Amount of Paint required?

[beav350]

I tried searching, no luck. I have painted my old XJ with rattle cans, years ago, and can't remember how much I used. Currently (sorry) I am preparing to paint my 2 door civic with a single stage, scuff and spray, with a gun. Any suggestions as to how much paint I will need? 1 gallon?

 

[X1994J]

You will be safe to go with a gallon.

 

[DanMan2k06]

Yup. If you buy really high end paint (better coverage) you can get away with 3 quarts, but that's still pushing it. You are much better off with a gallon. Then you don't have to worry about skimping on things like bumpers, trim, grilles, all that good stuff. Get a gallon.

 

[beav350]

Thank you! A gallon is a hard unit to find in Europe, guess I'll take 4 liters (2 jokes in there)

 

[X1994J]

Thank you! A gallon is a hard unit to find in Europe, guess I'll take 4 liters (2 jokes in there)

If you buy anything but a gallon you wont have enough, it HAS to be a gallon to work. :spin1:

 

[poorboy87]

Also depends on the mixing ratio. Remember you will be adding hardner to the base so you will have more.

 

[DanMan2k06]

Unless it's single stage, you don't add hardener. Just reducer. Only clearcoat and primer get's hardener. And no, generally it doesn't depend on the mixing ratio, as they are pretty much universally the same. So when people say a gallon, they mean a gallon of base. Not 2 quarts or base, a quart of reducer, and a quart of hardener. XJ's need a gallon of primer, base, and clear to be in the safe zone.

 

[beav350]

so depending on the paint I choose, ultimately I need 1 gallon of liquid to spray, is that correct?

 

[X1994J]

so depending on the paint I choose, ultimately I need 1 gallon of liquid to spray, is that correct?

YES, you need one sprayable gallon of paint to paint our car. If you were using Chromabase you could buy 2 quarts of color because your mix is 1:1 with basemaker.

With single stage you should buy a gallon of paint and whatever the required activator is. (It varies)

I use quite a bit of Dupont Nason for cheaper projects, which is a base/clear setup, it mixes 16:1. So I have to buy a gallon of color when I use this.

It can vary greatly depending on what you're using, but yes, with single stage you need a sprayable gallon of paint.

 

[DanMan2k06]

Right. First off, don't buy chromabase. For the price it blows nuts. Nason is pretty good cheap stuff. If you want to spend a little more, look into R-M, Sikkens, Prospray, or SPI, although SPI now has very limited colors. HOK also makes some really nice bases, but most are priced by the quart and can be a pretty penny. I've used OMNI base on little things like rock rails and bumpers, but would never do a complete respray with it. For primer, I only use SPI, same with clear. For their price and quality, you just can't justify anything else. Their epoxy primer is absolutely amazing.

 

[Shred Bro Gnar Rad]

Yup. If you buy really high end paint (better coverage) you can get away with 3 quarts, but that's still pushing it. You are much better off with a gallon. Then you don't have to worry about skimping on things like bumpers, trim, grilles, all that good stuff. Get a gallon.

+1111111111

 

[Shred Bro Gnar Rad]

Right. First off, don't buy chromabase. For the price it blows nuts. Nason is pretty good cheap stuff. If you want to spend a little more, look into R-M, Sikkens, Prospray, or SPI, although SPI now has very limited colors. HOK also makes some really nice bases, but most are priced by the quart and can be a pretty penny. I've used OMNI base on little things like rock rails and bumpers, but would never do a complete respray with it. For primer, I only use SPI, same with clear. For their price and quality, you just can't justify anything else. Their epoxy primer is absolutely amazing.

+111111111111

 

[Monkey55]

I painted my XJ several months ago and it took about 3qts. I used a single stage paint and laid about 4 to 5 lite to medium coats on it. I felt that 3qts was plently, BUT I would still get a gallon if I ever painted it again.

Btw- I did not paint the door jams or bumper... So, the left over qt would have been used up had I painted them.

So... 1gl.

E

 

[JamesM412]

I just painted my roof and hood (93 Grand Cherokee) with a quart of Nasson ful-thane 2K urethane. I use a little less than a quart. But I used a HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) gun on this. With HVLP you can use less paint because a larger % of the paint actually stays on the vechile and not in the air as over spray.

 

[beav350]

Well, all your thoughts have been helpful, but here I have limited access to any of the stuff you recommend, I live 13 miles from Russia. My best bet appears to be rattle cans at 4 euros or 5.25 dollars each, called "Reparationslak". The drawing on the can shows a man spraying a front quarter panel. Probably crap, but LAK means laquer. So more resistance to fingernail than a regular spray paint? I'll scuff it well with 320, remove everything bolted down, clean it, degrease it, mask it and sparay it. Then hope for the best. Right idea?

 

[DanMan2k06]

Lol no, laquer sucks. You'll be able to chip it up with your fingernail. But yea, you have the right idea. If I were you, with limited resources, I would do this:

1. Wash and degrease. do this before any scuffing otherwise you will just grind all those contaminents farther into the paint.

2. Scuff. 320 sounds about right for some rattle can. Use a block when you can to prevent uneven pressure and waves. It is also easier on your hands.

3. Wash and degrease again. A 6:1 water/Dawn dish soap works well when you can't get a designated wax & grease remover.

4. Just before you paint, wipe down the surface with a 50/50 mix of 91% isopropyl alcohol and water. Where you're from, I would think vodka might be better

5. Tack clothe the surface (if available)

6. Blast on your spraybomb.

 

[beav350]

DanMan, thanks a lot. Just the facts, man....I'm on it, I'll let you know the outcome

 

[DanMan2k06]

Good deal. Post some pics when you start moving!