Factory-quality paint and refinishing services backed by computerized color matching, premium waterborne paints, and a lifetime warranty from our I-CAR Gold Certified technicians.
Whether your vehicle has been through a collision, is showing years of sun exposure, or simply needs a fresh look, professional auto body painting is the most effective way to restore its appearance and protect the underlying metal from corrosion. At Bob Rohrman Collision Repair Center in Lafayette, Indiana, our paint and refinishing department combines over 50 years of hands-on experience with the latest in automotive coating technology. Every vehicle that enters our downdraft paint booth leaves with a finish that meets or exceeds original equipment manufacturer standards, backed by a lifetime warranty on all workmanship and materials.
Our I-CAR Gold Certified refinish technicians are trained to work on all makes and models, from domestic trucks to European luxury sedans. We understand that your vehicle's paint is more than cosmetic — it is the first line of defense against rust, UV degradation, and environmental damage. That is why we take a methodical, multi-step approach to every paint job, no matter how large or small.
One of the biggest challenges in auto body painting is achieving an exact color match. Modern vehicles use complex multi-stage paint systems that include metallic flakes, pearl coatings, and tri-coat finishes, making eyeball matching virtually impossible. At Bob Rohrman Collision Repair Center, we eliminate guesswork entirely with advanced spectrophotometer technology.
A spectrophotometer works by projecting a controlled beam of light onto your vehicle's existing paint surface and measuring how that light is reflected across the visible spectrum. The device captures thousands of data points, including hue, saturation, brightness, and the angle-dependent behavior of metallic and pearlescent particles. This digital color profile is then compared against a database of tens of thousands of OEM formulas to identify the closest match.
From there, our technicians fine-tune the formula using a computerized mixing system. They also account for real-world factors like paint fading from UV exposure, slight color shifts between production batches, and differences in paint thickness. Before any paint touches your vehicle, we spray test panels and compare them under multiple lighting conditions — daylight, fluorescent, and incandescent — to confirm a seamless blend. The result is a repair that is virtually undetectable, even to a trained eye.
No two paint jobs are the same. Depending on the extent of the damage and your goals for the vehicle, we offer a range of refinishing services.
Full panel repaint is the most comprehensive option. When an entire body panel — a door, fender, hood, or quarter panel — sustains significant damage, we strip the old finish down to bare metal, apply corrosion-resistant primer, build up the base coat, and seal it with a high-performance clear coat. This approach restores the panel to factory-fresh condition.
Spot repair targets small areas of damage such as parking lot dings, shopping cart scrapes, or localized scratches. Rather than repainting an entire panel, our technicians feather the repair area into the surrounding paint to minimize material usage and turnaround time while still delivering a flawless result.
Blending is a technique we use on adjacent panels to prevent any visible line between new and existing paint. When a fender is repainted, for example, we blend into the neighboring door so there is no perceptible color boundary. Blending is essential for metallic and pearl finishes where slight angle-dependent color shifts are most noticeable.
Clear coat repair addresses peeling, flaking, or hazy clear coat without requiring a full repaint of the base color underneath. We sand the affected area, apply fresh clear coat, and polish to restore depth and gloss.
Custom color work is available for customers who want to change their vehicle's color entirely or apply a specialty finish. We can mix any color you choose, from factory-original shades to fully custom formulations.
Quality auto body painting is all about preparation. Rushing through prep work leads to fish eyes, orange peel, dirt nibs, and premature peeling — problems that no amount of buffing can fix. Here is how we approach every refinish job at our Lafayette, Indiana shop.
Step 1: Surface preparation. We begin by thoroughly washing and degreasing the repair area to remove road film, wax, silicone, and contaminants. Any dents or body filler work is completed and block-sanded to a smooth, uniform surface. Edges are feathered so the transition between old and new paint is gradual and invisible.
Step 2: Priming. A high-build urethane primer is applied to seal the substrate, fill minor imperfections, and provide a bonding surface for the base coat. The primer is then guide-coated and wet-sanded to achieve an absolutely flat surface before painting begins.
Step 3: Base coat application. Using our computerized color formula, we spray the base coat in our climate-controlled downdraft paint booth. The booth maintains positive air pressure to keep dust and debris out, while precise temperature and humidity controls ensure consistent paint flow and adhesion. Multiple light coats are applied with appropriate flash times between each pass.
Step 4: Clear coat. Once the base coat achieves full coverage and uniform color, we apply two to three coats of automotive-grade clear coat. The clear coat provides UV protection, chemical resistance, depth of gloss, and the hard, durable surface that protects the color underneath.
Step 5: Curing. The painted vehicle is baked in our booth at controlled temperatures to accelerate the curing process, ensuring maximum hardness, adhesion, and durability. Proper curing is critical for long-term paint performance.
Step 6: Color sanding and polishing. After curing, we wet-sand any minor texture in the clear coat and machine-polish the surface to a mirror-like finish. This final step eliminates orange peel and produces the deep, glossy appearance you expect from a factory paint job.
Bob Rohrman Collision Repair Center uses premium waterborne base coat paints as our standard. Waterborne paints use water as the primary carrier instead of petroleum-based solvents, which dramatically reduces volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions — by as much as 80% compared to traditional solvent-borne systems.
This matters for the environment and for the health of our technicians, but it also matters for the quality of your repair. Modern waterborne formulations offer excellent color accuracy, superior metallic particle orientation, and wider color-matching capabilities than many solvent-based systems. They produce smoother finishes with finer metallic lay-down, which is especially important for today's complex tri-coat and pearl finishes.
Waterborne paints are now the standard used by most major OEM assembly plants worldwide, including Toyota, BMW, Ford, and General Motors. When we refinish your vehicle with waterborne paint, we are using the same type of coating technology the manufacturer used at the factory. The clear coat applied over the waterborne base is still a solvent-based urethane, which provides the same hardness, durability, and UV resistance you expect from a professional finish.
Paint damage is not always the result of a collision. There are several common situations where auto body painting is the right solution.
After a collision or accident: Even a minor fender bender can crack, chip, or scrape your paint. Leaving damaged paint unrepaired exposes the metal underneath to moisture and accelerates rust and corrosion. Collision-related paint work is typically covered by your insurance policy, and we work with all major carriers to handle insurance claims on your behalf.
Sun and UV damage: Indiana summers deliver intense UV radiation that breaks down clear coat and fades pigment over time. You may notice your vehicle's paint looking chalky, dull, or significantly lighter than it once was — especially on horizontal surfaces like the hood and roof. Professional repainting restores color depth and reseals the surface.
Scratches and key damage: Deep scratches that penetrate through the clear coat and into the base coat or primer cannot be buffed out. These require spot repair or panel repainting to restore a smooth, uniform finish. Our scratch and scuff repair services address everything from light surface marks to deep gouges.
Peeling or flaking clear coat: Clear coat failure is common on vehicles over 10 years old, particularly those parked outdoors. Once the clear coat begins to peel, the base coat underneath deteriorates rapidly. Addressing clear coat failure early prevents the need for a more expensive full repaint later.
Fading from environmental exposure: Road salt, bird droppings, tree sap, and industrial fallout all attack paint chemistry over time. If regular washing and waxing can no longer restore your vehicle's appearance, it may be time for professional refinishing.
Located at 3400 National Drive in Lafayette, IN 47905, Bob Rohrman Collision Repair Center is conveniently accessible from I-65, US 52, and State Road 26. We serve drivers throughout Lafayette, West Lafayette, and Tippecanoe County, Indiana, and the surrounding communities including Frankfort, Crawfordsville, Delphi, Monticello, Attica, and Logansport. Whether you are a Purdue University student dealing with a parking lot scrape or a commuter whose daily driver needs collision paint work, our team is ready to help.
We are open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM and Friday from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM. Call us at (765) 448-1100 or email collision@rohrmanAUTO.com to schedule a consultation. You can also submit photos online 24/7 for a free estimate from your phone — no appointment needed.
Most single-panel paint jobs take 2 to 3 days, including surface preparation, priming, painting, clear coating, and curing time. Larger or multi-panel repairs may take 4 to 5 business days. We provide a detailed timeline when you drop off your vehicle.
Yes. We use a spectrophotometer to digitally analyze your vehicle's exact color, factoring in any fading or weathering. Our computerized paint matching system formulates a custom mix that blends seamlessly with your existing finish, making the repair virtually invisible.
In most cases, yes. Collision insurance typically covers paint work required to restore your vehicle to pre-accident condition. We work directly with all major insurance carriers and handle the claims paperwork on your behalf to streamline the process.
Waterborne paints use water as their primary solvent instead of chemical solvents, reducing volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions by up to 80%. They produce the same high-quality, durable finish as traditional solvent-based paints while being significantly better for the environment. We use waterborne paints as our standard.
Absolutely. Every paint and refinishing job at Bob Rohrman Collision Repair Center is backed by our lifetime warranty. This covers peeling, flaking, color mismatch, and any defects in workmanship for as long as you own the vehicle.