Paint Sheen vs. Clearcoat Sheen?

[Astyanax]

I have an item I'll be painting black, and the end result is to be a satin sheen.

Since I know for sure I want to put a clearcoat on it for protection, does it make most sense to paint it flat/matte and then clearcoat in satin, or should I go with satin paint followed by satin clearcoat?

I have both, so not sure which will give me a better final coat.

Thanks!
Bill

 

[Astyanax]

Maybe answered my own question, as typing it out helped me think it through!

I think satin on top of satin is better than satin on top of flat, because I would expect the paint to level more easily on top of satin. This might reduce my chances of orange peel, I would think.

Agree? Disagree?

 

[Too Much Garlic]

The more glossy the color the more fickle it can be to apply. You will probably not see much difference between flat black with satin clear and satin black with satin clear, but the flat black might cover better and could end up looking like a "richer" silky satin black with the satin one perhaps getting too glossy.

Though, it's been a while since I've painted, so I could be wrong. You could test it on a test piece that has similar approximation shapes to what you want to paint, to check the results for yourself.

 

[flimzy]

I'd always go with flat colours then apply clear coats but its not a deal breaker either way

 

[Astyanax]

The more glossy the color the more fickle it can be to apply. You will probably not see much difference between flat black with satin clear and satin black with satin clear, but the flat black might cover better and could end up looking like a "richer" silky satin black with the satin one perhaps getting too glossy.

Though, it's been a while since I've painted, so I could be wrong. You could test it on a test piece that has similar approximation shapes to what you want to paint, to check the results for yourself.

Ah, great point! You're right, the glossier stuff is always harder, and clearcoat seems to lay down better than paint. With flat going down first, I only have once time I have to deal with something more fickle, rather than two.

Yes, I should test, thank you! In progress, I'll share results by the end of the day.

 

[Astyanax]

I'd always go with flat colours then apply clear coats but its not a deal breaker either way

Thank you!

 

[Duncanator]

If you were wanting a gloss finish, then the best way is to use gloss paint followed by a gloss clear coat. If you put a gloss clear over a flat paint, you will get an effect that is often called "silvering", which makes it appear slightly gray. This is caused by teeny tiny air bubbles that get trapped next to the rough surface of the flat paint when the clear gloss is applied.

This is most noticeable with black paint, but appears in all colors. Gloss clear over gloss paint will give you that deep, expensive car looking finish.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

That sounds like an application issue. I've never had that happen when I do clear on flat black. You need to mist on the first or first few coats before doing a wet coat. Unsure whether I escaped the issue because my father was a car painter and he probably taught it to me.

 

[JediMichael]

I find, that doing a bunch of tests with all the various ways to try on a spare piece, and then pick which one I'm most happy with.
That way you don't ruin the main piece.

 

[Astyanax]

Indeed, since it seems to kind of come down to different brand characteristics and painting styles, a test on a throwaway piece is exactly what I did.



The left side is flat black undercoat, the right is satin black. Both were given a satin clearcoat, and the difference is striking! So it shows me that like stated above, the satin or gloss clearcoats WILL darken their undercoats some, but not all the way to the level of matching satin for satin. The sheen is the same, of course, but factoring in darkening is absolutely necessary here.

Thanks guys!

 

[JediMichael]

It is crazy, and even overwhelming with how many things can make a difference. Material used, smooth vs rough, flat, gloss, types of clear coat, even brand. You can go nuts trying so many variations.
But what I hate the most, is when you think you got it figured all out, so you attempt it on the real piece, only to still mess it up somehow.
But, I'm sure we've all been there on at least one project or another.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

That really is a striking difference. Two very different satin sheens and looks.

The primer used can also have an effect.

And like JediMichael said... it really sucks when testing and being successful and then doing the real piece and then getting a crap result. Thankfully that only happened a few times for me... but it still sucks.

Good luck with the piece. Just take your time, be patient and don't rush things and even if something screws up, it isn't the end of the world. It's not like it is one-chance only.