Enamel and lacquer are two types of finishes that are commonly used on furniture. If you don’t have access to a garage, then a car with lacquer paint can get chipped away from the sun’s exposure. thank you so much for your expertise and your time. Lacquer is a fairly strong substance, that's why it can actually attack and wrinkle bare plastic when airbrushed over. Acrylic lacquer paints can be costlier than acrylic enamels. Lacquer paint is the least recommended paint to use on cars by most experts. Now in his 30's Tony pours his everyday passion into LABAP VIP to help teach this amazing skill to anybody who want's to learn auto body and paint. If it is exposed to chemicals or UV then it wears very easily. Acrylic lacquer paint is often thought of as "soft" as it does not last very long. I hope you liked this blog. This is important because a paint with a hardener in it is the best paint to cover. Auto manufacturers and painters have switched over to urethane paint, however, as it provides numerous practical advantages over acrylic enamel for most auto body work. There are many ways to customize your car and make it your own, from additions to changing the color. Acrylic is also considered to be a long lasting and inexpensive paint, even though it was popular in the 1950s to 1980s for expensive cars. Also, there’s a latex enamel. This requires you to match up the paint color or repaint it entirely. It can only be purchased in pricey auto body supply shops. Acrylic enamel auto paint is more affordable than acrylic lacquer and … do you have to paint a sealer over a enamel paint if you want to re paint with a bc/cc? Cons: This paint demands a massive amount of upkeep. If your vehicle has been repainted since it left the factory, you will need to obtain the paint code numbers from the paint can used during the repaint. However, applying acrylic lacquer auto paint over acrylic enamel paint will almost always result in wrinkling or other severe surface blemishes. Amateur refinishers should not use lacquer! Before high-tech polyurethane paint products were introduced, cars were painted using either acrylic enamel paint or acrylic lacquer auto paint. However, clear enamel is more durable than lacquer. With most car paints you will need to remove the top coat of paint to the metal, and then paint it … This means you’ll have to wear the proper protective equipment, including goggles, an air respirator mask, a painter’ suit, and pants. Of course, the black car paint that Ford put on his Model T actually was not “automotive” paint at all, but just the existing paint technology available at the beginning of the 20th century: a paint based on natural linseed oil resin as the binder. Why don’t you join me in my live streams so let’s talk more about your most burning questions on auto body! I go with lacquers and enamels. The fast drying time enabled the painter to fix surface blemishes almost immediately. Another main reason why lacquer isn’t used as much today is because the paint isn’t durable. The color of your car is one of the main features that draws someone to a vehicle. I do not want to have to take the vehicle back to bare metal if I do not have to, Hey Steve, it’s quite difficult to give my advice here especially since I haven’t seen the car! I've been using enamels since I was a kid and so did my dad and his brother when they were building models in their youth. Lacquer paint may need several coats to get the right finish, but once it is complete it looks smooth and seamless on furniture and cabinets in the kitchen. As acrylic lacquer dries, it catches less dirt and dust than other paints. However, it’s very difficult to reply here as I’m not much of a typist. Enjoy & stay styrene addicted. Any trim removed for painting cannot be put back until the car is polished either. The role of a thinner (includes the lacquer thinner) in a paint formulation and application is listed below. 7 Easy Ways to Prevent Your Car from Rusting. “Acrylic Enamel Paint, Acrylic Lacquer Auto Paint or Urethane Paints…”, “Learn How to Determine the Type of Paint on Your Vehicle Using the Vehicle Identification Number and an Awesome Simple Method You Can Easily Accomplish at Home”. "And nobody can get the factory formulations anyway." Lacquer paint is also commonly spray painted on, as opposed to painted on directly, so you would need to invest in a paint sprayer. $6.76 $ 6. Product compatibility is just as important today. Lacquer paint is typically used for several different types of hard and shiny finishes on wood and furniture, but the paint was extremely popular for cars from the 1920s to the 1960s. Lacquer is widely considered as the cheapest and easiest to apply as well. In the case of newer vehicles, all factory paint jobs are going to be urethane based, as enamels and lacquers are quickly being done away with. Before applying fresh paint on the vehicle, it is vitally important to find out exactly what type of paint is currently on the surface. I have mistakenly tried lacquer over enamel once, it ruined the enamel by wrinkling it up, looked sort of like a cracked dry lake surface. Subscribe to stay in touch and come back often. If this is not possible, contact the person who performed the repaint to attain the required information from them. This is an especially desirable look today. Cars with metallic paint can also hide minor surface blemishes because of how reflective the metallic paint is. Take a clean white cloth, wet it with lacquer thinner and rub a spot of paint to test the reaction. Cons: While quick drying is a benefit, the use of chemical hardeners makes urethane paint toxic and harmful to your lungs. Lacquer paint is also commonly spray painted on, as opposed to painted on directly, so you would need to invest in a paint sprayer. The paint is also easy to apply and provides a glossy finish. And now he wants to help and teach you so you can customize, fix or restore any type of project you desire with professional auto body instruction and materials. In contrast, lacquer paint dries when the solvent has evaporated and can soften over time. This is due to the solvent base in acrylic lacquer auto paint (lacquer thinner) being too potent for the soft materials used in acrylic enamel paint products. Urethane can also give your car a similar finish as lacquer paint and make your car look great. With colder months that are often harsh on your car, sometimes a paint job may be necessary to combat the rough weather and avoid rust. This is why many people refer to clear enamel as a varnish. A car with urethane paint doesn’t need to be stored in a garage to remain protected from the sun, rocks, salt, and other outdoor elements. If you do not want to bother with all of the hard work involved with painting your car, then enamel car paint with acrylic lacquer in it will suit your needs. • Lacquer paints soften over a period of time, … Paint types. While easy to put on, it requires a lot of maintenance. You don’t have to worry about picking between enamel vs. lacquer because each have their own advantages and disadvantages. Either way, you need to be aware of the pros and cons of the different types of automotive paints on the market to properly care for your car. It’s recommended for hand painting (slower drying allows for additional time for the paint to self level and hide brush strokes). Matte jobs can typically be found on luxury brand cars like BMW and Mercedes Benz. Lacquer sticks well to itself, which means if you need more than one coat, you don't need to keep sanding the body of the car between each coat like you do with other paint. The individual products were not designed as parts of a single compatible paint system and as a result, the color, adhesion and surface flow of that combination may well be adversely affected. Hey Mike! Auto body and paint expert, Author and Instructor. 1. thinner reduces the ratio of solids to liquids in the paint. Have the greatest of holidays ! Car Body Scratch Repair: What's it Cost. Reduces the viscosity of the paint. Waiting for your car to dry is a tedious prospect, though, especially if you don’t have a garage to avoid damage from the elements. Unlike other paints, lacquer reactivates each coat underneath it to allow for a smooth, level finish, even if you apply multiple coats. Pros:  Acrylic is water based, so unlike urethane paint, it’s less toxic. Reading a post about paint can be a lot like, well, watching paint dry. Metallic paint jobs can also be sold at a high resale value because it’s considered to be a high-end paint. Enamel paints are more toxic than acrylic paints, but aren’t as bad as lacquer paints. Enamel car paint will be able to adhere better to this type of surface. It’s a paint that’s good for the kitchen and bathroom or someplace where one would want to wipe down the walls or protect the walls from stains. The biggest difference between the two types of paint is the solvent. 3. Enamel paints also often recommended for panel washes. Matte paint can also be difficult to clean and limits what you can use, as some methods may interact with the paint. Read the following link in Quora : How do I make paint? Acrylic paint is another popular option you can use to give your car a new finish. Pros: If you’re looking for a good shine on your car, lacquer remains one of the best paints to achieve it. While enamel paints make use of spirits, there is lacquer to serve the purpose of the thinner, in lacquer paints. Urethane is often considered a good alternative to lacquer, but make sure that you are 100% sold on urethane since lacquer can’t be painted over urethane paint. Oil resins cure through oxidative crosslinking, which means the paint takes a long time to dry. Check out the LABAP VIP course that will help turn you into an auto body and paint pro, from home! To discover this for yourself, there should be a specific paint code listed on the vehicles ID tag. Going Old, Old School – Lacquer. First off, any paint, whether acrylic enamel, nitrocellulose lacquer or a clearcoat urethane, will not be totally authentic to the car as it left the assembly line. If you’re new to car painting, urethane is more difficult to apply as well. Cons: One of the major downsides to acrylic paint is it can take up to 2 days to dry before you can apply another coat. Pros: Matte paint doesn’t offer a glossy finish, and instead gives your car a completely flat surface. Thank you for advance, Mike. Now, however, both lacquer and enamel paint can be used interchangeably. Paint thinner also keeps the paint flowing through your paint gun easier for any paint job. Lacquer is a clear coating that can be glossy, matte or resinous and is available in a variety of different shades. Krylon K07030 Lacquer Spray Paint Gloss Black, 12 Ounce Aerosol. Matte finishes are also expensive like metallics. Every product in an entire paint system must be compatible with the surface material to which it will be applied, as well as with every other product in the system. The biggest difference between lacquer and enamel paint is that lacquer is a coating and enamel paint is a paint meant for coloring. I have a 64.5 mustang which is in good shape body wise but the paint is a bit of a disaster in that when the car was converted to RHD some of the panels were obviously painted with Base Coat and Clear but other parts of the vehicle appear as if they may be the original paint from the factory which may mean that it is enamel. Bye! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. For a long time, it was the only way to paint a car. Lacquer paint is known to dry much faster than other paints. Water-based acrylic polyurethane enamel paint is currently the most widely used paint for reasons including reducing paint's environmental impact.. Modern automobile paint is applied in several layers, with a total thickness of around 100 µm(0.1mm). It is a plastic that dries faster than oils and … Read more » 0. 76. Acrylic enamel is the more traditional option that was used on older cars. YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT helps keep us creating new and better content for THE CRANKY SHOW. "Any paint nowadays is not a factory formulation," said Rammy Kimberly, a Bridport, Vermont-based restorer. Due to the fact that Enamel paint dries harder, so it’s more resistant to scratches which can be vital when posing a kit. © ScratchWizard, an Applied Colors LLC Company. Cons: While there are some upsides to lacquer, there are also negatives, which is why the paint isn’t common anymore. Paint stores and home improvement centers do not carry lacquer paint. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Another type of automotive paint is metallic. There are also fewer colors to choose from, and the paint is more expensive than regular paint. Cost – Lacquer paint is much more expensive than enamel paint, especially now that it is not used as much. Saturday, January 19, 2013. This is very important to the success of any paint project. Due to its higher quality, urethane car paint is more expensive than enamel paint. Hey Todd, thanks for sending in your LABAP Question! If nothing wipes off onto the cloth, the paint is probably urethane based. How to determine if your car is coated with clear coat: To find out if the finish on your vehicle includes coats of clear paint over its base color, simply sand a hidden spot using 600-grit or finer sandpaper. There are different types of acrylic paint, which includes enamel, lacquer, and urethane. But as that’s actually a big part of the scale model experience, we’re hoping you’ll bear with us. 3) Additives 4) Solvents and Thinners. Urethane can also be sprayed over other paints if you need to a new paint job. you are a good person, Thanks for the awesome feedback! Clear enamel is like lacquer, in that you can apply it on wood or metal. Tony grew up painting cars and bikes. A matte finish is another way to make a statement with your car, and the trend continues to increase in popularity today. A paint reducer or thinner helps you get your paint to the right viscosity for your touch-up paint job. When I was talking to my local paint shop they said I should not have any problems painting base coat and clear straight over the original paint. While most paint shouldn’t be applied in colder weather, lacquer can be applied in temperatures of 65 degrees. Talk soon! Model Car Builder Blog Hobby site for Model Car Builders. These paints all have some disadvantages. When mixed with Enamel paints it could result in an uneven or dull finish. There are 3 basic types of car paint; Lacquer, Enamel and Urethane. Get it as soon as Thu, Dec 24. You also will need to do plenty of finish work as most need a clear topcoat. 48. For example, the paint job on a car vs. the paint on a toy that’s made of metal. In general, paints are classified as enamels and lacquers. However, that term is more correct for wood versus metal applications. This all helps to easily identify materials when you are planning to match the existing paint. $4.48 $ 4. If the color comes off immediately or the spot starts wrinkling, it shows that the type of paint is enamel. If you don’t have access to a garage, then a car with lacquer paint can get chipped away from the sun’s exposure. A white sanding residue shows that there exists a clear coat finish. Pro: Acrylic Lacquer. If the Enamel is an original baked finish there should be no problem. Scratches tend to stand out more because it’s not glossy, so a Mercedes Benz touch-up paint kit will only do so much to fix damage to the finish. Acrylic paint is widely used by artists for pictures. Cons: If you find yourself in a situation where you need to repair a severe door ding or scratch, metallic paint can be difficult to patch-up because it’s difficult to match. While the paint may dry faster, lacquer paint requires six to eight coats, so it will take more time to complete the project. Lacquer sprayed over Enamel This is due to the solvent base in acrylic lacquer auto paint (lacquer thinner) being too potent for the soft materials used in acrylic enamel paint products. Because of this, lacquer is only recommended for antiques or other cars that see very little drive time. If you need paint thinner for your paint job, O'Reilly Auto Parts carries a variety of paint thinners and all the chemicals you need for your next paint project. Grab your free manual and get started learning more about auto body work and paint: https://learnautobodyandpaint.com/free-autobody-manual. Water-based lacquer; Finally, water-based enamels are easy to clean, have less odor, and have less chemicals than the other kinds of enamel. 2. It will be interested to know your though. Did you enjoy the blog? Automotive paint is paint used on automobiles for both protection and decoration purposes. If you are at all unsure about the type of paint on your car after this test, or if you have any other related questions or problems, our advice would be to consult a professional auto paint supply store member of staff. Acrylic lacquer auto paint however, required multiple coats, but allowed imperfections to be easily rubbed out and quickly repainted. Urethane paint also dries quickly with the use of chemical hardeners. On one of the other lists I'm on had a discussion of Enamels vs Clear Coat Base Coat paints. But if the color wipes off onto the white cloth only after vigorous rubbing, it is a sign of lacquer paint. Another main reason why lacquer isn’t used as much today is because the paint isn’t durable. Enamel paints use a process that allows polymers in the paint to set and bond together so when the paint hardens, it will not soften again. However, it fades and chips more easily than enamel or urethane paints. Getting your car painted with Urethane may require you to get it done by a professional, which will cost more than doing it yourself. I though I'd add this to the information I've provided on painting. This paint is typically used on muscle or sports cars to give it an extremely glossy look. However, I discuss that in my VIP training in detail! For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. If you cannot determine the specific paint codes or information relating to the type of paint used on your car, you yourself will have to test a hidden spot on the vehicle using lacquer thinner, you could even possibly test an area already allocated for a repaint. In the past, lacquer paints were the choice for shiny, hard shell paint jobs. Subscribe for Free Auto Body Lessons by Email, How To Correctly Do Auto Sanding On Bodywork Repairs, https://www.learnautobodyandpaint.com/vip-offer/, https://www.youtube.com/user/HowToPaintYourCar​, https://learnautobodyandpaint.com/free-autobody-manual, Car Flipping program. Enamel uses thinner or white spirits and lacquer paint uses lacquer thinner. Besides the body, urethane paint is also applied on engine parts that tend to get hot. The original pain seems sound but is obviously very dull. You can't mix it into paint as you can with lacquer. Get it as soon as Thu, Dec 24. Although both acrylic enamel paint and acrylic lacquer auto paint products offer specific benefits, they cannot be used together on car bodies due to their incompatibility with one another. Urethane paint dries quickly and doesn’t tend to run like enamel paints can. Pros: Unlike lacquer paint, urethane is long lasting and won’t chip. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. How To Flip Cars For Profit. Pros: Metallic paint will make your car stand out on the road with its shiny finish. Clear coats come in spray and paint-on … This isn’t confined to … Subscribe to the channel to get notified when we go live: https://www.youtube.com/user/HowToPaintYourCar​. A Paint is a mixture of 4 basic ingredient groups namely 1) A Binder 2) Pigments and Extenders. Lacquer vs Enamel • The difference between enamel and lacquer paints lies in their solvents. FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon . If you are not yet VIP, head on over to this link here to get comprehensive access to information on auto body work and paint: https://www.learnautobodyandpaint.com/vip-offer/, You may also sign up for our FREE forum at The Pub to post your questions and interact with other like minded individuals here: https://pub.learnautobodyandpaint.com/, Finally, join me in my live streams through my YouTube channel and directly connect with me with your most burning question on auto body work and paint. How to determine the type of paint currently on your vehicle: Before you purchase paint for your car, you need to find out what type of paint material currently exists on the surface of your vehicle, whether it be enamel, lacquer or urethane paints. … Tony, You are the best, thanks for sharing. Urethane paint is one of the most popular types of automotive paint used by manufacturers and professionals. Very impressive, thank you Tony, but didn’t say nothing about acrylic urethane compatibility for example with acrylic laquaer clear coat. Tell us about your car and we’ll help you get set up with the products you need! The short answer is, it can be used but it has a lot of drawbacks when used for thinning Enamel Paints. When I started doing Gunpla last summer, I had to paint with what I had which was enamel paint. The drying process is much slower than urethane paints and leaving a coat to sit for 24 to 48 hours before applying another coat is recommended. It's cheaper than than the others, is easier to apply and has a very glossy finish. Each offered its own unique characteristics. For your vehicle, it may be worth asking your local auto paint supply store member of staff for information on what kind of paint was applied at the factory. Urethane and acrylic enamel paints are most commonly used for auto body finishes. In addition, you will also be able to determine the exact type of paint and color from the vehicle identification number (VIN) on older vehicles or from a separate paint and options tag on newer vehicles. Arrives before Christmas. This isn’t confined to simply enamel, lacquer or urethane paints either. I intend to repaint the car with your advise and training with Base Coat and lacquer. Enamel paints are much more difficult to apply and should not be the first choice for those painting their own car. Lacquer paint also needs to sit for a few weeks and then be polished. What is Lacquer Paint? Hey, don’t forget to grab your FREE manual if you still haven’t: https://learnautobodyandpaint.com/free-autobody-manual, great job of explaining paint differences and how to determine paint types. Up until the mid-1960s, enamel paints (followed by polyurethane) weren’t being heavily used in the automotive industry. With surfaces properly prepared and under proper conditions, it wouldn’t be a problem to spray acrylic enamel paint over acrylic lacquer auto paint. Besides painting your car just because you want to, there are other instances where you might want to change things up, such as recent damage like a scratch or dent. The Importance of Wax and Grease Remover on Auto Undercoat and Top Coat, How To Reduce Pollution When Spray Painting A Vehicle, Learn Auto Body and Paint Q&A – Auto Bodywork Tips and Answers, How To Inspect A Car For Body Damage | Telltale Signs a Car Was Painted or Was in a Collision, How and Why You Need To Use Wax and Grease Remover Before a Paint Job. While Birchwood Credit Solutions says red and blue are the most popular bright colors in the world, you can choose any paint color and type you want. 4 years ago. Another distinction is that clear enamel is a topcoat. 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,767. good things happen to good people. Lacquer is also easier to fix when you make a mistake, since you can just spray more paint over that spot and not worry too much about it. We really appreciate it. Many DIY touch up paints are made from Acrylic Lacquer. It’s vitally important to discover what type of paint is currently on the surface of your vehicle to avoid ruining your paint job. Hey don’t forget to grab your free manual if you still haven’t: https://learnautobodyandpaint.com/free-autobody-manual, Hi Tony. Scale Model Basics: Acrylic vs Enamel Paint. A color residue shows that only a color material was used to paint the body with. Acrylic lacquer also doesn’t last long and can fade easily if it’s left out in the sun, so make sure you have access to a garage if you plan on using acrylic paint. Acrylic enamel paints being quick and easy to work with, generally covered in one or two coats and didn’t require any clear coat or rubbing out. About the only exception to this rule is when a totally new paint system has to be taken into consideration after bringing the vehicle body down to its base metal. Matte paint will keep your car looking smooth on the road and will look good in any weather condition. He's helped tens of thousands of people just like you from all parts of the world. However, what paint belongs in what category, and even the definitions themselves are actually fairly blurred due to the massive variety in compounds and applications these days. Both enamel paint and lacquers can achieve a glossy finish, but lacquer results in a thicker coat. Product compatibility is just as important today. Acrylic paint has several similarities to urethane paint. Because acrylic paint is lighter than urethane, careful consideration should also be used when selecting a primer. Don Yost Paint Part II--Enamel vs. Acrylic.... From last time...I am experimenting with airbrushing enamel paints, something I have done very little of since returning to this hobby. Lacquer, plain and simple, is the type of paint that was used decades ago. Remember, applying mismatched coatings to an existing finish can potentially ruin your whole paint job. For example, using a PPG reducer with a BASF hardener in a DuPont paint product is asking for real trouble. What do you think of their advice. 4.4 out of 5 stars 401. Lacquer Thinner can slightly melt plastics, for example. Rust-Oleum 1905830 1905-830 Spray Paint, 11 oz, Black. By 15 he had painted his first car, and by 19 he ran his own successful auto body and paint shop. All rights reserved. While enamels dry and also cure the surface over which they are applied, lacquer paints just dry to leave a solid film over the surface without curing it.