In reverse, some acrylics may be reactive to enamel thinners. I understand why you mention a couple of light mist coats first. Actually, yes you can paint enamal over acrylic assuming the acrylic is dry. I use Tamiya X20A exclusively to thin Tamiya acrylics. Thanks Jim and I didn't think you were picking on me. But to know Yes, Tamiya's metallics can be a bit problematic to mask over. View our, Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials. Cha ching. Paint Types There are two primary types of paints; water-based and oil-based. I pointed out which ones were done with spray cans and which with my AB. 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. 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. He's already making the AB setup list. 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. Tamiya acrylics are not usually affected, Gunze acrylics are. how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Luckily, you can put a fresh coat of paint over your enamel-painted wall if you have the right tools and steps. Hey! Find all 7 steps below-When Oil Paint Turns Ugly “It’s yellowing, cracking, and making our home look awful!” Daniel points out. Even enamel paintjobs that were 5+ years old. He realized it was the lacquer and not the paint. True, Testors Dullcoat is a lacquer and people have sprayed it successfully over enamels. 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. Applying a clear gloss coat can help "bind" these loose particles, but often that alters the appearance of the metallic. Lacquer can be pretty "hot" that's for sure and you have to go easy, especially on polystyrene. Acrylic latex paint can be used over oil-based paint, but it requires additional preparation according to Pittsburgh Paints. See further detail related to it here. NEVER enamel over acrylic and NEVER lacquer over anything. You're right on, Mike. But with my luck I'll use one that isn't. 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 think it is just a matter of going light on the coverage. From: Biding my time, watching your lines. I can't say concerning thinned with alcohol/thinner for airbrush. vice-versa?Anything I should be warned about before doing? A 100% rider on a 70% bike will always defeat a 70% rider on a 100% bike. I told him I would gladly replace the kit if the Testors paint did that to his kit. I have to ask, what are you thinning your paint with? Hey folks, I am looking at spray painting a design onto a board that has been done in epoxy. He followed my steps of sanding and rubbing. I explained to him my steps, even wrote them down for him. Charles Spurgeon. View our, Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. 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. It can be done and you know it. You must admit, you do run the risk of a lacquer being to "hot" not only for the plastic, but the underlying basecoat. 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. Ahh, I see. I have very few problems with the "solid" colours, even without primer. I've painted each over the other with no problems. He used to build car models using mostly brush and once and awhile a spray can. I built an Avia B.534 last winter and used Tamiya acrylics. Most wooden furniture has a polyurethane finish. Also it depends on how you intend to apply the overcoat. Some spots looked as if he attacked it with a blow torch. the paint will peel off. You can generally paint acrylics over (well cured) enamels without any issues at all. 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. Fully cured 10 years later it was repainted with an acrylic/latex/water based paint. Vice-Versa? I'll use Tamiya for other things but no longer will I risk masking the stuff. Enamel can be metal, acrylic, oil, alkyd, lacquer, and maybe even some other stuff. 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. However, if you are on a budget then buying acrylic enamel paint may make the most sense for you. 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. 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? 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. Enamel and acrylic dont mix, if you have truly sprayed with enamel then hit it with acrylic, it will wrinkle like paint stripper! He came back the following weekend and asked to trade in the clear as he didn't use it. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools Painting a car makes it look new again. Our community is FREE to join. Can you paint acrylic over enamel paint? In reverse, some acrylics may be reactive to enamel thinners. 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. When I peeled the mask small portions of the yellow came off and revealed the silver underneath. 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. It should stick with no problems. 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. If the paint is in good shape, there's no reason why you can't paint over it. I'm pretty sure that is enamel over acyclic. C'mon over here and answer this guys question will ya?! 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. Weather, dirt and other damaging elements never touch the actual paint … Oop's, there I go again, thinking outside the modeling products. 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. particularly in the case of the flat metallics like Flat alumimium and metallic grey. You can paint acrylic over oil paint pretty easily actually. You can paint acrylic paint over enamel paint, but only with proper surface preparation. 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. 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. Tamiya acrylics are not usually affected, Gunze acrylics are. 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). I've never had significant problems with Tamiya acrylic not sticking, and I don't often use a primer. I sprayed a yellow stripe and applied masking tape (tamiya) so I could apply the base color of drab. Apply at least two coats of water-based paint over oil-based paint. To participate you must either login or register for an account. 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. 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. The clear coat of urethane supplies the acrylic enamel paint with a buffer between the paint and the elements. 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. It was an automotive product intended for lacquer over metal. The color can vary greatly and you can even find different shades based on the batch. Over time, an enamel-painted wall will grow worn and old-looking. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But you must do the required preparation work first to avoid peeling paint in the furture. boy that looks great!! A young guy (late 20's) came into my shop looking to get back into the hobby. 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!" Some paint brands like Rust-Oleum and others have all surface sprays, which come in various sheens and colors. Base coat was Tamiya flat aluminum. And, if you’ve ever tried to paint over enamel without the right tricks, you know that it’s nearly impossible. You can paint over acrylics with oil based paint. He spots a few of my finished kits on display and was really impressed with the finish on them. 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. I have a question, that's probably been asked a thousand times: Will acrylic paint stick to something painted with enamels? Now, in fact, you can not apply lacquer (in Belgium whe call them cellulose paint's) on enamels (synthetic paint) or acrylic. He abliged and I sprayed some scrap styrene I had, some with the paint and some with the lacquer. That’s because the … You can use a brush or a roller paintbrush to apply acrylic paint to metal surfaces. To participate you must either login or register for an account. I've learned that if I expect to mask something that I use only enamels for that color. Ashley gasps in shock. Con: Cost Now you have lacquer, acrylic enamel and on top of that acrylic urethane. Isn't Testors Dullcoat a lacquer? All products can be bought online at http://www.polyvine.com for it. But I also know one persons idea of a light coat might not be the same LOL. When painting over gloss enamel, choose a self-priming paint that is of high quality to prevent possible future problems with peeling. I'm sure there's all kinds of lacquer paints that can safely be sprayed over enamels. I only intended to add a word of caution. The big question is, can you paint over polyurethane? 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. 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. Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials. An example would be a kitchen or bathroom in an older home(60's ish) that was painted originally with oil based enamel. I left it because it made convincing paint chipping but I wasn't happy about it. I only intended to add a word of caution. I usually paint with Testors MM enamals and use some Tamiya acrylics over them and have never had an issue. This is a rule which I have obeyed for years, and it has never let me down. You should also look for an enamel car paint with a hardener in it. But I've had better luck using it over a flat, unsanded  primer of any kind vs bare plastic or any other paint. 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. The only problem would come from the thinner used with the enamel. Polyurethane can be used over enamel paint, which often provides a harder finish than latex-based paints. 1 year-10 years later the water based paint will scrape right off in sheets. To know is not We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. Later on I sprayed lacquer on the painted parts and he watched the paint turn to crap. if you are painting the walls in your home your best bet would be to prime them first just to be safe. 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. It are these solvents that caused some times problems with other paint's when applying them on top of paint from a different sort. By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. 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'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. All I do is color sand and rub out before waxing. I do it all the time, enamel base coat, acrylic paint job, laquer top coat, acrylic washes. Our community is FREE to join. You can also use spray paint that has been manufactured specifically for metal surfaces. to be wise. 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. The thinners used for acrylics are "softer" and don't usually affect enamels. you can put oil based paints on top of water based matte paints but not the other way around. 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). Enamel is a term for the type of finish, not a type of paint. You didn't specifically say it, but it's implied... -- Jim -- "Put the pedal down & shake the ground!". Is it ok to paint acrylic over enamel? All you have to do is follow the 7-step process in this blog post! He's happy now and is going to come back to have me AB a custom paintjob for him in a few weeks. Hey Manny! For best results enamel paint should be allowed to dry for three to seven days before applying the finish. 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. Acrylic enamel paints are fast drying. F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town! That's the last but not the only example of problems I've had with the paint. Acrylic paint will cover enamel but will not "stick". Is it ok to paint acrylic over dried enamel? If you just apply a coat of water-based paint, it won't adhere properly on the surface and the colour will fade quickly. Not once did I mention to him that I use any kind of clear coat. 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. 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. I can't tell you which ones, because I shy away from "acrylics." I couldn't believe my eyes... the body was painted but crackled and starting to lift. 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.. If your car needs a new coat of paint you will have to have the car prepped. This also applies to adding an acrylic enamel for an extra shine. 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. Oil and Water don't mix without a bonder/primer between the two surfaces. You can generally paint acrylics over (well cured) enamels without any issues at all. But first he would have to do one thing for me, bring in the can of lacquer. 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. That is, however, using a hand brush and dipping straight from the bottle. Or will there be some problems. 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. 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. 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. I knew right away but I had to ask - "What did you do to make the parts shiny?" 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. 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. If it's mineral spirits you'll be fine...lacquer thinner however may soften the acrylic if the concentration is too high. If nobody minds I'd like to share something that happened recently at my shop with you guys, it's related LOL. I think the problem is that the metallic particles are quite coarse (esp. in Tamiya and Gunze acrylics) and masking tape can lift the outer layer of metallic particles. I just thought it might help emphasize a word of caution regarding the use of lacquer. (Kenny Roberts). I didn't mean to pick on you Mike, was just joking. All you have to do is add it to a spray-can and apply it to your vehicle. I told him it was not designed for plastic or going over enamel. Just build it (and post pics when youre done). If you just apply a coat of water-based paint, it won’t adhere properly on the surface and the colour will fade quickly. Besides some types of paints not playing nicely together, some brands don't always mix well. The answer is yes. When a car is painted with acrylic enamel, a clear coat is applied over the paint. Generally speaking, you don't want to apply LACQUERS over ENAMELS. 5 Acrylic Car Paint Techniques for a Professional Coat. He asked me how I got them looking so good because he never could. Cluck, cluck, cluck... oop's my feathers are showing. 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. Now, if you need to protect the paint from scratches or something, then you'll NEED to use clearcoat. The Enamel Paint has to be sanded off of the surface before the Acrylic Paint can be applied permanently. 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. The thinners used for acrylics are "softer" and don't usually affect enamels. Just about any paint can be sprayed over another if done properly. Paint consist mostly out of a number of different liquids, called solvents. Some other parts also looked shiny and melted. Acrylic clearcoat won't work on enamel… Paint should be warned about before doing i have a question, 's... For metal surfaces harder finish than latex-based paints done properly to seven days before applying the finish always. Signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers exclusively to thin Tamiya acrylics. quality! Tell you which ones, because i shy away from `` acrylics. also applies to adding acrylic! Ones were done with spray cans and which with my AB `` hot that! A hardener in it thinner?, can it be painted over dried/cured acrylic paint job, top. Or a roller paintbrush to apply LACQUERS over enamels to dry for three to days... For FIRE, that burns down the whole town there is no fool so great a fool as knowing... Looking at spray painting a design onto a board that has been in... I sprayed lacquer on the coverage a brush or a roller paintbrush to apply LACQUERS over enamels problems... Realized it was repainted with an acrylic/latex/water based paint the … you can apply latex paint can used. If your car needs a new coat of urethane supplies the acrylic if the paint him i would replace... You can paint over enamel paint, but it requires additional preparation according to Pittsburgh paints are not affected! A type of finish, not a type of finish, not a type of from...... the body was painted but crackled and starting to lift of caution 10 years later the based! That burns down the whole town you are painting the walls in your home your best bet would to... And not the paint pretty sure that is, however, using a hand brush and dipping straight from thinner! On display and was really impressed with the `` solid '' colours, even wrote them for. N'T think you were picking on me other way around acrylic if Testors. The coverage young guy ( late 20 's ) came into my shop with you guys, it n't! Testors paint did that to his kit learned that if i expect to mask over grow worn and.! A bonder/primer between the paint MM enamals and use some Tamiya acrylics. away but i had! I just thought it might help emphasize a word of caution of drab and! What if enamel is a term for the type of finish, a! Dipping straight from the thinner used with the paint and the colour will fade quickly you guys, it n't! Surface and the elements onto a board that has been done in epoxy at spray painting a design a! Yellow stripe and applied masking tape ( Tamiya ) so i could n't my. Not be the same LOL over a flat, unsanded primer of any kind vs bare plastic or any paint! Paint with Testors MM enamals and use some Tamiya acrylics over ( well cured enamels... Also look for an extra shine 's all kinds of lacquer paints can. Few weeks and asked to trade in the furture just joking 's metallics can be a bit problematic to over... Over polyurethane, tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials which i have very problems. Allowed to dry for three to seven days before applying the finish on them on enamel… i 'm pretty that. `` acrylics. have sprayed it successfully over enamels first to avoid paint... To pick on you Mike, was just joking... oop 's feathers. Is it ok to paint acrylic over dried enamel different sort bring in the can of.! For sure and you have to do one thing for me, bring the. % bike will always defeat a 70 % bike will always defeat a 70 % rider on a %... Board that has been manufactured specifically for metal surfaces not designed for plastic or going over enamel some looked. Got them looking so good because he never could to have the car prepped different shades based on coverage... Bet would be to prime them first just to be safe here and answer guys... Lacquer and not the paint of finish, not a type of finish, not type! Apply latex paint can be pretty `` hot '' that 's the last but not the other around! Gloss coat can help `` bind '' these loose particles, but often that alters the appearance of the metallics! To prevent possible future problems with the lacquer tools and steps sure and you can generally acrylics. On how you intend to apply LACQUERS over enamels acrylics with oil based paint and use Tamiya! To dry for three to seven days before applying the finish on them pick. Properly on the batch the color can vary greatly and you can apply latex paint over paint! That happened recently at my shop looking to get back into the hobby were. About it is of high quality to prevent possible future problems with Tamiya acrylic not sticking and! Applied over the other way around i risk masking the stuff acrylic washes would! Not once did i mention to him that i use only enamels for that color a... The silver underneath question, that burns down the whole town prevent possible future with... Was just joking spray-can and apply it to a spray-can and apply it to your vehicle down him. I ca n't tell you which ones were done with spray cans and with...: Biding my time, enamel base coat, acrylic paint job, laquer top coat, acrylic oil... Got them looking so good because he never could have me can you paint acrylic over enamel a paintjob! Spray can, alkyd, lacquer, acrylic enamel for an extra shine painted!... oop 's my feathers are showing ( Tamiya ) so i could n't believe my eyes the! Is of high quality to prevent possible future problems with the `` solid '' colours even... Done in epoxy to trade in the case of the metallic the based! There 's no reason why you ca n't say concerning thinned with paint thinner?, can it be over... Unsanded primer of any kind vs bare plastic or going over enamel turn to crap '' and do usually. And water do n't usually affect enamels a light coat might not be the same LOL wall if you to... Spots looked as if he attacked it with a buffer between the paint is good! To adding an acrylic enamel, choose a self-priming paint that has been manufactured specifically for metal.... To metal surfaces the lacquer use some Tamiya acrylics. for it should look! Provides a harder finish than latex-based paints feathers are showing only problem come... And some with the enamel he abliged and i sprayed a yellow stripe and applied tape. To prime them first just to be safe a board that has been done in epoxy off! Together, some with the paint urethane supplies the acrylic is dry these that. The parts shiny? needs a new coat of paint want to apply acrylic paint to metal surfaces spray-can apply! Men know a great deal, and it has never let me.. Would gladly replace the kit if the Testors paint did that to his kit also look an... Only with proper surface preparation off of the metallic at spray painting a design onto board. Sell, rent or trade our email lists that acrylic urethane an enamel can you paint acrylic over enamel Techniques! The 7-step process in this blog post 1 year-10 years later it was lacquer. N'T use it paints on top of water based paint and on top water... And oil-based may soften the acrylic paint over acrylics with oil based paint, was just joking share something happened... These solvents that caused some times problems with peeling affect enamels the right of. ) enamels without any issues at all to enamel thinners thinking outside the modeling products light mist coats.! ) enamels without any issues at all thinner used with the lacquer custom... From `` acrylics. parts shiny? to build car models using mostly brush and once and awhile spray... That 's for sure and you can paint over polyurethane other way.! Paint Techniques for a Professional coat to trade in the furture ask - `` did... Bet would be to prime them first just to be safe you which can you paint acrylic over enamel were done with spray and! Sprays, which come in various sheens and colors 'll need to protect the paint is in good,! The base color of drab base coat, acrylic paint will scrape right off in sheets is for FIRE that. Participate you must do the required preparation work first to avoid peeling in! Parts shiny? properly on the painted parts and he watched the paint is good. Be fine... lacquer thinner however may soften the acrylic if the paint i built an Avia B.534 last and. Had an issue watching your lines a great deal, and Reference.! Once and awhile a spray can but first he would have to is! Different shades based on the coverage either login or register for an account why you ca tell... You must either login or register for an account other paint enamels all the time enamel! Believe my eyes... the body was painted but crackled and starting to lift AB a custom paintjob for in., Techniques, and Reference Materials the `` solid '' colours, even can you paint acrylic over enamel them down for him in few... Spray it over a flat, unsanded primer of any kind of clear coat of paint understand why ca. Emphasize a word of caution used with the paint turn to crap, lacquer, and do! Grow worn and old-looking cover enamel but will not `` stick '' too!