Painting Cars With Rustoleum

[Norm's Coupe]

........

Edited September 17, 2009 by Norm's Coupe

[Normspeed]

No but I'm all ears. Will you be using an aerosol clear coat too?

[50 Deluxe]

I too thought about clear coating rustoleum, so I did the roof of my P20 in aerosol rustoleum bright beige, I let it dry for four days three days in the bright sun. The aerosol clear coat looked okay until I looked real close and it had made cracks and bubbles in a few places. After sanding out the problem spots I tried again only to lose ground and end up with more bad spots. So I’ll get busy sanding the roof for a better paint.

[62rebelP23]

i saw a thread on another site which was flagged as "$50 paint job" and i thought, oh great, another person with a foam roller and sandpaper (i'm not knocking it, it's just too much work IMHO) but this one was different. he was espousing the use of HVLP and two-stage paint. his take was that you rent the equipment necessary and buy the paint from pro paint store. i admit that his attitude could have been a little more tolerant but his results were fair to good; he did have the benefit of painting a fairly NEW car without major issues and painting it the same color as stock.

which got me to thinking (NEVER a good thing) that the Brits are VERY restricted in what they can and can't do (more CAN'T than CAN) on their cars and they often use airless sprayers (Wagner PowerPainter usually) and thin the paint down to stain consistency. it takes more coats, but less sanding and very often looks terrific. seems to me....... get the picture?

[PatS....]

Try Brightside Polyurethane Yacht Paint for a brilliant and smooth shine. Self-leveling, it can be applied with a foam brush or foam roller and will last forever.

http://carpainting.wetpaint.com/page/Rollering+Interlux+Brightside+Polyurethane+Paint?t=anon

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=64&familyName=Interlux+-+Brightside+Polyurethane

[BobT-47P15]

Yeah......this boat looked great as it went down. The Brightside

paint was good....

[greg g]

I have been using the AVE brand of Rust paint on my Studebaker. I have found that it scratches easily and does not adhear well to automotive aresol primers. Several spots have pealed off easily. I buess I should have added a hardener. I will touch up scuff and then shoot on a satin clear coat to see how that works.

[PatS....]

Yeah......this boat looked great as it went down. The Brightside

paint was good....

Looks like it had extra coats on one side

[Allan Faust]

I too thought about clear coating rustoleum, so I did the roof of my P20 in aerosol rustoleum bright beige, I let it dry for four days three days in the bright sun. The aerosol clear coat looked okay until I looked real close and it had made cracks and bubbles in a few places. After sanding out the problem spots I tried again only to lose ground and end up with more bad spots. So I’ll get busy sanding the roof for a better paint. [ATTACH]6525[/ATTACH]

What happened with your paint job is that the base coat wasn't cured, and the clear, when curing, cured quicker than your base, causing the paint to wrinkle (imagine a hand grabbing a flat piece of paper on a table and with the paper holding on to the fingertips close the hand and end up with a crumpled piece of paper, same scenario). Every paint has a "window" to sand, and specific curing time (to the point of not being able to wax your car for x months since it isn't fully cured). Once cured, with the clear coat over top it shouldn't do that....

It is also another reason why paint companies tell you not to mix brands, to use the same system from start to finish, to avoid problems such as that...

Allan

[windsor8]

I used Rustoleum Dark Hunter Green to touch up the bare places on my coupe so it didn't look so bad in the driveway prior to teardown in the garage. The color was pretty close to the original. I plan using more of it.

[55 Fargo]

What happened with your paint job is that the base coat wasn't cured, and the clear, when curing, cured quicker than your base, causing the paint to wrinkle (imagine a hand grabbing a flat piece of paper on a table and with the paper holding on to the fingertips close the hand and end up with a crumpled piece of paper, same scenario). Every paint has a "window" to sand, and specific curing time (to the point of not being able to wax your car for x months since it isn't fully cured). Once cured, with the clear coat over top it shouldn't do that....

It is also another reason why paint companies tell you not to mix brands, to use the same system from start to finish, to avoid problems such as that...

Allan

Exactly Allan, Rustoleum or Tremclad often takes a month to cure, then it usually can be coated over with anything.

One way to get a good shine is to cut the paint with Automotive Enamel Reducer, add a Gloss/Hardening agent, wetsand and polish it out.

I have seen examples of Rustoleum paint jobs when it was reduced with mineral spirits, then applied with sponge rollers, wetsanded between coats, then polsihed and buffed with a buffer, the results look great.

Tha said the Brightside marine Paint looks Mucho Grande, it comes out shinier, and you can get a real good paint job with it.

I am thinking of experimenting with my paint job, on my 47 Coupe, onew guy told me I should use $500.00 a agllon Urethane Paint, I am sureit's a great product, but I am doing this car on a real shoestring budget.............Fred

[Allan Faust]

I am thinking of experimenting with my paint job, on my 47 Coupe, onew guy told me I should use $500.00 a agllon Urethane Paint, I am sureit's a great product, but I am doing this car on a real shoestring budget.............Fred

I hear you Fred..... since mine will be a while in the making, I'm purchasinge a reducer gallon here, quart of majik blue there, pre painting prep here, post sanding prep there..... only between $30-$100 per can.... but once I'm ready to paint..... a good $1500-$2000 worth of stuff.... as long as I don't open it, shelf life is indefinite.... and I'll have a killer paint job.... can't wait to spend hours and hours on the body.... just got myself a (ie 1) Martin hammer and dolly... for now..... buying items one by one as time and money permits.... (I paid for my engine machining this year, so thats the big expense.....)

Allan

[kevin h P15]

OK so - what makes thinning / reducing (enamel) paint gloss? Does it level better?

Novice with painting, but have had pretty lucky results.

thanks .. kevin

[55 Fargo]

OK so - what makes thinning / reducing (enamel) paint gloss? Does it level better?

Novice with painting, but have had pretty lucky results.

thanks .. kevin

Yes it will level nicer when thinned,when rolling thin with mineral spirits not xylene or toulene, they flash far too quick for rolling, mineral spirits flash slowly you don't get as much or any orange peel, it goes on in multiple layers, that gives you the ability to wetsand between every other coat, the rusto is harder when thinned, it makes for a nicer finish

[Normspeed]

I learned about the long term curing after putting umpteen coats of spray can Rustoleum on the rear bumper. After a couple days curing in the hot sun and cool night air, I picked it up and wrinkled it near the edge. After it cured another couple weeks the wrinkle shrunk up and disappeared.

I like the look and the cost compared to chrome, and I might let it really harden another month or so then shoot some clearcoat on it. Here you can see how the rustoleum looks next to Tony C's really nice chrome.

[Allan Faust]

OK so - what makes thinning / reducing (enamel) paint gloss? Does it level better?

Novice with painting, but have had pretty lucky results.

thanks .. kevin

The gloss doesn't come from the thinning... it comes from the wet sanding etc.... The thinning allows you to spread it easier, and since it is "self-levelling" by thinning it out, it allows the product to level out easier, since paint is really pigments (solid) in a solvent (liquid). The liquid helps to transfer the solids to the substrate (your car), and since the liquid is a solvent, it has a quick evaporation rate. The liquid thus evaporates, leaving the solids behind. The solids harden as the liquid evaporates, causing it to "cure". This happens exponentially, which is why paint manufacturers tell you to "wait" 60 days before waxing so that you don't trap the solvents, thus causing problems (peeling, cracking, etc).

The wet sanding, or "color sanding" is used to eliminate the imperfections in your paint, particularily orange peel as well as others (sags, runs, etc), in order to "flatten" out the surface (look at an orange peel from an edge, and you'll see the bumps and ridges). Once you have a "flat" surface light is reflected better than with "bumps and ridges" and seems glossier, or deeper, or brighter..... actually simple physics of light reflection..... when you "color sand" a clear coat, the layers accumulate, the light is reflected through the clear almost like a magnifying glass, making the rear base coat shine through and look "deep".....

Hope that explains it better.

Allan

[Don Jordan]

I tried painting myself. Paint is expensive. It is a lot harder than it looks. Some of it turned out but all the mistakes got to be expensive in money and time.

I finally gave up and let the pros have a go at it.

[Allan Faust]

I tried painting myself. Paint is expensive. It is a lot harder than it looks. Some of it turned out but all the mistakes got to be expensive in money and time.

I finally gave up and let the pros have a go at it.

Yes, it is a lot of work, however, it is easier than it seems. There are a few things, however, that must be "done" or "said". First of all, as I was told by a professional painter.... anyone can do the job that he does.... the difference, due to experience, is in the amount of work to do it right. What he would do in a day, would take someone else a week.... because he knows how to lay a coat, dry/wet/clear, gun settings, paint system he uses, etc.... anyone else can have the same result, but will have more sanding and elbow work to accomplish this. That being said, it then comes down to reading and learning, and putting down what you've learned on what you are going to paint. Now it may "look" like I know what I'm doing due to my comments on the thread, however, I've only painted 2 cars in the past. Everything I know is more theory than practice (but I can't wait to prove the theories right). Before any paint hits my car, I will put all the theory I can into my head, then practice on panels with the "cheaper" stuff to work on gun control, mixing, etc. As for the car.... I will be getting it as "straight" as possible.. hammer/dolly, primer, guide coats, etc (getting more practice as I go along) and I know that since my gun control won't be perfect, I will have it dialed in as best I can, and whatever "mistakes" I make, I know I can solve them by sanding, etc before moving on... which is why my first comment about "anyone can do it" is correct, but it will take me longer because of the sanding etc....

Allan

[Allan Faust]

When it comes to paint, etc.... no matter what, and we prone it here all the time, it is up to you to decide what you want to do to your car and up to you to decide how you want to go about doing it.... I wasn't trying to tell Norm or anyone else what to do (knowing Norm, even if I told him what to do, he'd do what he'd want to do anyways.... ). When I respond to a paint question, its mainly to try and help remove any "misconceptions" with the process, that is as simple as any other process as long as you are willing to read, learn, practice and try doing it right. My comment is mainly for those who would grab a paint gun, compressor, and paint, and just try and shoot their vehicle.... that is where you will see that it is a lot harder than it looks... so many forumulations, so many systems, different guns, tips, ways of spraying, booths or driveways (norm), or garages, dry coats, wet coats, primers, single stage, basecoat clearcoat temperature, contaminants, sanding, color sanding, buffing, polishing, etc....

I myself had planned to do my vehicle before I even got it.... and while I'm waiting for that time, I'm painting small parts (soon to be powdercoating as well, can't wait), practicing technique on a variety of items that can and can't be seen (worrying less about those that can't) and slowly getting my stuff together for the time when I will paint it.....

Allan

[David Mac]

Allan:

Can you recomend a source for reading up on the proper way to paint your car?

Thanks,

David Mac

[NatesSedan]

It really is alot of fun Allan. We painted my father in laws car and did all the body work etc. We are still in the process of putting it back together (which is a another thread entirely)

This was my first paint job and wont be my last. I am OCD enough I could have worked on the body forever. Just a little more and it will be perfect!

We made a few mistakes but we had a great time and seeing the color for the first time was like payment for all the hours getting there. You are going to have a blast! Best Wishes, Nate

[Allan Faust]

Allan:

Can you recomend a source for reading up on the proper way to paint your car?

Thanks,

David Mac

I'll check up a couple of sites that I used (no time just at this moment, i lost a bunch of "favorites" and email due to a puter glitch not too long ago) and get back to you... there is one in particular that is really informative by a pro....

Allan

[Allan Faust]

It really is alot of fun Allan. We painted my father in laws car and did all the body work etc. We are still in the process of putting it back together (which is a another thread entirely)

This was my first paint job and wont be my last. I am OCD enough I could have worked on the body forever. Just a little more and it will be perfect!

We made a few mistakes but we had a great time and seeing the color for the first time was like payment for all the hours getting there. You are going to have a blast! Best Wishes, Nate

Just in case, when you are putting it back together, use a masking tape on the edges, especially in places like the doors and fenders... that way, you protect your paint job until everything is in place, then remove the masking and its done....

Allan

[Allan Faust]

David;

Go to Connery's Corner on this web site for some tips....;

http://www.customkolorcanada.com/html/

And here is a great set of articles... same person John Connery.

http://www.canadianrodder.com/Feature%20Pages/Connery/Home%20Page%20Frameset.htm

I'll put up more when time permits. As you can see, it deals with house of kolor, which is the system I'll be using, but in general the same can go for all paint systems, with some minor modifications... depending on the company.

Allan

[Plymouthy Adams]

Rustoleum is very very prone to surface drying prior to entire panel being finished when rolling...use of the enamel reducer makes this condition worse as it is designed to evaporate rather quickly and there are three grades of reducer based on working time. Using the mineral spirits are less likely to evaporate as fast but still yet..you will have a lot of surface drying prior to panel finish...while I advocate the use of Rustoleum I will never recommend the use of a roller..except for the application of their Rusty Metal Primer. Spraying the Rustoeum top coat is however very easy low cost method to aquire a decent paint job. In this respect it SHOULD be sprayed...thinning the mix is your only real concern as you must get the correct viscosity to spary evenly without sag and yet not be thick as to cause orange peel...(poor atomization) ..the viscosity is you key..also its oil is not the same as acrylic enamel..so even when spraying, the flash time bwetween coats is extended when compared to automotive acrylic enamal. This is a matter of your mix, local weather conditions etc etc...experimentation on a old panel prior to your shoot is highly recommended. While I use this mix often, it is still primary my mix for frame and inner fenders etc. You can still get decent acrylic enamel for a low cost...you can go to the Nason brand which is the low line of DuPont...other companies carry lower lines...Omni is PPG's low line...price for a quality paint is still reasonable...and available to the man on the street. Personally I feel that the time envolved in rolling followed by the many times you will have to sand and recoat just a total waste...further compound that with the drying time...even high quality DuPont Centari is still wooking out after 30 days....I do not recommend color sanding this high cost paint for 30 days...much less try to buff it. extend this with Rustoleum..the primer will take about 10-14 days before I recdommend a sander put on it....by the time you are finished time wise I think MAACO would be a blessing to you and your car..

Edited December 25, 2015 by Plymouthy Adams