Advice on how long to wait to Clearcoat?

CottonFX · Mar 24, 2017

Hi all... Wondering if someone could tell me how long I have to wait to apply future or a spray can Clearcoat to something painted with oil based enamel.

Same question for water based acrylic. I have seen the pros Clearcoat only a few hours after spraying oil based enamel primer but I'm sure it wasn't fully cured at that point.

Is it OK to Clearcoat before its fully cured cause I hear acrylics take like a month to cure and i can't wait that long I need to be able to clear coat maybe 24 hours later if at all possible. Thanks.

bookface · Mar 25, 2017

No experience with enamels, but I wait 24 hours between putting colour on something and then clearcoating it. These are auto paints but I did the same in the past with rattle cans.

13doctorwho · Mar 25, 2017

On acrylics in rattle can (such as Krylon) the instructions say how long to wait. It's usually 24 hours, but sometimes 48 or more. Acrylics actually cure very fast for paint. I clear coat hand painted acrylics (brushed on with bottle paints) in 24 hours. It is best to wait, if you don't the clear coat pulls the under coast up creating a raised texture that will ruin your work. After that all you can do is sand everything off and start over... I know I've made that mistake!

I don't really use enamels so I can't help you there.

Shipbrook · Mar 25, 2017

Yeah, as 13doctorwho said, read the label and follow it scrupulously. Otherwise, you run the risk of getting a result like this:

(I was used to rattle cans advising a 24-hour wait. Turned out the red enamel I used required 48 hours instead.)

CottonFX · Mar 28, 2017

Shipbrook said:
Yeah, as 13doctorwho said, read the label and follow it scrupulously. Otherwise, you run the risk of getting a result like this:

View attachment 716872

(I was used to rattle cans advising a 24-hour wait. Turned out the red enamel I used required 48 hours instead.)

I was referring to water based acrylic airbrush paint for the acrylic and there isn't any label that advises a dry time or cure time. It came with my airbrush.

As for rattlecans, yeah I think 48 hours is probably better although I'm not having good luck at all right now with rattle cans.

cavx · Mar 28, 2017

OK good to know for the future. when I did this for a few things, I didn't wait even close to 24 hours. I didn't get blisters but the part was tacky for days. All seems good now though, so thank you for sharing. I'll know for the next time.

matty matt · Mar 28, 2017

There are a lot of factors involved, but a good general rule to follow is to clear coat within the first hour or wait a week for the paint to cure first. And always follow the directions on the label. I'll try to cheat sometimes and that's when I usually run into problems.

cavx · Mar 28, 2017

matty matt said:
There are a lot of factors involved, but a good general rule to follow is to clear coat within the first hour or wait a week for the paint to cure first. And always follow the directions on the label. I'll try to cheat sometimes and that's when I usually run into problems.

Interesting because that is what I did and it remained tacky for days. I'll test again soon and also the week test.

13doctorwho · Mar 28, 2017

Temperature and humidity make a big difference in curing, that may be why it was tacky for so long.

Shipbrook · Mar 28, 2017

CottonFX said:
I was referring to water based acrylic airbrush paint for the acrylic and there isn't any label that advises a dry time or cure time.

What's your clearcoat made of?

The general rule of thumb (amongst scale modelers, at any rate) is LEA (lacquer -> enamel -> acrylic painting order). Enamel over acrylic may or may not cause a problem; best to test on a piece of scrap plastic.

CottonFX · Mar 28, 2017

Shipbrook said:
What's your clearcoat made of?

The general rule of thumb (amongst scale modelers, at any rate) is LEA (lacquer -> enamel -> acrylic painting order). Enamel over acrylic may or may not cause a problem; best to test on a piece of scrap plastic.

Yes.. I'm aware of that order of paints rule thanks to this forum. I'm just talking about acrylic (pledge future) over acrylic paint.

CottonFX · Mar 28, 2017

matty matt said:
There are a lot of factors involved, but a good general rule to follow is to clear coat within the first hour or wait a week for the paint to cure first. And always follow the directions on the label. I'll try to cheat sometimes and that's when I usually run into problems.

Alot of different opinions on this it seems. If we are talking about spray can enamel, you can recoat the paint within an hour but spraying clear coat on it within an hour would mean it wouldn't be dry yet. I guess the clear would mix with the paint? This is all pretty confusing.

For example, I know that at the Stan Winston School, they use spray can primer and clear coat it with spray can enamel clear within about 3 hours (long enough for it to dry.)

And again, the paint I'm referring to doesn't have a label to follow otherwise I wouldn't have to ask probably. Not so much interested in the spray can enamels as much as acrylic paints at this point.

cavx · Mar 28, 2017

13doctorwho said:
Temperature and humidity make a big difference in curing, that may be why it was tacky for so long.

If this comment is for rme, I was in full sun on a pretty warm day.

Vim Fuego · Mar 29, 2017

I was watching a short doco on the creation of Korean lacquered inlaid boxes. Apparently a certain amount of carefully controlled humidity is a requirement for the lacquer to cure properly.

It also took them 12 months to complete a single box, so I'm not sure if this is going to help or not...

CottonFX · Mar 29, 2017

Vim Fuego said:
I was watching a short doco on the creation of Korean lacquered inlaid boxes. Apparently a certain amount of carefully controlled humidity is a requirement for the lacquer to cure properly.

It also took them 12 months to complete a single box, so I'm not sure if this is going to help or not...

Hahahahaha... That's about the rate I am going with my project too.

xyster101 · Mar 30, 2017

I have had the alligator a few times. I always paint a scrap piece with my main project. Then I can test clear on that. I also try to use same brand and type of paint from colors to clear. Usually a week is long enough if you are not sure.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

dropshipbob · Mar 30, 2017

If you aren't sure, wait a week, it can't hurt, right?

Advice on how long to wait to Clearcoat?

CottonFX

New Member

bookface

Sr Member

13doctorwho

Master Member

Shipbrook

Active Member

CottonFX

New Member

cavx

Master Member

matty matt

Sr Member

cavx

Master Member

13doctorwho

Master Member

Shipbrook

Active Member

CottonFX

New Member

CottonFX

New Member

cavx

Master Member

Vim Fuego

Well-Known Member

CottonFX

New Member

xyster101

New Member

dropshipbob

Master Member

Similar threads