The body of a truck is exposed to the elements due to chipped and peeled paint. Over time, a truck must be repainted because otherwise, the raw metal would attract rust, further destroying the body. What about the price, though? How much does it cost to paint a truck?
If you choose the most basic painting service, you can anticipate spending between $500 and $1,000 to paint a vehicle. The painting process frequently starts with sanding the truck body to prepare it for painting, followed by the application of a priming coat and the final layer of paint.
A complete, high-quality paint job often costs $1,000 to $3,500 for more discerning vehicle owners. Some truck owners may spend up to $20,000 to have their trucks painted if they want the best, “showroom quality” paint job.
Continue reading to find out more about how much painting a truck costs, the factors that affect the price, the price of hiring an expert versus doing it yourself, and how you may cut costs on this project.
What’s Involved In Painting a Truck?
There are a lot of variables! These include:
- Bodywork – Your truck will require extra prep work if it has many dings and scrapes. The project will cost more and take longer to complete the more detailed the preparation.
- Truck size – There are a variety of shapes and sizes for trucks. In general, painting a smaller truck will cost less than painting a huge truck.
- Paint quality – Although car paint is generally affordable, there are several grades and qualities of paint. More money will be spent on a premium, multi-stage urethane paint than on a single-stage enamel.
- Change in color – To achieve a completely different color, the original paint may need to be removed and other coats of paint added.
- Custom details – If your goal is a showroom quality truck, that may involve custom details like airbrush painting, two-tone paint, or a metallic finish. All of these will cost extra!
How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Truck?
You should budget between $500 and $1,000 for the most basic truck painting service. The project will involve removing the rust that has built up on the metal surfaces, sanding them to prepare them for painting, adding a coat of primer, and then painting the car.
Paying between $1,000 and $3,500 for a high-quality, “thorough” paint job on your truck is reasonable. Truck owners said that you need to be willing to spend at least $2,500 to have a paint job of decent quality.
There are, of course, cheaper automobile paint services. These auto paint companies offer reasonable services at costs ranging from $300 to $1,000. However, you can spend up to $4,000 on a high-end paint job.
It is also savvier to consider this paint job an investment rather than an outlay. You might request a higher resale price for your truck if it’s still in good condition and has new paint. If not, repainting it might cost more than it would be worth if sold.
How Long Does It Take to Paint a Car?
For that matter, a truck as well. Once more, it is based on the kind of service. Typically, the task takes 40 to 80 hours to accomplish. Other steps that are necessary for the actual color-coating, nevertheless, can call for more. For instance, it can take three to five days to fix major dents, with at least six hours per day, to complete the task.
Additionally, more intricate paint jobs can take a month or even longer complete because they focus on even the smallest details and are extensive in scope.
Factors That Determine Cost of Painting a Truck
The body paint on trucks typically outlasts it by many years. However, if there are paint areas that have already been chipped and peeled, your truck’s body will be vulnerable to the weather. These areas will serve as rust magnets, further damaging the truck body.
You need to take action right away rather than waiting for the remaining paint to flake off. Get a fresh coat of paint applied to your truck to prevent further body damage.
But first, do you know what aspects will affect how much the painting service would cost? Here are some of them:
- Size of your truck
- Coats of paint that the truck needs, or what you want
- The required preparation and bodywork
- Quality of the paint
- Color of the paint
- Pro service or DIY
- Paid by insurance or from your own pocket
How Much Does a Professional Paint Job Cost for a Truck?
Let’s look at the numbers now! About their most recent paint jobs, readers of CostHelper Cars were polled. Their costs cover both trucks and other vehicles, such as sedans and SUVs. We can get a good indication of what to anticipate from that paint quote using the data from CostHelper and additional truck paint estimates.
Low-end Paint Cost
Your best option for a paint job is a professional, low-end paint business like Maaco. Maaco’s assembly-line method allows them to paint cars swiftly. This paint job is perfect if you just want to give an old truck a quick coat of paint to freshen it up!
Preparation work for an assembly line paint job is typically minor. The vehicle’s entire body is still attached. Trim is taped before a single stage of painting is done. To give the car a shiny appearance and increase the paint’s endurance, a clear coat may also be applied.
Keep in mind the factors we mentioned earlier. Those factors will affect how much your painting work costs. Therefore, a truck’s basic, low-end coat of paint will likely cost between $500 and $1,000.
CostHelper reports that the typical price for a low-end paint job on all kinds of vehicles was $556. According to CostHelper, one-third of their readers who had a low-quality paint job expressed dissatisfaction with the paint’s quality.
Mid-range Paint Cost
A greater level of paint service is provided by several paint chains. A mid-level paint may also be available from other independent, non-chain automobile paint stores.
The preparation and repair work for a mid-range paint job will often be more comprehensive, including sanding. Your car will have several coats of paint, often with a primer and three to five layers of clear finish.
You should budget between $1,000 and $4,000 for this type of truck work. Mid-range paint jobs cost, on average, $1,316, according to CostHelper. They also state that the majority of clients were content with the assistance they received.
High-end Paint Cost
This is what you need if you want a unique, showroom-caliber paint job on your truck!
The expert will correct any flaws and strip off all existing paint on the metal. They may apply up to 6-8 coats of clear paint after 20–24 layers of paint, including primer. Custom details like an airbrush artist, metallic paint, or two-tone paint are frequently used in this style of work.
To perfect these tasks, months may pass. You will also pay for them! You should budget anything between $4,000 and $20,000! For a paint job of showroom quality, the typical CostHelper client paid $4,975 and gave their overall satisfaction rating as 100%!
How Much Does a DIY Paint Job Cost for a Truck?
You opted to paint your truck yourself after carefully weighing your options. How much will it cost and what will you need?
Prep Supplies
Prep work is important to achieve a great-looking paint job!
- For wet sanding the car, use sandpaper.
- Drop cloths to shield your flooring from paint splatters.
- To apply the paint, use a paint sprayer.
- Masking paper and tape are used to keep paint away from the windows and woodwork.
These goods will cost between $100 and $150.
Paint
You will undoubtedly need paint. You will need about three quarts of paint to paint a truck. To find urethane paint, look. It resists fading and is sturdy. High-quality paint is produced by Dupli-color, Speedokote, and Restoration Shop, among others. To protect your paint, don’t forget to apply a clear coat!
It will cost about $60, or $20 per quart, for three quarts of paint. Three more jars of clear coat will cost an extra $60. Your truck will cost a total of roughly $120 in paint.
Optional Equipment
- Use a paint and rust stripper brush to eliminate all signs of old paint and rust.
- An air compressor-attached paint sprayer.
- Body filler that is sandable for filling dents.
- Covering exposed metal with sealant.
- To really remove rust and smooth off imperfections, use a power sander.
- LED portable lights to illuminate your work area.
- A disposable, hooded paint suit to keep hairs and dust off of your paint and off of you while you work.
Any additional equipment, of course, comes at a price. Before you invest in any of this equipment, consider the type of work your car requires. Some of these items, such as an air compressor or a paint sprayer, might be rented.
Time
The phrase goes, “Time is money!” Your time has worth it. Ensure that you allot adequate time to finish the task to your satisfaction.
You could choose to engage a professional if you don’t have the time to dedicate to the task. Plan to paint for 10 to 40 hours, depending on your degree of skill and the style you choose for your truck.
Conclusion
There are several alternatives available when it comes to painting your truck. Do your research, study reviews, and choose wisely whether you decide to DIY or pay a pro. For many years to come, your truck ought to look great!