Substitute for clear coat on metallic spray paint?

cutesmurf · 02-19-2018, 02:44 PM

I'm painting my cart with Dupli-color metallic cobalt blue spray cans. So far I've applied adhesion promoter & primer, then paint onto my cowl and it was looking really good. Then I went to finish it with Krylon clear coat and now it's dull and lost its metallic look. I did some research and found out after the fact that this is what clear coat does to metallics. I'm going to wet sand it back down and start over but I'm wondering what else I could use for a sealer? I've found blog posts recommending floor wax or car wax among others to use over top of metallic spray paint, even one that said to use Maguire's Spray-on Quick Wax and THEN clear coat, but none of those articles were painting a plastic golf cart body or anything related to a vehicle.

Any ideas?!

NCPW · 02-20-2018, 10:19 AM

For spray cans, use USC high gloss spray max clear coat. It is awesome and works great! I had the same issue as you with dupli color clear.

I wet sanded the dupli color off light with 600-800 grit then applied the USC high gloss and it was night and day.

https://www.amazon.com/Spray-High-Gl...ar+coat+spray&

Use an N95 mask for this stuff because it can cause reactive asthma immediately if inhaled weather you have a history of asthma or not.

NCPW · 02-20-2018, 10:25 AM

This first picture is after 3 coats of Duplicolor high gloss classes clear coat. Dull, orange peel and swirls galore. I was not happy

0602162019b.jpg

This was after wet sanding and applying 2 coats of the USC 2k. It was night and day.
0602162020.jpg

EDIT: Sorry for the rotated pics, I've officially gave up trying to fix them

rib33024 · 02-20-2018, 10:45 AM

This is not what clear coat does to metallic. If you don't put enough coats and wet coats over the metallic paint it will come out dull. It is real hard to get clear even and wet with spray cans. Sand it down and spray the clear again. They have a wide spray tip on some spray can that helps a lot

NCPW · 02-20-2018, 12:51 PM

+1 on what Rib said.

I learned through my process clear likes to go on wet, but not enough to run. More like 6" or so away from the surface with overlapping of 6" or so.

Applying it like paint (dusting, light coats) will not work and will cause a dull finish.

mikeasis · 02-20-2018, 01:43 PM

do you have to lightly sand the base coat before applying the clear or just apply it after the base coat dries?

cutesmurf · 02-20-2018, 05:12 PM

Thank you both! I watched a couple videos about putting the clear on 'wet' and I could see what I was doing wrong. I'll order some of the better clear coat and try it again. Glad to know there's people to help me out in these situations!

cutesmurf · 02-20-2018, 05:19 PM

NCPW, how many cans of the 2K did you end up using? I'm not sure how much to order.

rib33024 · 02-20-2018, 06:27 PM

The wide spray tip makes a big difference in getting the wet to shine. The wetter you can get it with out running, the shinier it will be. It's an art , and lots of practice

NCPW · 02-20-2018, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cutesmurf

NCPW, how many cans of the 2K did you end up using? I'm not sure how much to order.

4 total for the whole body

02-19-2018, 02:44 PM	#1
cutesmurf Not Yet Wild Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 6	Substitute for clear coat on metallic spray paint? I'm painting my cart with Dupli-color metallic cobalt blue spray cans. So far I've applied adhesion promoter & primer, then paint onto my cowl and it was looking really good. Then I went to finish it with Krylon clear coat and now it's dull and lost its metallic look. I did some research and found out after the fact that this is what clear coat does to metallics. I'm going to wet sand it back down and start over but I'm wondering what else I could use for a sealer? I've found blog posts recommending floor wax or car wax among others to use over top of metallic spray paint, even one that said to use Maguire's Spray-on Quick Wax and THEN clear coat, but none of those articles were painting a plastic golf cart body or anything related to a vehicle. Any ideas?!
cutesmurf Not Yet Wild Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 6

02-20-2018, 10:19 AM	#2
NCPW Just Gone Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,549	Re: Substitute for clear coat on metallic spray paint? For spray cans, use USC high gloss spray max clear coat. It is awesome and works great! I had the same issue as you with dupli color clear. I wet sanded the dupli color off light with 600-800 grit then applied the USC high gloss and it was night and day. https://www.amazon.com/Spray-High-Gl...ar+coat+spray& Use an N95 mask for this stuff because it can cause reactive asthma immediately if inhaled weather you have a history of asthma or not.

02-20-2018, 10:25 AM	#3
NCPW Just Gone Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,549	Re: Substitute for clear coat on metallic spray paint? This first picture is after 3 coats of Duplicolor high gloss classes clear coat. Dull, orange peel and swirls galore. I was not happy 0602162019b.jpg This was after wet sanding and applying 2 coats of the USC 2k. It was night and day. 0602162020.jpg EDIT: Sorry for the rotated pics, I've officially gave up trying to fix them

02-20-2018, 10:45 AM	#4
rib33024 ...................... Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: FT Lauderdale FL. Posts: 16,416	Re: Substitute for clear coat on metallic spray paint? This is not what clear coat does to metallic. If you don't put enough coats and wet coats over the metallic paint it will come out dull. It is real hard to get clear even and wet with spray cans. Sand it down and spray the clear again. They have a wide spray tip on some spray can that helps a lot

02-20-2018, 12:51 PM	#5
NCPW Just Gone Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,549	Re: Substitute for clear coat on metallic spray paint? +1 on what Rib said. I learned through my process clear likes to go on wet, but not enough to run. More like 6" or so away from the surface with overlapping of 6" or so. Applying it like paint (dusting, light coats) will not work and will cause a dull finish.

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02-20-2018, 01:43 PM	#6
mikeasis Gone Wild Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: venice Posts: 1,807	Re: Substitute for clear coat on metallic spray paint? do you have to lightly sand the base coat before applying the clear or just apply it after the base coat dries?

02-20-2018, 05:12 PM	#7
cutesmurf Not Yet Wild Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 6	Re: Substitute for clear coat on metallic spray paint? Thank you both! I watched a couple videos about putting the clear on 'wet' and I could see what I was doing wrong. I'll order some of the better clear coat and try it again. Glad to know there's people to help me out in these situations!
cutesmurf Not Yet Wild Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 6

02-20-2018, 05:19 PM	#8
cutesmurf Not Yet Wild Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 6	Re: Substitute for clear coat on metallic spray paint? NCPW, how many cans of the 2K did you end up using? I'm not sure how much to order.
cutesmurf Not Yet Wild Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 6

02-20-2018, 06:27 PM	#9
rib33024 ...................... Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: FT Lauderdale FL. Posts: 16,416	Re: Substitute for clear coat on metallic spray paint? The wide spray tip makes a big difference in getting the wet to shine. The wetter you can get it with out running, the shinier it will be. It's an art , and lots of practice

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