The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Running Board Paint - Original AD "Look"

Can you guys help me make a decision?

From your experience, what type of black paint do you recommend to produce the "original look" on AD running boards? Should I use enamel? 2K Urathane? Chassis Saver? Something else?

My truck is a fair weather sissy that I am trying keep near-stock in appearance. I'll be gentle, but I'm not looking forward to getting in and out in my sock feet to avoid scuffing delicate paint. And my wife and I are too short to bound up into the truck without stepping on the running boards.

This thread from last year discussed options. 'Bolters recommend both both enamel and 2K urathane. Most responses recommend gloss black. But the paint on my truck is 20-yrs old, so high gloss black may not look right. The paint store where I shop tells me that they can't successfully lower the sheen of 2K paint. They suggested satin black Chassis Saver. I trust your opinion more than his.

So what type of paint should I use? How do I avoid extremely high gloss? Any suggestions about prep and application? (HF HVLP paint gun) I am definitely a newbee when it comes to paint.

The boards on my '54 3100 are off and ready to strip and paint. Thanks for your help,

your paint shop should be able to flatten some enamel for you to maybe a satin or semi-gloss. your choise. I bought some semi-gloss enamel for my dash at tcp global. chassis saver will need a top coat as far as i know. or you can use gloss and add a step plate to step on to protect your running board.

We used a flattener on a urethane black (PPG DCC). I also use the original-style step plate. I'll be doing the same thing on the 54 pickup we are restoring.

Basham and Tim -

Thanks for your experiences and suggestions. I told you that I am a paint newbee. Will you please answer a few basic questions?

> Is "Polyurethane Acrylic Enamel" the same as "Acrylic Enamel?"
> Do some/all enamels use a hardener?
> What's the results difference between enamel paint and 2K urethane paint?
> After a couple of weeks curing, is one "tougher" than the other?
> Are they both about equally easy/difficult to shoot?
> Is one easier to flatten to a semi gloss than the other? How?
> How do each of the paints stand up to gasoline dribbles from a fill-up?

I plan on using epoxy primer. Any problems with epoxy under either paint? Any better primer suggestion? I usually spray rattle can sandable primer over the main to guide my wet sanding.

The boards currently have a flat black coating that is thicker than a normal paint job. It does not stand up to gasoline very well. Strips off pretty easily with paint stripper. But the red oxide colored primer underneath it is tough as nails. I may have to sand blast it off. What do you think the red primer is?

Denny Graham's PPG enamel painted boards looked good after seven years. All of Tim's vehicles look good and well detailed with PPG DCC urethane painted boards.

I'll eliminate Chassis Saver from consideration.

My running boards have stayed in great condition for almost 60 years, so I'm trying to avoid using a running board pad which requires drilling. I may go that route if I have to repaint soon.

Thanks for guiding me. I'm sure that I will have more questions to come.

Lonnie,

I am a novice amateur. Read other people's responses with greater confidence in their knowledge. I know what I did on my Suburban, and, I would change nothing.

> Is "Polyurethane Acrylic Enamel" the same as "Acrylic Enamel?"
2-part 2K urethane is different is different from Acrylic Enamel.
I do not know what Polyurethane Acrylic Enamel is - what would be a brand name?

> Do some/all enamels use a hardener?
2K urethanes do not need a hardener.
I have used a hardener with PPG Delstar Acrylic Enamel with excellent results.

> What's the results difference between enamel paint and 2K urethane paint?
The urethane is considered to be higher quality: longer wearing and able to highly buffed.

> After a couple of weeks curing, is one "tougher" than the other?
The urethane is considered to be "tougher".
Color sand (buff/polish) the urethane with 24/48 hrs - it gets real hard.

> Are they both about equally easy/difficult to shoot?
In my opinion, yes.
The urethane is usually more expensive than the acrylic enamel.

> Is one easier to flatten to a semi gloss than the other? How?
In my opinion, equal.

> How do each of the paints stand up to gasoline dribbles from a fill-up?
I have not had problems with the hardened PPG Delstar and PPG DCC.

Stay with the same paint system.

Yes, epoxy primer.

I think my friend Dave (he does my body work and painting) uses epoxy primer on bare/clean/shiney metal; then body work; then epoxy primer; then block sanding; then sealer surfacer; then finish coat; then color-sanding, buffing, polishing.

pretty good discussion on different 'enamels' by some knowledgeable folks [including MARTINSR]

Bill

Thanks for posting that one Bill, it brings back memories of the days I spent researching paints and brands. It was posts like that between MartinS, BarryK, and Shine that clued me into who's advice I was going to follow. It gets clear who knows what if you read enough of the old posts.
What amazes me is I can call up Barry today and he'll personally help figure out a problem I may be having with someone else's paint system... THAT'S customer service!

Hey guys,

Thanks for the education. Feels like I'm going to Paint College! It's good to see info that's not based on hearsay and old wive's tales. This is why Stovebolt is a great forum. I've still got a lot to learn.

Hi Tim -

Answers to your questions ...

POLYURETHANE ACRYLIC ENAMEL
The spec sheet for Delstar that you mentioned describes it as "Delstar/Delthane Polyurethane Acrylic Enamel"
http://www.tcpglobal.com/docs/ppgdarp.pdf

HARDENER
I was wrong about hardeners with 2K urethane paint. I thought that hardeners and catylists were the same. I use reducer and a catylist with the "nason Ful-Thane 2K Urethane" paints that I have used for small jobs. The hardener that I have is for epoxy primer.

FLATTENING AGENTS
Why did the mgr of the paint supply store say that he cannot successfully flatten paint? What's the secrete?

SAME SYSTEM
What should I spray over the gray epoxy primer to show me the high and low spots when wet sanding before shooting the black top coat?

Thanks again to everyone for my education. "I didn't know how much I didn't know!"

Lonnie,

I'll get back to you on the Delstar. I might be wrong on that.

I cannot answer your flattener question. As I recall, we had to guess about the mount of flattener to use on running boards and on interior paints. I'll ask Dave, my friend who painted my Suburban.

Hardener for epoxy primer is different than for the paint. I don't think they are compatable.
Clear coat hardeners and paint hardeners are the same (clear coat is better than paint) more or less so you can substitute them.

as for the flattener just take a sample of your paint and reduce it 4:1 and 8:1 and see how it sprays out. go from there till your happy.

I'm gonna guess you haven't sanded any of the epoxy yet cause once you do you'll find no need for guide coats. I was just working on a bumper I painted a month ago with epoxy. It sands so nice I wind up using old paper way longer than I should.
I was thinking how cool it is to spray it on after stripping and days weeks or years later, sand it with 180 and paint a new coat or three and start building up for paint with it and I believe keep your materials cost way down to boot.

I just started trying a new step with the process. I use grey epoxy on my first coat and then knock it down after it cures and then a day or three later hit it with two coats of white epoxy as my build coats then I can see when I've gone through the white but not through the grey to the bare metal. Keeps things fully protected that way when wet sanding.

why am I writing so much??? because my shoulder hurts from so much sanding the last few days