How much paint do I need?

[Mark A.]

I will be painting my 69 coupe soon. I am going to use Dupont Chroma 1 single stage urethane. I plan on spraying 3-4 coats. I will be using a DeVillbis non HVLP gun. My question is, will 2 gallons be sufficient, or do I need 3? At the cost of paint, I don't want to get 3 gallons if it is not necessary. Thanks for the input. Mark

[William L.]

Re: How much paint do I need?

Mark;Two will probably enough? If your careful! But one day you may wish you had some perfect matching paint for touch up. Better safe than sorry.
Bill

[Mark A.]

Re: How much paint do I need?

Bill,
Have you ever sprayed this paint? I am planning on mixing clear in the final top coat. I am trying to duplicate a finish as close to laquer as possible. any thoughts? Mark

[William L.]

Re: How much paint do I need?

Mark
I don't know much about the newer paints. I'm sure someone, on the this board, will give you some good advice. I'm an old an old laquer guy.
Sorry Bill

[Chuck S.]

Re: How much paint do I need?

Bill,
Have you ever sprayed this paint? I am planning on mixing clear in the final top coat. I am trying to duplicate a finish as close to laquer as possible. any thoughts? Mark

Mark, what color are we talking about?...solid or metallic?

Frankly, beyond flattening the gloss in the jambs and other unpolished areas as discussed here recently, "as close as possible" is the operative phrase when attempting to make single stage look like lacquer. "Close" depends on the painter's experience...I have seen single stage test panels painted by professionals that I couldn't tell from acrylic lacquer, but I don't think a hobbyist that paints a car once in a blue moon can get there. JMHO.

[Mark A.]

Re: How much paint do I need?

Chuck,
The color is Monza Red 974. Mark

[Chuck S.]

Re: How much paint do I need?

Chuck,
The color is Monza Red 974. Mark

The solid red is an advantage concerning adding clear to the last coat. If you were painting a metallic, adding clear would further deepen the finish, making it look even less like acrylic lacquer.

The clear will not be detectable in solid red, and it will enhance the durability of the single stage urethane even more. With or without clear, the gloss you get from premium single stage urethane will not look like acrylic lacquer...at least that is my experience. As mentioned in a recent post, urethane will tend to be thicken or "bead up" at edges...as part of making it look "something like lacquer", you'll have to carefully block the edges flat.

The maximum amount of clear PPG Tech Services recommends for their single stage urethane is 50 percent "ready to spray" to ensure coverage; if you have applied two coats of full color, the amount of clear in the third coat is not an issue regarding coverage, but I suspect the more clear you add, the higher the gloss. High percentages of clear may also begin to make detection of the clear easier, even in solid colors.

I painted my old Toyota 4Runner in PPG Concept single stage urethane as a dress rehearsal for painting my 70 Corvette in the same system. The Vette is wider, has a longer hood and fatter front fenders, but the 4Runner had a fiberglass rear compartment roof that is like polishing a flight deck...total surface area may be about the same.

As I recall , I used seven or eight quarts total to apply three coats, including repainting the hood twice...the third coat was 50 percent clear RTS (ready to spray). However, trusting my memory is very risky...I know I bought at least one gallon as quarts (I sneaked up on it; costly game $$$$)...I suppose it could have been 11 or twelve quarts. You are correct to buy whole gallons; the break point where a gallon costs the same as multiple quarts is between two and three quarts...a gallon is cheaper than three quarts. Reds are among the most expensive colors, unfortunately.

Remember that your color has to be reduced with thinner and catalyzed. Two gallons, depending on the mix ratios, will likely end up being three gallons or more RTS.

[Kurt G.]

Re: How much paint do I need?

If you're not familiar with the DuPont product it will be better to add a couple of quarts so you have enough. The single stage Chroma system doesn't require a lot of reduction to flow well, so you won't have a lot of stretch in your. I've painted both the single stage and ChromaBase and it doesn't go a long way. Make sure, double sure that you mix all of the product together into one container before you start squirting it. Even with the computer mixing nowadays there will be some differences in color. Also, if your aren't familiar with the DuPont product make sure you make a test board and practice before you commit to the car. Follow the can mix instructions carefully, and adjust your air and fan carefully before you hit the fiberglass. If not, you'll do some sanding, re-sealing, re-priming and shooting. DuPont is a pretty user friendly material, but it can bite you.

[Kurt G.]

Re: How much paint do I need?

Mark, I just thought of one other thing. If you are looking for the gloss of a laquer, DuPont used to make an additive for the single stage paint that really made the finished product shine. I forget what they called it, but it made the paint shine like a diamond in a goats, well you get the idea. You do have to make sure you apply full wet coats for the shine to work, though. Too much air or too fast of a stroke and you have a dull finish you'll never be able to polish out. Check with your supplier and see if they can get that high gloss additive for you.