Can You Paint JB Weld? (Solved)

In the auto industry, JB Weld has many uses. You can use the high-temperature epoxy adhesive to bond a wide range of materials.

It also does a great job of filling holes in the car body. Most people go for JB Weld over Bondo because it is much stronger.

Once you use JB Weld on an auto surface, you may consider painting it. Is it safe to do so, and will the paint even hold onto it?

The good thing about JB Weld is that it can be painted, sanded, and even drilled. This is one of the benefits of using such a product.

If you have some JB Weld on your car, feel free to sand, clean, and paint it afterward. When painted, the JB Weld should ensure the vehicle has a uniform finish.

Is Sanding Important Before Painting over JB Weld?

Yes, we would advise you to sand over JB Weld before painting it. Sanding promotes better adhesion of paint to JB Weld. Therefore, it is a very crucial step. After sanding, you can primer and then apply your paint of choice.

Being a high-heat epoxy, it should retain its shape no matter how high the temperatures get. That is, it won’t expand and interfere with the paint job.

Why Should You Paint Over JB Weld?

The main reason why people paint over JB Weld is to achieve a uniform finish. When used on a car surface, it definitely will look conspicuous. If you are the kind of car owner who is very keen on appearances, you may consider painting over it.

When you paint over the JB Weld, your car achieves a more uniform finish. Secondly, people paint over JB Weld to conceal bodywork. After all, who would drive around in a car showing that some bodywork has been done on it?

JB Weld is an ideal paint candidate because it doesn’t shrink or crack. When used to fill a hole, JB Weld stays put for as long as possible.

Even if it is painted over, the paint should stick for a long duration. If you decide to paint over the JB Weld, ensure that you are careful to avoid thwarting the vehicle’s finish.

DIY vs. Professional Painting Services

There are two options if you have decided to paint over JB Weld. You can either do it yourself or hire a professional bodywork expert.

Considering that JB Weld is easy to paint over and the likelihood of complications occurring is minimal, you can do it by yourself.

The process will be the same as a regular paint job because you will have to paint the entire part on which you have used JB Weld.

A DIY job will save you some cash. Painting can be quite fun if you are a car enthusiast. However, not everyone has the time to paint cars.

Some also lack the knowledge and experience needed. Even though tutorials online can help you learn a thing or two, sometimes it’s best to leave certain jobs to the experts.

A professional bodywork mechanic should paint extremely well over JB Weld. With an expert, you are assured of a flawless result. It will cost more and may take longer, especially if you take your car to a busy body shop.

Both options are great. You should evaluate which appeals the most to you. Because our goal is to help you learn more, we encourage you to give this DIY project a try. Yes, it may not go perfectly the first time around. But we learn from mistakes, don’t we?

Does JB Weld Bond to Paint?

We have seen that you can paint over JB Weld. However, can you do vice versa? JB Weld will bond to painted surfaces, but it will not last long.

The presence of paint between the JB Weld and the car metal will cause adhesion issues in the long run. The paint itself doesn’t last permanently on metal. At one point, it will come off. As the paint beneath wears out, the JB Weld will become weak, and it can fall.

Before moving on from things that JB Weld won’t bond to. Please do not use it over rusted metal surfaces. Rust isn’t the ideal background for you to bond JB Weld to.

Rust will fall off also after a while, and it will do so with the JB Weld attached to it. If you want long-term results, only use JB Weld on rust-free surfaces. And in case you have rust on the metal, remove it first, then get your JB Weld.

How Long Will the Paint Stick to JB Weld?

JB Weld is a quality epoxy adhesive known to withstand the test of time. When painted, that finish can last for a significantly long period.

Paint in most cars lasts for more than 5 or 7 years. That should be the same duration paint lasts over JB Weld as long as it’s done well. The other factor that also comes into play is how long the JB Weld will adhere to your car’s surface.

If everything goes well, paint can last for years on JB Weld. If there were errors, it should last for months. In case there was no precision involved during painting, it can start to peel after a week.

Therefore, you have to be very careful when painting over JB Weld. Ensure that you get everything right from the beginning to the end.

Are There Any Issues that Can Arise When You Paint Over JB Weld?

The answer to this question is both yes and no. different car owners have had varying experiences when they painted over JB Weld. To some, it lasted for years.

Whereas others weren’t so lucky, and it peeled off in weeks or months. The experience you will have when painting over JB Weld depends on how you paint it.

Let’s start with the positive experiences so that you can decide if painting over JB Weld is the right course of action. When done right, paint can survive harsh winters and scorching summers over JB Weld.

It should be as strong as the paint done on other metal parts of the car. Most people rarely encounter any problems after painting over JB Weld.

In some instances, paint JB Weld can start to peel off. If you use the wrong paint, the colors may not match. Because it doesn’t shrink, cracks on the paint are unlikely not unless you did something wrong during painting.

These drawbacks can be easily avoided by hiring a professional to paint over JB Weld if you lack the knowledge and experience. An expert should do a flawless job that will last for years.

In case you run into some issues, you can always apply some touch-up paint to conceal any imperfections. This is only a short-term solution.

Tips on Painting over JB Weld

To ensure paint holds on for longer on JB Weld, we recommend that you follow these tips;

• Ensure that the JB Weld is dry before painting.

The thing about JB Weld is that it absorbs a lot of moisture. If you don’t let it dry first, there will be a wet mark around it when it cures. To prevent that from happening, give the JB Weld some time to dry in the sun.

If you want to speed things up, use a hairdryer. Then once it dries, you can paint over it. Skipping this step is risky since once you spray the paint, bubbles can form immediately.

• To prevent JB Weld from absorbing moisture, car owners apply some little Bondo over it.

Bondo doesn’t get wet easily, and it will prevent the JB Weld beneath from sucking moisture into the air.

• The other tip is to ensure you use quality paint.

Low-quality paint will peel sooner because the JB Weld material isn’t the typical surface that should be painted using auto paint. Research deeply on which paint is best for such a project.

For the new paint to match the old one, you should look at your car’s VIN and buy a color that matches the one on that code. This won’t cause any mismatch.

• You can color JB Weld by adding color pigments.

But, we don’t recommend this since it won’t match other parts of your car.

How Long Does JB Weld Take to Cure?

It is crucial to let JB Weld cure first before painting over it. If you want to do all these things simultaneously, we are sorry to disappoint you. JB Weld cures in at least one day.

Therefore, you can’t apply it and then paint it directly. One thing goes first, and the other should follow in due time. You should give the JB Weld time to cure first before painting over it to avoid any complications.

This is a project that can best be done over the weekend. For instance, on Saturday, you can apply the JB Weld, give it a day to cure, and then on Sunday, you can paint over it.