The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Acrylic Enamel vs. Urethane

I want to paint my own '37 truck - a driver not a show car. I have a medium quality gun and compressor. The existing paint is tired, but holding well with a few places of rust through. So, I'd like to be able to clean up the rust spots, sand the rest and then paint with a new color. What is the difference between acrylic enamal and urethane as far as the novice is concerned? What surface prep/primer should I use under these two types of paint especially since I won't paint everything at once and parts may sit in primer for a while? I've tried reading past posts, but get confused. Thanks to all.

CAB

urethane is what new cars are painted with, a good quality urethane sprays well and covers well. Done right and it should out live most of us.
I like epoxy primer, the spots that have rust will need to be sanded to bare metal so that will require primer, probably will need a sealer coat to get an even surface to put the color coat on.
My choice would be epoxy as primer on bare metal and for the sealer coat ( basically primer with a little more thinner) it also helps promote adhesion of the color coat.
Paint wise you have the choice of single stage or base and top coat, (color and clear).
I use single stage and the shoot a couple of coats of clear on top of that for extra durability.

The question is will your new paint play well with the old paint... Its best to strip it down to bare metal then epoxy. If your doing a panel at a time the epoxy will protect the metal till your ready for paint. Epoxy might stick to your old sanded paint... Or not. Your gamble.

New cars are painted with waterborne paint. They require completely different guns, a different shop setup, and are hard to get to look good, especially if you've never painted with waterborne.

Use a base clear in urethane. You'll end up with a better finish in the long run, and it will be more durable. Like has been already said, prep is key to proper adhesion.

Also, was the existing paint done over the original paint, and was it completely stripped when it was painted? Sometimes the original lead-based paint can bleed through (especially if you're painting a lighter colour), your new paint, requiring you to have to paint again.

There's nothing wrong with AE for a driver and a novice painter. It's light yrs ahead of what they used originally. It's also easier on the lungs if you don't have a supplied air setup.

The Cheapest way to go is Mayco if you have one in your town .. you can't buy the paint for what they charge you ..

urathane over 2k primer for me.(no clear) as stated, prep is the most important thing for a good paint job.

daren

that is not exactly true you don't need a completely different set up or guns or different shop set up. if you have never painted with waterbourne it is harder to get it to look good but if you have painted it is no harder to get it to look good then any other paint.

Yes I have painted with it

I can get AE delivered to my door for about $120. complete kit ready to mix and paint, MAYCO will charge somebody $500 to a $1000 here

tcpglobal.com check them out

For what you are looking for, and if you don't want to get into stripping to bare metal, go with acrylic enamel. Even though it's old school, it's probably the cheapest and easiest way to go.
id go with Dupont Centari,or PPG's Delstar. They both are easy to spray and hold out well.
And believe it or not, they really arent light years ahead of what was on your truck when new.
These trucks were painted at the factory with Dupont Dulux Synthetic enamel. Acrylic enamel is what replaced this

Another option would be to go singlestage urethane, which is what I would use myself. I like it because it doesnt chalk out and fade as much as compared to Acrylic enamel & it lays down better, & holds out better.

As far as Maaco goes, it is what it is.

Acrylic enamel is easy to use for the novice, like me. Urethane is tough, no doubt, but toxic as @#%&!, if you don't have the proper fresh air suit, etc. I used to sell Dupont, and if you ever read the labels (Nobody ever does, right???,) it will scare the heck out of you. Whatever you do, use proper respirator and clothing, etc. It is not worth the risk.