How to Spray Metallic Paint Step-by-Step
Metallic paint, often called metal flake, is a type of paint commonly used on hot rods to give the surface of the car a shiny finish. This paint is nicknamed metal flake because it contains flakes of metal that contribute to the shine. Spraying metallic paint properly is a matter of preparation, tools and patience. Metallic paint must be sprayed in several thin coats for best effect.
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Things You'll Need
- Respirator
- Base color to match metal flake
- Metal flake paint
- Clearcoat
- Regular paint gun
- 1.8mm to 2mm paint gun tips
Instructions
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1
Load base color into paint gun and spray first. Spray in long, even strokes from front to back without stopping. Apply a second coat of base paint once the first coat becomes tacky. Let the base dry.
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2
Mix metallic paint with clearcoat. Different mix ratios will create different effects. Two teaspoons of metallic paint per quart of clear is a guideline recommended by Hot Rod.
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3
Put your 1.8mm to 2mm paint gun tip on your paint gun. Load metallic paint and clearcoat mix into paint gun.
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4
Set gun for six-inch vertical spray pattern.
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5
Hold gun five to eight inches away from surface.
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6
Spray a thin topcoat in long, even strokes. Shake gun frequently in between sprays to make sure the clearcoat and metallic paint stay evenly mixed.
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7
Spray a second coat in the same fashion when the first becomes tacky.
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8
Repeat Step 6 and Step 7 as many times as necessary to achieve your preferred look. Metallic paint is often applied with five to seven coats.
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9
Disassemble your paint gun completely and wash out the metal flake paint. Metal flakes from the paint will get stuck in every crevice of the gun after use.
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10
Load clearcoat into your paint gun. Spray a single layer of clearcoat over the metallic paint to finish.
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Tips & Warnings
If you have spare parts to experiment on, try different ratios of metal flake to clearcoat. Try different base colors underneath your metal flake. Every combination will have a different outcome.
Always wear a respirator when working with paint .
References
- Photo Credit Car fin image by Dreadman from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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Kustom Krusaders
Feb 05, 2011
The clear coat gives the special shine on the above shown kustom rather than hot rod. Very great article though, no offense. -
Kustom Krusaders
Feb 05, 2011
You have a great feature on metal flake paint but a completely wrong example that features lace painting with several layers of clear coat rather than any metal flake paint whatsoever. Metallic exists within the blue and the sparkles, but this photo is rather deceiving since it contains intertwined fogging and lace style painting.
