Career guide

Vehicle spray painter: career guide and training

As a vehicle spray painter, you apply paints and lacquers to the bodywork of vehicles by spraying, following the work sheet and the manufacturer's guidelines.

What will you do?

You are also known as a car painter, a bodywork painter or a spray gun painter. You prepare the workstation and the vehicle, mix and prepare the paint, carry out the spraying and repair any paint defects. You also finish parts and surfaces, get the vehicle ready for delivery and keep your tools and workstation in good order.

  • Determine the working method for the job
  • Prepare the workstation and the vehicle
  • Mix and prepare the paint
  • Carry out the spraying on the bodywork
  • Repair paint defects
  • Get the vehicle ready for delivery
  • Maintain the workstation, tools and work records

Skills to develop

  • Skilled with a spray gun and colour matching
  • Eye for a flawless, even finish
  • Able to read work sheets and manufacturer guidelines
  • Careful work with paints and chemicals

Your foundation for this occupation

Learn colour assessment, coating build-up and spray equipment. Lighting, mixing and application jointly affect the finish.

From preparation to your first day

  1. Develop the practical skills

    Practise on test panels with the specified product system under supervision. Compare colour and effect before treating the vehicle.

  2. Check your work

    Check coverage, texture and colour against adjoining panels. Follow booth, protection and product instructions.

How can you grow?

Specialise in colour matching, special finishes or quality control and progress to technical responsibility for painting.

Frequently asked questions

Is a colour code enough for a perfect match?

The code is a starting point. Variants, ageing and application can influence results; a test panel and visual comparison support the right choice.

Sources and training

Could this be your match?

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