How to Paint Acrylic Lacquer
Automotive acrylic lacquer is a preferred finish for show cars. Painting a car with acrylic lacquer is extremely labor intensive. Properly applied, acrylic lacquer automotive paint requires up to 24 coats of paint applied over three to four days. The resulting finish should have an exceptional shine and smoothness.
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Things You'll Need
- Air compressor
- Paint sprayer
- Acrylic lacquer
- 400-grit sandpaper
- Paint thinner
- Grease remover
- Clean rags
Instructions
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1
Prime the vehicle with a coat of primer paint and allow it to dry.
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2
Prepare the car exterior for the lacquer. The preparation for acrylic lacquer follows many of the same steps as any automotive paint job. Clean the primed surface with grease removers and clean rags. Sand the surface with 400 grit wet sandpaper. Blow the surface clean with compressed air and wipe with a tack rag.
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3
Apply the first coat of lacquer. The initial coat should be applied at a rate of one and a half parts thinner to one part lacquer. The alcohol within the lacquer and thinner will evaporate in a matter of minutes, allowing a second coat to be applied almost immediately. Repeat this process until six to eight coats are applied during the same day. Allow the lacquer to dry overnight or longer---up to as much as three days---in humid conditions.
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4
Wet sand the car and thoroughly clean and dry the surface before applying another six to eight coats of lacquer. Each additional day's applications of lacquer should be mixed with more and more thinner so that the final coat is three parts thinner to one part lacquer. Continue repeating these step until the desired finish is achieved.
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Tips & Warnings
Sand the primed surface shortly before the lacquer is applied. Paint adheres best to recently-sanded surfaces.
Environmental concerns may limit access to acrylic lacquers in the future. Follow all product label instructions concerning the handling and application of the lacquer.
References
- Photo Credit a car in a car show image by Gary from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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phillipstone
Apr 05, 2010
You will never have a desired finish on a laquer job without alot of buffing. Laquer was the desired paint for many years, but most custom cars now sport urethane based bc/cc finishes.
