Paint dash trim with color match auto paint?
#1
New Member
Thread Starter
Paint dash trim with color match auto paint?
Hello all,
I painted my dash a few months ago in some awful plastic paint from Walmart that despite sanding, priming, painting, and clear coating properly over the course of 3 days to let each coat dry, completely ruined itself. It bubbles, peeled, cracked, scratched and looks absolutely terrible. So i’ve Seen a few people use color matched auto paint to paint their dash trim and the results look quite amazing, but I’m curious if anyone knows how well it holds up over time. The last thing I want to do is work on the trim for another 3 or 4 days and it comes out amazing at first but looks like a junkyard car after a week. On amazon I found matched paint called Spectral Paints by Spectrum Paints that comes with with 1 can of primer, base coat, and clear coat for $50; worth it or nah?
I painted my dash a few months ago in some awful plastic paint from Walmart that despite sanding, priming, painting, and clear coating properly over the course of 3 days to let each coat dry, completely ruined itself. It bubbles, peeled, cracked, scratched and looks absolutely terrible. So i’ve Seen a few people use color matched auto paint to paint their dash trim and the results look quite amazing, but I’m curious if anyone knows how well it holds up over time. The last thing I want to do is work on the trim for another 3 or 4 days and it comes out amazing at first but looks like a junkyard car after a week. On amazon I found matched paint called Spectral Paints by Spectrum Paints that comes with with 1 can of primer, base coat, and clear coat for $50; worth it or nah?
#3
New Member
Thread Starter
Again, “despite sanding, priming, painting, and clear coating properly over the course of 3 days to let each coat dry, it completely ruined itself.”
Plastic paint does not work on interior parts due to the high heat inside of the car and it constantly being touched and handled. My question is simply whether the auto grade exterior color matched paint will hold up or not if the whole process of sanding, priming, painting, and clear coating is restarted; as others on the forums have achieved what seems to be great success when using the auto paint instead. I’m just curious to find out if it holds up from anyone who has accomplished this.
Plastic paint does not work on interior parts due to the high heat inside of the car and it constantly being touched and handled. My question is simply whether the auto grade exterior color matched paint will hold up or not if the whole process of sanding, priming, painting, and clear coating is restarted; as others on the forums have achieved what seems to be great success when using the auto paint instead. I’m just curious to find out if it holds up from anyone who has accomplished this.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-31-16
Location: Frozen Wasteland of the North
Posts: 5,216
Received 532 Likes
on
456 Posts
Don't use Krylon (the Walmart ****). Use Rustoleum. I painted my trim several months ago (it's somewhere in the What have you done with your Cobalt" thread) and it still looks like I just painted it.
If you want good results, get good product
If you want good results, get good product
#5
New Member
Thread Starter
I despise Krylon, I agree it is indeed junk paint. I used Rustoleum gold color paint and Rustoleum primer before that and let it dry in a de-humidified room and it still gave me nothing but issues. It was fine for the first week and then it started to get scuffed, the door handles started cracking and it went all down hill from there.
#7
New Member
Thread Starter
#8
New Member
Thread Starter
I just want to say, the whole reason I started this thread is to see if anyone has had long term success with auto paint on there interior trim. I did not start this thread to try and figure out why my paint messed up. I’m trying to buy the best product, using the best knowledge I know on how to paint it properly. I’m not cutting corners, I’m not doing this the easy way, I’m doing it the right way and I know for a fact I did it the right way the first time and it turned out like crap because of the paint I used. Hence the reason I’m considering spending the $50 for auto grade paint to redo the dash.
Please don’t take this post in an offensive way because that’s not how I mean it at all, and I really do appreciate the posts; however, I really just want to find out if the $50 investment will be worth my while this time if applied properly.
Please don’t take this post in an offensive way because that’s not how I mean it at all, and I really do appreciate the posts; however, I really just want to find out if the $50 investment will be worth my while this time if applied properly.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-31-16
Location: Frozen Wasteland of the North
Posts: 5,216
Received 532 Likes
on
456 Posts
If you believe your prep is good (sanding and primer), then all there's left that would cause paint issues is your painting technique (barring any faulty paint cans/etc).
When I painted my trim, I did 2 light coats, waited 10 minutes per coat, and my 3rd coat was a medium coat. If I missed a spot, I would do a final light coat after that dried for 10 minutes.
I also did 3 light coats of UV/yellow resistant clear coat.
When I painted my trim, I did 2 light coats, waited 10 minutes per coat, and my 3rd coat was a medium coat. If I missed a spot, I would do a final light coat after that dried for 10 minutes.
I also did 3 light coats of UV/yellow resistant clear coat.
#10
New Member
Thread Starter
If you believe your prep is good (sanding and primer), then all there's left that would cause paint issues is your painting technique (barring any faulty paint cans/etc).
When I painted my trim, I did 2 light coats, waited 10 minutes per coat, and my 3rd coat was a medium coat. If I missed a spot, I would do a final light coat after that dried for 10 minutes.
I also did 3 light coats of UV/yellow resistant clear coat.
When I painted my trim, I did 2 light coats, waited 10 minutes per coat, and my 3rd coat was a medium coat. If I missed a spot, I would do a final light coat after that dried for 10 minutes.
I also did 3 light coats of UV/yellow resistant clear coat.
All of this was done in an enclosed room with a large dehumidifier, and a warm temperature of around 80 degrees.
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-31-16
Location: Frozen Wasteland of the North
Posts: 5,216
Received 532 Likes
on
456 Posts
That's why. You're letting the paint dry too long. 10-15 minutes tops per coat to dry.
So:
1st light coat of primer
- wait 10 minutes to dry
2nd light coat of primer
- wait 10 minutes to dry
3rd medium coat of primer
- wait 1 hour to dry
+ Optional: Sand primer for smooth finish
1st coat of paint
- wait 10 minutes
3nd coat of paint
- wait 10 minutes
3rd medium coat of paint
- wait 15 minutes
Do above with clear coat.
This was the best result I got.
Edit #2: You need to let the paint bound to the surface and to itself for a smooth finish. If you let the paint sit too long, instead of bonding your layers, you're creating separate tiers of paint. So if one layer fails, they all fail, hence your cracking/bubbling
So:
1st light coat of primer
- wait 10 minutes to dry
2nd light coat of primer
- wait 10 minutes to dry
3rd medium coat of primer
- wait 1 hour to dry
+ Optional: Sand primer for smooth finish
1st coat of paint
- wait 10 minutes
3nd coat of paint
- wait 10 minutes
3rd medium coat of paint
- wait 15 minutes
Do above with clear coat.
This was the best result I got.
Edit #2: You need to let the paint bound to the surface and to itself for a smooth finish. If you let the paint sit too long, instead of bonding your layers, you're creating separate tiers of paint. So if one layer fails, they all fail, hence your cracking/bubbling
Last edited by ProfDNS; 10-06-2018 at 02:57 PM.
The following users liked this post:
Roadhog117 (10-08-2018)
#12
New Member
Thread Starter
That's why. You're letting the paint dry too long. 10-15 minutes tops per coat to dry.
So:
1st light coat of primer
- wait 10 minutes to dry
2nd light coat of primer
- wait 10 minutes to dry
3rd medium coat of primer
- wait 1 hour to dry
+ Optional: Sand primer for smooth finish
1st coat of paint
- wait 10 minutes
3nd coat of paint
- wait 10 minutes
3rd medium coat of paint
- wait 15 minutes
Do above with clear coat.
This was the best result I got.
So:
1st light coat of primer
- wait 10 minutes to dry
2nd light coat of primer
- wait 10 minutes to dry
3rd medium coat of primer
- wait 1 hour to dry
+ Optional: Sand primer for smooth finish
1st coat of paint
- wait 10 minutes
3nd coat of paint
- wait 10 minutes
3rd medium coat of paint
- wait 15 minutes
Do above with clear coat.
This was the best result I got.
Ahh ok, I guess that makes sense because if it dries before the second coat, it probably causes the chemicals in the paint to not mix properly with each other. Thanks for the help, I’ll probably pull the trigger on the color matched paint soon so it will match my exterior at any rate. Thanks again 👍🏻
#14
Senior Member
iTrader: (6)
You waited to long between coats. 10-15mins between primer coats and the color coats. Your paint hardens and starts to off gas and can cause adhesive issues.
Try priming one day and the next sand smooth, dry and then color coat with 10-15mins between coats, first really thin to promote better attachment and then thicker for 2n and 3rd.
I used this method with the duplicolor auto rattle can paints with success, handled the high heat and wear just fine. If you really want protection get a 2k clear, it will be harder and will stand up to most solvents. Find a paint shop near you and see if they can mix 2k custom cans and then you dont have to worry about clear.
Try priming one day and the next sand smooth, dry and then color coat with 10-15mins between coats, first really thin to promote better attachment and then thicker for 2n and 3rd.
I used this method with the duplicolor auto rattle can paints with success, handled the high heat and wear just fine. If you really want protection get a 2k clear, it will be harder and will stand up to most solvents. Find a paint shop near you and see if they can mix 2k custom cans and then you dont have to worry about clear.
The following users liked this post:
Roadhog117 (10-08-2018)
#15
Senior Member
iTrader: (6)
That's why. You're letting the paint dry too long. 10-15 minutes tops per coat to dry.
So:
1st light coat of primer
- wait 10 minutes to dry
2nd light coat of primer
- wait 10 minutes to dry
3rd medium coat of primer
- wait 1 hour to dry
+ Optional: Sand primer for smooth finish
1st coat of paint
- wait 10 minutes
3nd coat of paint
- wait 10 minutes
3rd medium coat of paint
- wait 15 minutes
Do above with clear coat.
This was the best result I got.
Edit #2: You need to let the paint bound to the surface and to itself for a smooth finish. If you let the paint sit too long, instead of bonding your layers, you're creating separate tiers of paint. So if one layer fails, they all fail, hence your cracking/bubbling
So:
1st light coat of primer
- wait 10 minutes to dry
2nd light coat of primer
- wait 10 minutes to dry
3rd medium coat of primer
- wait 1 hour to dry
+ Optional: Sand primer for smooth finish
1st coat of paint
- wait 10 minutes
3nd coat of paint
- wait 10 minutes
3rd medium coat of paint
- wait 15 minutes
Do above with clear coat.
This was the best result I got.
Edit #2: You need to let the paint bound to the surface and to itself for a smooth finish. If you let the paint sit too long, instead of bonding your layers, you're creating separate tiers of paint. So if one layer fails, they all fail, hence your cracking/bubbling
#16
New Member
Thread Starter
The other option would be the $50 package on Amazon with 1 can of non 2k primer, auto grade color matched base coat, and non 2k clear.
Update:
I called Sherwin Williams, PPG, Carquest, they all claim to not mix automotive paint. Should I be asking if they mix urethane instead?
Last edited by Roadhog117; 10-08-2018 at 12:28 PM.
#17
Senior Member
iTrader: (6)
iirc you don't need a 2k base if you're going to put a 2k clear. Most 1k should play nice with 2k clears. Try Eastwood products online, they def carry the 2k clear. A single can of 2k clear will be enough for 3 coats on the interior trim pieces.
The following users liked this post:
Roadhog117 (10-09-2018)
#18
New Member
Thread Starter
Is the finished product, in your opinion, worth spending the extra $15-$20 to get the 1k primer and 2k clear?
#20
New Member
Thread Starter
#21
New Member
The AC Delco touch up paint works great so far for me. You can grab a can for around $20 on amazon guaranteed to match your car with the proper paint code. DupliColor automotive paint deserves a decent look too. I've had great success with both.
Last edited by Mythical SS; 10-08-2018 at 11:36 PM.
The following users liked this post:
Roadhog117 (10-09-2018)
#22
New Member
Thread Starter
Thanks for sharing your experience and for the post! I checked it out and they don’t carry my paint code in spray can form though, only a half ounce paint pen. My paint code is the Sunburst II Metallic or 56, WA913L.
#23
New Member
Thread Starter
This is all I have ever used for the interior silver.
2006 Chevrolet Cobalt Colors of Touch Up Paint
2006 Chevrolet Cobalt Colors of Touch Up Paint
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post