Pro Grade Results. A Fraction of the Cost. No Experience Needed.

Motorcycle/bike: 1–2 quarts basecoat + 1 quart clear. Small car: 3–4 quarts + 1 gallon clear. Medium car: 4–5 quarts + 1–1.5 gallons clear. Large car/truck/SUV: 5–8 quarts + 1.5–2 gallons clear. Single panel: 1 pint–1 quart + 1 quart clear. When in doubt, always size UP — more product is much better than running out mid-project.

Every kit includes: AP-7541 DTM Primer/Sealer (gray, black, or white), your chosen basecoat color, urethane reducer matched to your spray temperature, activator/hardener for primer and clearcoat, Alpha 2K clearcoat, and step-by-step instructions. 3-stage colors also include the correct undercoat. Optional add-ons: masking tape/paper, body filler, spray glaze, OptiGrit sandpaper, scuff pads, wax & grease remover, and tack cloths.

Metal Up: Stripped to bare metal and restored from scratch — full primer, sealer, basecoat, clearcoat. Best for complete restorations.
Light Body Work: Vehicle is overall in good shape but has some areas needing filler and spot priming before paint.
Scuff & Shoot: Vehicle is in mint condition or it's a budget/quick build — just scuff the existing finish and paint over it. No body work or heavy primer needed.

OEMatch Kits: Factory-matched colors for 100+ makes. Perfect for matching your vehicle's original color. 2-stage and 3-stage options available. Note: all OEM colors should be blended into surrounding panels since original paint fades over time.
Custom Color Kits: Colorshifts, candies, metallics, pearls, and solid colors — unique finishes you won't find at a body shop counter. Choose from 500+ options.

Temperature determines which reducer and activator/hardener speed goes in your kit. The wrong speed can cause solvent pop, runs, or poor adhesion. Choose the approximate temperature you plan to be painting in — time of year, time of day, and the building you're spraying in all matter. Most projects are sprayed in 71–90°F. Reducer guide: AR-3060 (Fast, below 65°F), AR-3070 (Medium, 65–80°F), AR-3080 (Slow, 80–90°F), AR-3090 (Extra Slow, 90°F+).

Yes — you need an HVLP spray gun with a 1.3–1.4mm nozzle for basecoat and clearcoat. For high-build primer, use a 1.8–2.0mm nozzle. You also need an air compressor: 12+ CFM at 40 PSI, 60 gallon tank minimum (30 gallon bare minimum for panels only). Must have a moisture separator and water trap. We sell spray guns and equipment if you need them.

Absolutely! Select from 500+ colors including custom, OEM factory-match, candy, metallic, pearl, colorshift, and solid options. We also offer tri-stage colors that include the required undercoat automatically.

AP-7541 DTM Primer: 4:1:2 as a no-sand sealer, or 4:1:1 as a high-build primer (primer : activator : reducer)
Alpha Basecoat: 1:1 (basecoat : reducer) — no hardener in basecoat
AC-4521 HS Glamour Clearcoat: 2:1 (clearcoat : activator, no reducer needed)
Full details on the included cheat sheet and on our Tips & Tricks page.

For custom colors, yes — order a painted sample and look at it in sunlight, shade and under shop lights before committing to a full kit. OEM colors are mixed to your factory paint code and blended into the surrounding panels, so a sample isn't needed. Shop painted samples.

Yes! Our kits are designed for first-time painters. We include step-by-step instructions, a downloadable cheat sheet, and have dozens of tutorial videos on our YouTube channel. Our customer service team is available by phone, text, email, and chat to walk you through every step. 25,000+ paint jobs have been completed with our kits — many by people who had never sprayed paint before.

Tri-stage colors (like certain pearls, candies, and OEM colors) require a specific undercoat sprayed underneath the basecoat for the correct color match. Don't worry — our website automatically detects tri-stage colors and prompts you to add the undercoat. Ground coat options: Black, White, Grey, or Iris Smoke depending on the color.

Yes — we offer the same Alpha formulas in aerosol cans. Great for wheels, bumpers, panels, helmets, and small projects. Our 2K clearcoat cans have a 24–48 hour pot life after activation. You can wet sand and polish spray can clear just like spray gun application. Shop Spray Cans.

Paint (hazmat) ships to US, Canada, and Mexico only via UPS Ground. Non-hazmat items (painted samples, pigments, tools, merch) ship worldwide. Standard processing is 1–2 business days, mixed paint orders take 3–4 days.

Unopened/unmixed products can be returned within 10 days. Opened, used, or mixed paint cannot be returned. We charge a 2.5% purchase fee + 2.5% refund processing fee on returns. After 10 days it's case-by-case with a 10% restocking fee + return shipping. We also offer order protection (third-party shipping insurance) at checkout.

We're here every step of the way! Chat: bottom-right of this page. Call/Text: 508-316-9868. Email: help@thespraysource.com. Our full-time customer service team handles calls, texts, emails, chats, and social media messages.

Most colors require 2-4 coats. Lighter colors and metallics may need more. Apply medium wet coats (0.8-1.2 mil / 20-30 microns each). Check color coverage between coats — the surface should look uniform with no primer showing through.

Allow each basecoat to flash dry (5-15 minutes at 68°F — the surface turns matte) before applying the next coat. Wait 45 minutes after the final basecoat before applying clearcoat. For clearcoat, wait 8-10 minutes between coats (fingerprint tacky).

Basecoat: HVLP 25-30 PSI at the cap, 1.3-1.4mm nozzle. Clearcoat: HVLP 30-35 PSI, 1.3-1.4mm nozzle. Primer (sealer): 1.3-1.4mm nozzle. Primer (high build): 1.7-2.0mm nozzle at 35-40 PSI. Hold the gun 6-8 inches from the surface and overlap each pass 50-75%. Keep the gun perpendicular — don't arc or fan.

The kit includes everything from primer to clearcoat. The only things you may need separately are prep supplies: masking tape & paper, body filler (if doing bodywork), sandpaper, scuff pads, wax & grease remover, and tack cloths. These are available as optional add-ons in the Kit Builder.

Full Color Change covers the entire exterior including door jambs, engine bay, trunk jambs — everything visible when doors are open. Exterior Panels Only covers just the outside panels, NOT door jambs or engine bay. Full Color Change requires more product and more masking work.

If the basecoat sits for more than 8 hours without clearcoat, you must scuff the surface with 600-800 grit sandpaper and ensure a matte finish before recoating or applying clearcoat. This ensures proper adhesion of the clearcoat layer.

Wait at least 12 hours for assembly, polishing, and recoating. For wet sanding and polishing, use P1200-P5000 grit in progressive steps, then compound and polish for a mirror finish. For recoating or flowcoat, sand with P600-P800.

Common causes: gun held too far from the surface, air pressure too low, paint too thick (not enough reducer), wrong reducer speed, or material not mixed well. Fix: let cure fully, wet sand with 1500-2000 grit, then compound and polish. Prevention: hold gun 6-8 inches from surface, use 26-29 PSI for HVLP, mix basecoat 1:1 with reducer, choose the right reducer speed for your temp.

Fisheyes are caused by surface contamination — silicone, wax, grease, oil, or polish residue. They cannot be buffed out. The affected area must be sanded back completely and repainted. Prevention: wipe the entire surface with wax and grease remover before every step, use clean filtered compressed air, and keep silicone-based products away from the spray area entirely.

Absolutely NOT. If a product is activated (mixed with hardener), it cannot go back into the original container — otherwise it will activate the entire product and it will harden and go bad. Only mix what you can spray within the pot life window.