It's been a long time since I've painted anything. I have a golf cart to paint and it's plastic. I plan on basecoat clearcoat and just can't remember how to PREP the plastic to except the paint.. Need your input, please. CJ
p.s. hi all
Posted by George Perkins (Member # 156) on :
Depends on the type of plastic. An automotive paint store will more than likely have the proper primer/adhesion promoter. Use a degreaser like Rapid Prep, spray on the plastic primer follow with your basecoat/clearcoat.
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
Krylon has a line made for plastics now. Could you clean, mask and spray? Perhaps paint over the spray?
Posted by Dale Feicke (Member # 767) on :
Ed, I think if it's for a customer, and you want it to hold up long-term, you're better off going the automotive primer/paint way per George.
It will undoubtedly cost a good bit more for the materials, but with all the pitfalls of trying to paint the many different kinds of plastic, you can't afford to take shortcuts.
If it's polyethylene, I'd use epoxy primer. I've painted several sprint car bodies that way and one of them went thru some violent flips with barely any damage. I'm sure it's never gonna get that abused on the golf course. Good luck.
Posted by Ed Williams (Member # 846) on :
Thanx for the heads up.
Posted by Mark Neurohr (Member # 2470) on :
CJ, found this link, 'cause I know you want to use House of Colors.
If it has a previous layer of paint that's in good shape, you can scuff, paint and clear it as you would a car. If your working on the raw fiberglass, a plastic primer will be needed. Check with a local body shop. They can probably lead you in the right direction for a nearby supplier.
Hope this helps... Rapid
Posted by Frank Magoo (Member # 3950) on :
Ed;
To properly achieve professional results, I'd suggest this path of travel...
First clean surface, don't sacrifice here, most important surface is clean of all contaminants...
Secondly, sand surface w/at least 400 grit(any lighter, you won't get the "tooth" to properly achieve a proper adhesion factor-too harsh and you will have scratches to deal with) sandpaper, I prefer to use wet/dry paper w/water, keeps paper clean and also rinses surface as you go, keeping in line w/clean surface theory...(I've even used beer as the wet, the alcohol keeps surface really clean)
Third, spray a two part epoxy primer, I like DuPonts primer, it sands easy and has never let me down due to failure, it also comes in colors, choose one close to color you're fixing to use overall...
Next is to sand primer, I like to spray a lacquer flat black out of a spraycan for this, all you need is a little bit, just enough to change overall color slightly, then w/400 grit paper again and water, level it by sanding it until either the original surface appears or the black disappears, this is called block sanding, oh yeah, use a flat block w/paper to ensure even sanding....
After this is done and any spots you may have sanded thru to have been touched up, you're ready to spray finish coats of color...start by ensuring surface is clean of any lint or such using a tac rag, available thru any automotive paint supply store...
After properly mixing base coat color(follow instructions on can for mixtures), apply color, using what I call a half overlap pattern, in other words, make sure new passes cover at least 1/2 of the previous ones...don't "crosshatch" pattern, modern paints don't react the same as old, crosshatching will only create mottling in modern colors...when you have achieved proper color or reach 5 coats of color, you're ready to clear it off...be careful here...spray first coat of clear slightly dry, it will melt in after second and third coats, this way you don't overload your surface tension factor, which if you do will result in a run or worse....apply 2-3 coats of clear and you're done, clean up tools and enjoy results......
For that extra deep look and shine, there are two ways to achieve this....one is to block sand clear, wet, w/1500 grit paper and polish out w/compound and polish, effect will resemble a glass surface if done right......the other and most popular is to color sand clear w/600 grit paper, wet, and lay on two more coats of clear, finish will emulate european car look, very shiny and flat, it will have a slight orange peel look if looking close, but you know what they say about those that pick out ones little differences.....
Hope this little tutorial helps, but then from your own words, you should remember all of this from days past.......
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