Is your semi-truck in need of a fresh coat of paint? A professional semi-truck paint job should last you at least a decade and is no small investment, so take time to plan out your painting project in advance.
In this blog post, we’ll share semi-truck painting tips from the pros as well as examples of professional semi-truck paint jobs to help you get the most out of this investment in your fleet. As you’re reading, keep in mind that our semi truck paint shop in Portland has a professional Paint Department and Vehicle Graphics Department to help bring your vision to life and transform your truck!
Semi Truck Paint: Important Considerations
Before painting a semi-truck, or any work truck for that matter, it’s important to consider whether a paint job or a vinyl truck wrap is the best choice.
If your semi-truck paint is in good condition and you’re simply looking to upgrade the color, design, and branding of your truck, a truck wrap is definitely worth considering. Vinyl truck wraps are non-permanent, completely customizable, and act as an extra layer of protection for your truck. On the downside, if your truck’s paintwork is damaged to begin with, a wrap will require additional prep work and painting, which will make the project more expensive.
A great middle-of-the-road option is to paint your semi-truck and then finish it off with some custom vinyl graphics. That way, you’ll have a solid foundation to work with and can easily add custom branding with vehicle graphics. You can also easily change up the graphics or remove them completely without damaging the truck paint.
Painting Semi Trucks: 5 Tips from the Pros
If you do decide to go with a semi-truck paint job, you’ll need to plan out your project before you get started. You’ll have to decide on the color scheme, overall design, and paint quality. You’ll also need to determine the level of preparation required.
Here are 5 tips for painting semi-trucks to help get you started:
- Consult with a professional about what prep work is needed so that you don’t waste paint, time, and money. Prep work may include bodywork to repair any scrapes or dings and removing and reinstalling parts for painting.
- Make sure the paint color(s) you use are in line with your brand. You don’t want the main color of the truck to clash with your logo!
- If your branding and budget allow, go with a more unusual color or a custom paint job with more than one color to help you stand out from all the other semi-trucks on the road.
- Make sure you have a clear budget for the project so that you don’t overspend. It’s a good idea to get a few quotes from different painting companies. Depending on the size of the truck cab, a semi-truck paint job can cost anywhere from $4,500 to $10,000, or more depending on the level of detail you’re after.
- Ask to see a rendering of the semi-truck paint job in advance so that you know exactly what to expect.
For help planning out a custom paint job, reach out to our Paint Department about what you have in mind!
Professional vs. DIY Semi Truck Paint Job
Another major decision is whether or not to hire a professional truck painting company to handle the painting project for you. Smaller trucks are much easier to paint on your own, but painting a semi-truck requires specialized techniques and equipment.
Perhaps you could take on minor touchups yourself, but when it comes to painting a full semi-truck cab we recommend finding a professional and experienced company like PTC— one with DEQ-approved flash dry paint booths large enough to accommodate your semi-truck. Our 40-ft and 60-ft booths feature over 2.5 million BTU and cross-draft with filter in and out air. These specifications ensure that your vehicle’s paint job will cure more rapidly and be free of imperfections.
Overall, in most cases, a professional semi-truck paint job will be much more professional and long-lasting, making it a worthwhile investment.
5 Examples of Professional Semi Truck Paint Jobs
Below are some examples of our professional semi-truck paint jobs to help you decide on a color scheme and design:
White Freightliner Semi-Truck: This design is simple, yet very eye-catching. Keeping the color scheme down to two or three colors will help achieve a more professional, clean look. As you can see, the white background offers high contrast to make the accent colors pop.
Yellow Dumpster Semi-Truck: This paint and graphics job on this dumpster semi is totally on-brand. The plain yellow paint is bright and striking, and the simple black graphics added to the cab doors leave no doubt about the business name.
Racing semi truck paint job: We love how clean, yet bold this combo paint and wrap job turned out. Orange is one of the colors with the highest visibility. The lines and color combo create a feeling of high energy, which is perfect for a racing semi.
Custom Flames Semi-Truck: Here’s an example of a custom semi truck paint job with a more complex design. Red and blue are contrasting colors, which helps makes the design super bold and attention-grabbing.
Custom Statue of Liberty Semi: The level of detail on this patriotic semi truck paint job is something to behold! As you can see, the custom design options are limitless and the only real limit is your imagination.
Have something else in mind? With the combined forces of our truck painting and vehicle graphics expertise here at PTC, we can create a completely customized design for you.
Semi Truck Paint & Graphics with Pacific Truck Colors
Are you ready to transform your semi-truck with a professional paint job?
Whether you’re looking for a simple touch-up, a full body paint job, or custom vehicle graphics, our Paint Department and Vehicle Graphics Department have the experience and state-of-the-art equipment to have your semi-trucks looking their finest. We use only the highest-quality materials and techniques to give you show-quality results. We can easily accommodate any size truck, from F-150s to concrete trucks and everything in between.
Request a free truck painting quote to start your semi-truck transformation today!
