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Acrylic Enamel vs. Single Stage Urethane
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GaryS
Posted 2014-10-24 5:17 PM (#460133)
Subject: Acrylic Enamel vs. Single Stage Urethane



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Location: Ponder, TX		While discussing paint types with the folks in the local auto paint store, I mentioned I didn't much like two stage finishes on old cars because it's too shiny. I've used acrylic enamel in the past, and while it looks original, final sanding and buffing are a pain. There is also the need to polish it a couple times a year to keep it looking good. The paint guy recommended single stage urethane as being tougher and easier to finish, but I know nothing about it and I'm curious how it compares to acrylic enamel for ease of application, final finishing, and appearance. What's your experience?
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DepsilonD
Posted 2014-10-24 7:27 PM (#460145 - in reply to #460133)
Subject: Re: Acrylic Enamel vs. Single Stage Urethane



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Location: Buena Park, CA		I did my first "paint job" on a car trailer a couple of months ago and I found single stage urethane (Restoration Shop from TCP Global) really easy to work with. I did not buff it out though. I wanted to use it as an experiment because that is what I plan to go with on my Plymouth. I'm a total amateur with this stuff so I cant offer much more.

Dave
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ttotired
Posted 2014-10-24 7:38 PM (#460146 - in reply to #460133)
Subject: Re: Acrylic Enamel vs. Single Stage Urethane



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Location: Perth Australia		The paint terms your using (which may be correct) are confusing me

I normally refer to the paints in 2 basic catagories (I am not a panel beater/ spay painter by trade), but they are acrylic and enamel

You cant mix the 2, they use different thinners and if you try to mix them (or put the wrong thinners in), it makes a terrible mess that (if in the panels of the car) means sanding back to bare metal or if mixed wrong in the gun, means a complete strip down and clean

Anyway that was my woops

Enamel paint is a harder paint and a lot glossier without needing to clear over it, this can be done as a single stage (no hardener) added, but if you want it to "go off" faster, you can get a hardener for it, 2 pak is also an enamel paint, but that has to have a hardener added to it to make it go off.

Acrylic is softer (when your trying to remove old paint with a grinder and it kind of melts, thats acrylic), it can be sprayed as a one shot (no clear), but is nowhere near as shiney as enamel
If you clear over it, it comes out brilliant, but will still need to be polished (which all cars should have, even the big toy cars that sit in a museum all their lives)

I found 2 pak really hard to use, but normal (single stage) enamel much easier and is what my choice of paint is, my dodge is in acrylic with a clear coat and looks nice and not over shiney

I have not painted a metalic enamel, but (with the dodge) I have painted metalic acrylic, its hard....

Metalic paint does not like to be sanded (it upsets the metalic itself, makes them sort of black), so you have to be really carefull applying it so its really even and no heavy orrange peel or dry paint (where the paint is sort of dry straight out of the gun, it just sits and doesnt blend in).

Solid colours are much easier to deal with and if you havnt played this game before, I strongly recommend doing a solid colour.

I found when I used single stage enamel, that the paint would oxidise (burgandy) and had to be cut if you didnt keep on top of it, the acrylic that I have painted the dodge with hasnt shown any oxidisation at all yet

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imopar380
Posted 2014-10-24 10:16 PM (#460156 - in reply to #460146)
Subject: Re: Acrylic Enamel vs. Single Stage Urethane



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Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada		Maybe in Australia you have different terms, but over here we have both Acrylic Enamel and Acrylic Lacquer. Lacquer paints are pretty much out of the loop here now, so what we have the choice of is single stage or 2 stage enamels. Not being a painter myself I can't offer any more info. but I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will know. Much of the paint applied over here is also now WATER based which opens another whole can of worms!
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ttotired
Posted 2014-10-25 3:27 AM (#460169 - in reply to #460133)
Subject: Re: Acrylic Enamel vs. Single Stage Urethane



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Location: Perth Australia		I do believe the water based paint is either available here or will be soon

I read it is not quite as glossy as the 2 pak enamels

I have heard the term "lacquer" used to discribe what I was calling acrylic, so, mine is painted in lacquer

Thanks Ian, that might clear up my description some

Just as an asside, over here, the auto paint places are not supposed to sell the enamel paints to the general public, only to the trade (panel shops), not exactly sure, but it might have to do with the safety side of things and that your average back yard (home) painter does not use the correct repirators and paint booth filters to take the nasties out of the air, but I am just sort of guessing there

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