About a Car's Paint
There are a couple of common car painting systems available. The typical car paint application coming right from the factory is called a two-stage system. The other is a single-stage system which is an aftermarket option when you are having a car repainted. Learn to distinguish which one is appropriate for you and keep your professional paint job shining.
History of
Vehicle paint has gone through a number of stages since its inception. Back when cars or horseless buggies were created in the late 1800s a varnish system was employed to paint the vehicles which required brush painting in layers with the only color available being black.
In the early 1920s a laquer-based paint was introduced which was available in different colors. By the early 1930s, enamels began to be used. Laquer mixed with acrylic for more durability was introduced in the late 1950s.
By the late 1970s clear coat applied over the base color evolved with the separate clear coat layers. The purpose was to offer more durability, a greater shine and UV- protection from the elements. This system did not become commonplace until the mid- to late-1980s since this system was more costly to use and previously had been employed for higher-end paint jobs.
Type
Today, the two-stage paint system, whcih includes base color coat and a clear coat applied on top of that, is still being employed. An aftermarket paint job is a single-stage paint process which includes urethanes mixed right into the color coat, which still offer gloss, durability and UV-protection.
There is debate around the single- and two-stage paint process. The single stage is a less costly job since the painter is not having to spray the car additional times using costly clear coat product, but then some will argue that the two stage system with separate coats of clear is much better since your end up with a higher gloss and better protection from scratches and UV rays.
Advocates of the single stage will complain that when a scratch penetrates through the clear and into the paint that the only way to repair the damage is to sand down and repaint the entire panel, whereas with a single stage paint you can simply sand down the scratch and touch up the spot since there is no clear coat film to peel up when sanding down a damaged area.
The Facts
Automotive paint takes on much abuse with road stones being kicked up onto it, road salt which can deteroriate and eat through it, road tars and gasoline which can eat it away and probably the most deadly killer, extreme sunlight. Paint and clear coat is typically applied in numerous layers, with a minimum of two coats each. In some cases for an aftermarket paint job I have known of as many as six coats applied for better protection. These additional coats of paint or clear coat will also cost you substanially more. I have even known of as many as eleven coats of clear coat being applied to a show car.
Function
The function of automotive paint is fairly obvious. Firstly, having many color choices is important to most of us, and in some cases even mettalic is introduced into the paint which reflects the color differently depending on the lighting and improves the general look. Of course, you must have a protectant over the bare sheet metal or your car would rust away in no time and paint also has an important duty to be durable and ideally last for many years.
Expert Insight
Even though your paint and clear coat is doing its job there is still regular maintenance to be considered. Washing the finish using proper car wash formulas, carefully removing road tar with proper chemicals, avoiding scratching the finish and keeping a coat or two of wax on the finish are all important.
Consider that the finish will develop a film over it in time from the outdoor environment. This film which isn't being removed with normal washing, can turn yellowish and dull your finish. To remove this film you may opt to buff it out with a gentle rubbing compound which will remove the film but not any of the finish, although over time or due to improper buffing practices your finish may still wear down.
To protect the finish there are many waxes available that are designed for application over paint or a clear coat finish. It's typical to wax a car at least twice a year and even more often depending on your enviornment. Extreme and direct sunlight, numerous car washes and road salt for instance, will wear through waxes more quickly, whereas on the other side of the spectrum, wax on a car that is stored in a garage most of the time may last indefinitely. Taking good care of your finish will prove to allow it to last for many years.
