a newbe to bodywork.

I'm guessing I will just start sanding that base coat with 180 and the paint will be my guide coat...an expensive one.

Thanks again...

my guess is you based right over your 400 ? did you seal first ?

What did you use to sand your bodywork with? Soft block? DA sander? Hard rubber block?

IMO, it just looks like you're unaware how to finish your bodywork so that it's flat, not just smooth.

Jay D.

I used a 2k primer surfacer. I was told that I do not need to reseal it if I use 2 part primer.

I am in the process of blocking it now and getting through the paint back down to the primer. I am using a large durablock like 18 inches or so.

I got down to metal in a few spots obviously highspots so I tap those down and put dolphin glaze on them.

I am going to put 4 more coats of the 2K primer surfacer on tomorrow and then block with a guide coat.

It looks pretty interesting now....spots with the dolphin glaze spots with primer surfacer and spots with the paint I put on yesterday...Cleary not flat.

Thanks for the help guys let me know if any of my logic above is not correct

block sanding or sanding in general is not as easy as it looks and you may need to prime and block several times to get it right. just depends on how close you did the original body work. i'm not sure what the primer surfacer is that your using, but a 2k hi build is what you need. your base can go right on top of it if sanded with the proper grit.
Jay D.

It is ppg 2k....I mix it 4 to 1 with hardener. What is confusing to me is that it says for high build applications mix it 4:1:1/2 with reducer.... why would the extra reducer make it high build I would think that it would just thin it.

I'm with you, but i'm not real familiar with PPG products. there are some experts here
Jay D.