Can You Get a Bodyshop Finish Using Rattle Cans?

On my most recent YouTube video, I decided to put something to the test: is it actually possible to get a bodyshop-quality finish on a vehicle using nothing but aerosol rattle cans?

As someone who normally paints using a spray gun, I wasn't really sure what to expect. But after seeing the finished result, I have to say — I was seriously impressed!

My van was in need of some attention. Both front wings (fenders) had some pretty large dents, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to repair them and find out just how good a paint finish I could achieve using aerosols.

Getting the Paint Mixed

I had the colour mixed by Tailored Paints. The process is really simple: you enter your vehicle registration and they can mix the correct colour for your vehicle and supply it in an aerosol can.

They also supply conventional automotive paint if you're using a spray gun, but for this experiment I wanted to do everything with aerosols.

The real game changer, though, was something I hadn't used before — 2K lacquer in an aerosol can!

The lacquer I used was made by ProXL and has a clever activation system using a ring pull at the bottom of the can. Once activated, the two components mix together and you have around 24 hours to use the aerosol.

Each can contains 500ml and, surprisingly, one can was enough to lacquer both front wings, which are fairly large panels. I even had roughly a fifth of the can left afterwards, so it goes a surprisingly long way.

The coating isn't quite as heavy as you'd normally achieve using a conventional spray gun with 2K lacquer, but for small to medium-sized repairs I think it's ideal. I applied two good coats, which produced plenty of gloss and should provide good long-term protection.

My preferred method is to paint the panel, allow everything to air-dry and then come back the following day to wet-flat and polish the finish.

How I Repaired and Painted the Front Wings

Here's the process I used from start to finish:

1. Clean the panel
   Thoroughly clean and degrease the area you're going to repair and paint.

2. Scuff the paintwork
   Use a grey Scotch-Brite pad with panel wipe to scuff the entire area that will eventually be painted.

3. Prepare the damaged area
   Sand the area that requires filler using 80-grit sandpaper. This gives the filler a good surface to adhere to.

4. Apply body filler
   Fill the dented area and shape the filler as required.

5. Sand the filler
   Start with 80-grit sandpaper and gradually work through 180, 320 and finally 500 grit. The aim is to remove the deeper sanding marks and leave the repair ready for primer.

6. Apply high-build primer
   Apply aerosol high-build primer over the repaired area and allow it to dry properly.

7. Deal with imperfections
   Check the primed repair carefully. I use Lechler Stopper, applied with a razor blade, to fill any small pinholes, scratches or imperfections.

8. Wet-flat the primer
   Wet-flat the repaired area using 500-grit wet-and-dry paper until everything feels smooth and the repair blends nicely into the surrounding panel.

9. Mask the vehicle
   Mask up the wing and surrounding areas carefully, making sure anything you don't want overspray on is properly protected.

10. Apply the colour
    Spray the colour-matched aerosol over the primed area using several controlled coats. Be careful not to take the colour all the way up to the adjacent panels, as this will help avoid an obvious colour difference between panels.

    I used a hairdryer or heat gun between coats to help the paint flash off. If you're using a heat gun, keep it moving and don't get too close to the paint.

11. Apply the 2K lacquer
    Once the colour is dry, I like to start with a light half-coat of lacquer. This helps reduce the chance of a reaction with the paint underneath.

    I then follow this with two fuller coats of 2K lacquer, allowing a few minutes of flash-off time between each coat.

Getting That Bodyshop-Style Finish

Once the lacquer had dried overnight, it was time for the part that really transforms the finish.

I wet-flatted the entire painted area using 1500-grit wet-and-dry paper. This removes small imperfections and texture in the lacquer and prepares the surface for machine polishing.

I then machine-polished the panel using a white buffing pad with G3 compound, followed by G10 finishing compound to refine the finish and remove any remaining swirls.

Once you're happy with the finish, you can give the panel a final polish.

And that's it!

So, Can Rattle Cans Really Give You a Bodyshop Finish?

I went into this experiment not really knowing what to expect. I'm used to using a proper spray gun, so I thought the limitations of aerosol cans would be pretty obvious.

But I was genuinely surprised by the result. I will definitely be using the aerosol lacquer again for small to medium sized jobs.

Hopefully this guide helps if you're thinking about repairing and painting part of your own vehicle.

All of the products I used for this repair can be found on the homepage.

And if you want to see the entire process — including how the finished van actually turned out — watch the full video on YouTube!