Questions about painting and clear coat....

So I got a front 06-08 hemi sport lip (like the Rumble Bee/Daytona style) and I'm painting it to match my truck as the lip was blue when I got it and my truck is Flame Red.

I'm using Duplicolor Paint Match Primer, Duplicolor Paint Match Pr4 Flame Red and Duplicolor Paint Match Clear Coat.

I sanded it with 400 grit, then 1500 grit and it's super smooth. Washed it with soap and water, then I layed down a light coat of primer followed by a heavy coat of primer.

My question is, once i lay down the paint color, should I wait 15-30 minutes before spraying the clear coat or can I immediately spray my first coat of clear, over the last coat of color paint, while the color paint is still wet?

I've heard of people spraying clearcoat over a thick heavy wet coat of paint, but that was with plastidip, so I'm unsure if I can do this with normal paint.

No, the ciolor coat needs to flash and dry before you start hitting it with clear.

Like mad dog said wait but it should have directions on the cans about what that paint suggest specifically I think the spray cans say an hr or something. But make sure that you follow the recommendations of that company cause each is a lil different


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Lil_Ram said:

Like mad dog said wait but it should have directions on the cans about what that paint suggest specifically I think the spray cans say an hr or something. But make sure that you follow the recommendations of that company cause each is a lil different


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OK cool, I was just curious because I saw a YouTube video with a guy Plastidipping something and he said he likes to spray the Glossifier (clear coat) immediately following the last thick coat of color because he said it "locks the clear into the paint and they form a bond".

But I will do as you suggested and follow the wait time on the cans.

I'm using Duplicolor Paint Match PR4 Spray Cans with the same brand & style primer and clear.

The plastidip material is different from standard body paint so you have to wait. I'd check Duplicolor's website for their recommendations on flash and dry times between coats and between color and clear.

MADDOG said:

The plastidip material is different from standard body paint so you have to wait. I'd check Duplicolor's website for their recommendations on flash and dry times between coats and between color and clear.

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Good idea, thanks. I laid down the primer today and it looks so nice and smooth. Definitly happy with how it came out.

I let the cans sit in a bucket with hot water for 29 minutes before I started spraying and it made the spray so perfect and smooth because the cans were warm.

Can't wait for tomorrow to paint the Flame Red and see how it comes out. Super anxious!!!

You need your reducer to dissolve other wise you trap it. This will cause a cloudy bumpy clear.

I am a little concerned for your primer. You used 1500 which is a finishing grit not a prep grit. 400grit would have been the ideal grit to use for primer. You want the primer to have something to bite too. 1500 is way too smooth. You may see primer flake off in the short few months.

Good thing is, if you went from 400 to 1500, the 1500 did not remove the 400 grit sanding marks. So you might be ok.........

I would also let the primer set and shrink before sanding it before you put down any color. You will want to sand the primer with 320 or 400 depending on how well you laid it. 600 should be the last grit you use before color.

Lay down your first coat of base LIGHTLY AFTER using wax and grease remover. Once you have it covered.. give it 5 minutes and then put down 2-3 coats of base with med wet coats. WAIT 20 minutes between coats. Then wait 30 minutes before clear.

Clear - do the same thing, a real quick dry coat and wait 3-5 minutes. That coat of clear will start getting tacky and then you can start your wet clear coats. Do 2-3 coats and wait 30 minutes before your next coat. Don't mix more clear than needed as it may harden up in the cup.

I am currently working on a '65 bug that is set to be in HotVWs magazine.

Prep is the key in any paint job. It's taken me a month to sand the bug down by hand. 320 and 600.

If you've painted before, you know the base lays easier then clear. Clear you have to spray COMPLETELY different speeds. Watch your wet edge. Don't rush as it will be cloudy, dry.. and orange peely.. too slow and you've got some serious runs.

You want your primer to look smooth, be smooth, no pits as that will show in base, as base is thin.

I lay primer down better that most shops paint

The first 2 photos are after the 400 grit, the 3rd and 4th pictures are after the 1500 grit. This was before I washed with with soapy water and dried it.

I've already laid down the primer, should I sand the primer before I lay down my first base coat? If so, what grit and how much intensity should I apply and should I wet or dry sand the primer? I wet sanded both the 400 and 1500 grits.

You will absolutely have to sand the primer. I'd go 600 and make sure it's even and flat. No pits or 'orange peel'..

If you see this... keep sanding..



You want it smooth as glass. But not 1500 smooth.

The primer is 100% smooth with no orange peel or bubbling or any imperfections.... it's nice and smooth too.

Since it's going to be 40 degrees and snowing tomorrow, I'll be bored, I'll snap some pictures of the primer so you can see how it dried.