Flat top coat?

[flyboy71]

Im no expert on paint but if I wanted to go with a flat finish is there any type of protective top coat for that which protects the paint from fading or the effects of waxing? I assume on glossy finishes the clearcoat provides some protection so I want to know if flat coats have such a thing.

I also have no clue how to keep a flat finish looking flat but yet protect it.

[bjde0b]

you can put a flattening agent in any glossy paint and it will get the matte or semi gloss look.

[1970Custom]

A note on the flattening agent, you want to have EVERYTHING as clean as possible because any dirt you get in the clear coat that you try to sand and buff out will cause the clear to polish up like normal.

[Joshpow]

So fro semi gloss look, could I spray flat paint and then top with a clear?

[1970Custom]

Nope, your end result would be glossy because the paint is flat not the clear...

[Joshpow]

I see. So need to be sure the clear is flattened to keep it semigloss right?

[1970Custom]

Something along those lines; I'll have to do some digging and find the thread from when I was heavy into RX7s, a guy did a first generation wide body in a satin black and it was stellar...

[leo]

I work in a body-shop as a painter's assistant and have done some work with what you guys are talking about. You add a flattening agent to the clear-coat and depending on how much you add you can make it a semi-gloss, a flat-gloss, or even an eggshell-gloss. But you have to make sure the clear-coat you're using is compatible with a flattening agent and it usually has to be a specific flattening agent made for a specific clear-coat. We use Dupont paint products and i know we have 2 different Clear-Coats in stock always, one is called multi-panel clear which is what you would use for your average production job, and this one can't be used with a flattening agent as far as I know. The other is a called Premium Appearance clear which is what we use for complete paint job, this is the one we have to use if we are ever doing any flattening.

[Joshpow]

Thanks leo. Valuable info there. Love info from the pros!!

[green1970]

I am a painter and i spray sikkens paint. They make a clear that is called Matte clear. It will give you a little less gloss than semi-gloss but it is not fully flat. It mixes 3:1:1 with a hardener and activator.

[flyboy71]

So I guess my original question was more along the lines of, say I wanted a two tone scheme with gloss and flat. How do I keep the glossy finish shiny without affecting the flat. Ive seen flames in gloss and the base a gloss clear coat. It sounds cool but sounds like a pain to keep each finish what it is when detailing.

[green1970]

You could paint all your two tone colors and then spray several coats of the matte clear over it. then once it dries you can tape off the areas you want left flat. Just buff out the areas you want glossy. The flat clear once buffed will be like regular glossy clear. I think it would be easy to keep it detailed. Since clear coat acts like a protective barrier, there really is no need for any wax. just keep it washed regularly. I hope this helps.

[leo]

You could paint all your two tone colors and then spray several coats of the matte clear over it. then once it dries you can tape off the areas you want left flat. Just buff out the areas you want glossy. The flat clear once buffed will be like regular glossy clear. I think it would be easy to keep it detailed. Since clear coat acts like a protective barrier, there really is no need for any wax. just keep it washed regularly. I hope this helps.