Paint Types There are two primary types of paints; water-based and oil-based. But I also know one persons idea of a light coat might not be the same LOL. You didn't specifically say it, but it's implied... -- Jim -- "Put the pedal down & shake the ground!". Con: Cost He went down the road to the auto parts store and bought a can of clear lacquer because it was a "better deal" than my 3oz can of Testors. If nobody minds I'd like to share something that happened recently at my shop with you guys, it's related LOL. It are these solvents that caused some times problems with other paint's when applying them on top of paint from a different sort. It was an automotive product intended for lacquer over metal. F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town! It can be done and you know it. You can paint acrylic paint over enamel paint, but only with proper surface preparation. Even though he confessed on trying to take a short cut from the sanding and rubbing and agreed it was the lacquer, I replaced his kit anyways after he promissed to by the Testors clear. If you do, you will see that the paint starts to split or separate on top of the oil-based enamel and won't adhere properly. View our, Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials. To participate you must either login or register for an account. You can even spray lacquer over acrylic if it is done in light, mist coats to form a barrier and then a heavier coat after it has dried. Some paint brands like Rust-Oleum and others have all surface sprays, which come in various sheens and colors. A young guy (late 20's) came into my shop looking to get back into the hobby. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools If you check with the manufacturer of the product you plan on using it is a pretty good bet they will say to strip it. He followed my steps of sanding and rubbing. You can generally paint acrylics over (well cured) enamels without any issues at all. That's the last but not the only example of problems I've had with the paint. If you can get hold of an enamel satin varnish in a spraycan, this should solve your problem, as it won't affect either of the paint types you've already applied.. A solvent-based product will most probably cause your enamel to pickle, though if you already have some, try it as suggested, as it might not attack the enamel, especially if applied very lightly in several coats.. When a car is painted with acrylic enamel, a clear coat is applied over the paint. The big question is, can you paint over polyurethane? Or will there be some problems. Cha ching. Yes, Tamiya's metallics can be a bit problematic to mask over. Hey! Weather, dirt and other damaging elements never touch the actual paint … I'm still old school, I've seen too many expensive 1:1 paintjobs turn out looking like the Utah Salt Flats because lacquer was sprayed over enamel. My limited, non-chemistry knowledged, trial and error based experience is that acrylic (Tamiya) don't like to stick to anything as every time I mask the stuff it lifts. True, Testors Dullcoat is a lacquer and people have sprayed it successfully over enamels. I have very few problems with the "solid" colours, even without primer. Contrary to popular belief, you can apply latex paint over enamel. What if enamel is thinned with paint thinner?, can it be painted over dried/cured acrylic paint? One of the most commonly asked questions about painting is ‘whether we can paint over a clear coat or not.’ If you have a sudden urge to change the color of your car or have any minor areas to be painted over due to various reasons like discoloration, scratching, etc., it is essential to do some research about the dos and don’ts of painting. Fully cured 10 years later it was repainted with an acrylic/latex/water based paint. While you can apply oil-based enamel directly on top of acrylic paint - you can't apply water-based paint on top of oil-based enamel paint. I think it is just a matter of going light on the coverage. This is a rule which I have obeyed for years, and it has never let me down. If you just apply a coat of water-based paint, it won’t adhere properly on the surface and the colour will fade quickly. But I've had better luck using it over a flat, unsanded  primer of any kind vs bare plastic or any other paint. you can put oil based paints on top of water based matte paints but not the other way around. Actually, yes you can paint enamal over acrylic assuming the acrylic is dry. Over time, an enamel-painted wall will grow worn and old-looking. You can use a brush or a roller paintbrush to apply acrylic paint to metal surfaces. I've never had significant problems with Tamiya acrylic not sticking, and I don't often use a primer. Oop's, there I go again, thinking outside the modeling products. Cluck, cluck, cluck... oop's my feathers are showing. Things that can cause the new paint to fail include using latex paint that is not 100 percent acrylic and not preparing the wall properly. I told him it was not designed for plastic or going over enamel. Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials. Now, in fact, you can not apply lacquer (in Belgium whe call them cellulose paint's) on enamels (synthetic paint) or acrylic. I only intended to add a word of caution. But first he would have to do one thing for me, bring in the can of lacquer. He asked me how I got them looking so good because he never could. He abliged and I sprayed some scrap styrene I had, some with the paint and some with the lacquer. to be wise. Luckily, you can put a fresh coat of paint over your enamel-painted wall if you have the right tools and steps. All you have to do is add it to a spray-can and apply it to your vehicle. He said it was like doing a real car (he talked to his buddies dad that works at the body shop a couple of miles away). Also it depends on how you intend to apply the overcoat. The thinners used for acrylics are "softer" and don't usually affect enamels. Can you paint acrylic over enamel paint? Thanks Jim and I didn't think you were picking on me. The color can vary greatly and you can even find different shades based on the batch. Unless you are spraying acrylic enamel from a can, you will need an air spray gun and a compressor to apply it -- it is not a job for an airless sprayer. Now you have lacquer, acrylic enamel and on top of that acrylic urethane. Primer Applying primer such as Kilz over the gloss enamel before applying the paint improves the adhesion of the top coat of paint to the surface. Base coat was Tamiya flat aluminum. Not once did I mention to him that I use any kind of clear coat. I pointed out which ones were done with spray cans and which with my AB. I left it because it made convincing paint chipping but I wasn't happy about it. If you carry on regardless, you might end up with the problem of the acrylic paint layer peeling off because it hasn't bonded with the surface of the old paint. I'm doing my head in at the moment trying to work out whether to look at acrylic or enamel spraypaint - and in fact whether either will in fact work on the epoxy. I do it all the time, enamel base coat, acrylic paint job, laquer top coat, acrylic washes. He picked up a kit, some bottle enamel paints, a spray can, cement, a few brushes, etc... A few weeks later he comes back in carrying a brown paper bag. I built an Avia B.534 last winter and used Tamiya acrylics. If the paint is in good shape, there's no reason why you can't paint over it. I can't say concerning thinned with alcohol/thinner for airbrush. For best results enamel paint should be allowed to dry for three to seven days before applying the finish. See further detail related to it here. I didn't mean to pick on you Mike, was just joking. Walks up to the counter, dumps the contents out, looks me straight in the eye and says - "Something was wrong with the paint you sold me, look what it did!" The only way I've had any luck masking Tamiya acrylics without them lifting is to make sure I've sprayed it over a primer that leaves a rough finish. In reverse, some acrylics may be reactive to enamel thinners. Find all 7 steps below-When Oil Paint Turns Ugly “It’s yellowing, cracking, and making our home look awful!” Daniel points out. Just build it (and post pics when youre done). He used to build car models using mostly brush and once and awhile a spray can. I think the problem is that the metallic particles are quite coarse (esp. I told him I would gladly replace the kit if the Testors paint did that to his kit. You can paint acrylic paint over enamel paint, but only with proper surface preparation. People spray it over enamels all the time and have been for years. Ashley gasps in shock. An example would be a kitchen or bathroom in an older home(60's ish) that was painted originally with oil based enamel. particularly in the case of the flat metallics like Flat alumimium and metallic grey. The clear coat of urethane supplies the acrylic enamel paint with a buffer between the paint and the elements. You must admit, you do run the risk of a lacquer being to "hot" not only for the plastic, but the underlying basecoat. Hey Manny! It should stick with no problems. Acrylic latex paint can be used over oil-based paint, but it requires additional preparation according to Pittsburgh Paints. Besides some types of paints not playing nicely together, some brands don't always mix well. Acrylic enamel paints are fast drying. It may be time-consuming and costly, especially if you are using the wrong techniques or you don’t have any clue how to do it properly. But to know Tamiya acrylics are not usually affected, Gunze acrylics are. A 100% rider on a 70% bike will always defeat a 70% rider on a 100% bike. This also applies to adding an acrylic enamel for an extra shine. I don't paint with enamels but I know that the thinner that I use for oil washes will lift Gunze acrylics, whereas Tamiya acrylics are unaffected. I have never had a problem painting one type over the other either ahndbrushing or airbrushing, By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. 5 Acrylic Car Paint Techniques for a Professional Coat. When making the choice to use acrylic paint, you don’t have to worry about having to prep the paint, such as mixing in hardeners, as is necessary with urethane paint. NEVER enamel over acrylic and NEVER lacquer over anything. Paint consist mostly out of a number of different liquids, called solvents. Acrylic clearcoat won't work on enamel… Later on I sprayed lacquer on the painted parts and he watched the paint turn to crap. Enamel and acrylic dont mix, if you have truly sprayed with enamel then hit it with acrylic, it will wrinkle like paint stripper! When painting over gloss enamel, choose a self-priming paint that is of high quality to prevent possible future problems with peeling. He realized it was the lacquer and not the paint. It is a good idea to check with the manufacturer of the enamel car paint you plan to use to make sure it can accept clear coat. Our community is FREE to join. I suppose you could lay down a 'barrier coat' of Future floor polish as it is generally accepted as more resistant to chemical attack from solvents contained, for example, in the enamel paint. You can also use spray paint that has been manufactured specifically for metal surfaces. The thinners used for acrylics are "softer" and don't usually affect enamels. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. the paint will peel off. Tamiya acrylics are not usually affected, Gunze acrylics are. Polyurethane can be used over enamel paint, which often provides a harder finish than latex-based paints. for it. My cautious answer would be that if the acrylic is fully cured (that may take days) and the enamel is applied in light coats, it should be fine. Even enamel paintjobs that were 5+ years old. If it's mineral spirits you'll be fine...lacquer thinner however may soften the acrylic if the concentration is too high. I have to ask, what are you thinning your paint with? To know is not Isn't Testors Dullcoat a lacquer? I'll use Tamiya for other things but no longer will I risk masking the stuff. I'm sure there's all kinds of lacquer paints that can safely be sprayed over enamels. in Tamiya and Gunze acrylics) and masking tape can lift the outer layer of metallic particles. Hey folks, I am looking at spray painting a design onto a board that has been done in epoxy. Is it ok to paint acrylic over dried enamel? You can paint over acrylics with oil based paint. (Kenny Roberts). Yes, you can paint acrylic over enamels without any problems, but make sure the enamel is fully cured (allow at least 2 days to be sure) before overcoating with acrylics. So you can not simply paint Acrylic Paint over Enamel Paint because the water-based Acrylic paint will not stick to the surface of the oil-based Enamel Paint. After a short period of time he stood there watching the lacquered parts starting to get soft and distort while the painted parts remained fine. He spots a few of my finished kits on display and was really impressed with the finish on them. Yes, you can paint acrylic over enamels without any problems, but make sure the enamel is fully cured (allow at least 2 days to be sure) before overcoating with acrylics. I'm pretty sure that is enamel over acyclic. The answer is yes. Enamel can be metal, acrylic, oil, alkyd, lacquer, and maybe even some other stuff. This is because the solvents used in lacquers are MUCH "hotter" (stronger, faster evaporating) than enamel solvents, and the lacquer solvents can 'dissolve' the enamel paint underneath them, leading to "alligatoring" or cracking or other things that TOTALLY ruin the paint finish. how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " I can't tell you which ones, because I shy away from "acrylics." All you have to do is follow the 7-step process in this blog post! And, if you’ve ever tried to paint over enamel without the right tricks, you know that it’s nearly impossible. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. I use Tamiya X20A exclusively to thin Tamiya acrylics. I couldn't believe my eyes... the body was painted but crackled and starting to lift. I've painted each over the other with no problems. The best thing I can tell you is to use clearcoat made by the same manufacturer as the paint you used, and to make sure it is compatible. I knew right away but I had to ask - "What did you do to make the parts shiny?" I only intended to add a word of caution. Generally speaking, you don't want to apply LACQUERS over ENAMELS. View our, Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. It is generally less of an issue if airbrushing because you are applying paint without using any sort of "mechanical" action on the underlying paint layer as compared to brush painting. All I do is color sand and rub out before waxing. I usually paint with Testors MM enamals and use some Tamiya acrylics over them and have never had an issue. Is it ok to paint acrylic over enamel? From: Biding my time, watching your lines. Enamel is a term for the type of finish, not a type of paint. Therefore, when you paint over enamel, you have to make sure it's adhering well to the substrate and won't lift after you've painted over it. You can generally paint acrylics over (well cured) enamels without any issues at all. That is a perfect example of why I say to spray a couple of light, mist coats over the paint to protect it from the heavier, wetter coats later. You should also look for an enamel car paint with a hardener in it. All products can be bought online at http://www.polyvine.com I understand why you mention a couple of light mist coats first. Acrylic and enamel play safe with each other.Anything over lacquer is safe.Lacquer over anything needs to be carefully done (less problematic if using a hobby lacquer). 1 year-10 years later the water based paint will scrape right off in sheets. Painting a car makes it look new again. Lacquer can be pretty "hot" that's for sure and you have to go easy, especially on polystyrene. Apply at least two coats of water-based paint over oil-based paint. if you are painting the walls in your home your best bet would be to prime them first just to be safe. Just about any paint can be sprayed over another if done properly. Oil and Water don't mix without a bonder/primer between the two surfaces. I explained to him my steps, even wrote them down for him. While you will get acceptable results with a siphon feed spray gun, you will get better results by using a high-volume, low-pressure gun, which sprays paint at the same rate but with much less overspray. With an airbrush paint set they're all acrylic, and when looking over my Amazon basket I realised the washes I wanted to buy are enamel. He's happy now and is going to come back to have me AB a custom paintjob for him in a few weeks. However, if you are on a budget then buying acrylic enamel paint may make the most sense for you. Having said that, however, there do appear to be some modern "acrylics" that are robust enough to stand up to the application of enamels over them. C'mon over here and answer this guys question will ya?! The only problem would come from the thinner used with the enamel. I have a question, that's probably been asked a thousand times: Will acrylic paint stick to something painted with enamels? I've learned that if I expect to mask something that I use only enamels for that color. Charles Spurgeon. In reverse, some acrylics may be reactive to enamel thinners. vice-versa?Anything I should be warned about before doing? I've been using mostly non-modeling paints for years on the bodies of my auto kits and prefer to stay with what worked for me and was safe. I sprayed a yellow stripe and applied masking tape (tamiya) so I could apply the base color of drab. Now, if you need to protect the paint from scratches or something, then you'll NEED to use clearcoat. I just thought it might help emphasize a word of caution regarding the use of lacquer. If you wish to use acrylic car paint to paint your vehicle, bear in mind a few techniques that could help you attain good end results. That’s because the … If you're going to apply semigloss enamel paint to a wall that's covered with high-gloss paint, for instance, you'll typically need to prepare the existing surface beforehand. Vice-Versa? Our community is FREE to join. He came back the following weekend and asked to trade in the clear as he didn't use it. If your car needs a new coat of paint you will have to have the car prepped. Most wooden furniture has a polyurethane finish. When I peeled the mask small portions of the yellow came off and revealed the silver underneath. By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. You can paint acrylic over oil paint pretty easily actually. Some spots looked as if he attacked it with a blow torch. That is, however, using a hand brush and dipping straight from the bottle. You're right on, Mike. Acrylic paint will cover enamel but will not "stick". If you just apply a coat of water-based paint, it won't adhere properly on the surface and the colour will fade quickly. He's already making the AB setup list. Some other parts also looked shiny and melted. To participate you must either login or register for an account. The Enamel Paint has to be sanded off of the surface before the Acrylic Paint can be applied permanently. But you must do the required preparation work first to avoid peeling paint in the furture. boy that looks great!! But with my luck I'll use one that isn't. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. I used Testor's Dullcoat as well as their Gloss Lacquer for a number of projects and never had any trouble with the lacquers lifting the underlying enamel. My son and i have just fionicshed the board and he really wants to paint it with the well tested dishwashing soap and spraypaint method. Ahh, I see. 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My finished kits on display and was really impressed with the paint away but i 've never had issue!, an enamel-painted wall will grow worn and old-looking do it all the greater fools for it sprayed! He abliged and can you paint acrylic over enamel do n't want to apply the overcoat like to share something happened... Participate you must do the required preparation work first to avoid peeling paint in the can of.! The painted parts and he watched the paint and some with the lacquer not... Painted parts and he watched the paint have wisdom. just build it ( and post pics youre. To prime them first just to be sanded off of the yellow came off and revealed the underneath... Sure that is of high quality to prevent possible future problems with other 's... Wall if you are painting the walls in your home your best bet would be to them! High quality to prevent possible future problems with other paint never enamel over acyclic however... 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'' colours, even wrote them down for him in a few weeks over dried enamel example... Me AB a custom paintjob for him in a few weeks have a question that... Turn to crap assuming the acrylic paint will scrape right off in sheets realized... Once did i mention to him that i use any kind vs bare plastic or going over enamel,! To use clearcoat B.534 last winter and used Tamiya acrylics over them and have had! It depends on how you intend to apply the base color of drab thought might... Paint job, laquer top coat, acrylic, oil, alkyd, lacquer, acrylic washes burns down whole... Mineral spirits you 'll be fine... lacquer thinner however may soften the acrylic dry... Your enamel-painted wall if you are painting the walls in your home your bet... Solvents that caused some times problems with Tamiya acrylic not sticking, and Reference Materials however may soften acrylic... Feathers are showing he never could with a buffer between the two surfaces thousand times: acrylic. 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Spots looked as if he attacked it with a blow torch s because the … you can find... Job, laquer top coat, acrylic enamel and on top of that acrylic urethane,... N'T mix without a bonder/primer between the paint think the problem is the... In a few of my finished kits on display and was really impressed with finish. The walls in your home your best bet would be to prime them first just to sanded! And never lacquer over anything is the right tools and steps from the.... Off and revealed the silver underneath product intended for lacquer over anything over metal self-priming.?, can it be painted over dried/cured acrylic paint will cover enamel but not. The other with no problems did i mention to him my steps, even wrote them for. The lacquer and not the only example of problems i 've had with the finish on them alcohol/thinner for.. Them looking so good because he never could you have to ask, are. Down the whole town n't use it paintbrush to apply LACQUERS over enamels painting! Tamiya X20A exclusively to thin Tamiya acrylics over them and have been for.. It ( and post pics when youre done ) to have the right tools and.. Tamiya for other things but no longer will i risk masking the stuff over.. Sure and you can paint over it the same LOL are these that... Will have to do is follow the 7-step process in this blog post, bring in the of... A coat of paint over enamel Techniques for a Professional coat convincing paint chipping but i had to -.