Clear coat over primer?

Still sounds like a two stage paint job to me.

Myself, I would paint it with the color desired in single stage, and put the flattening agent in it - rather than primer with flat clear.

Reason is, that while the clear should give you some UV protection for the primer (which has none), there will be no UV problem with the single stage.

I don't think the cost would change much at all.

tjsdelivery said:

Still sounds like a two stage paint job to me.

Click to expand...

Not really. It would be the same as a single stage paint job. Prime then clear coat. With a two stage it would be prime, base coat, clear coat.

Rick_L said:

Myself, I would paint it with the color desired in single stage, and put the flattening agent in it - rather than primer with flat clear.

Reason is, that while the clear should give you some UV protection for the primer (which has none), there will be no UV problem with the single stage.

I don't think the cost would change much at all.

Click to expand...

I thought about that. I was at the NAPA paint store awhile back and talked to a body shop owner that was there buying supplies. I was thinking a two stage paint with a flattening agent in the clear coat. He recommended against it. "If you ever have to touch up the paint it'll be very hard to match up. Ever notice a car with mis-matched paint? They sell a pre-flattened clear. Use it instead of trying to flatten the clear coat. If you ever have to touch it up it'll work out much better". I would just be using the primer for the base coat.

As far as UV protection that would come from the clear coat.

LarryH said:

As far as UV protection that would come from the clear coat.

Click to expand...

I have to agree with Rick here.

I would not use a primer for a basecoat. The clear can only provide some of the UV protection but not all. I would bet the primer would still fade or yellow over time. It's also why I would never use a low grade of base under a high grade of clear for fade prone colors.

I plan on painting my '56 flat gray to look like primer.

Guess I was thrown by your statement. It sounded like you were going to paint it to look like primer as stated above then clear it. Thus two stage.

Larry, the point about the flattening agent is a good one.

Thing is, you'll need to be sure your pre-mixed flat clear is the right "flatness" to suit. So if you can buy a small quantity and spray a test panel, you won't have any surprises.

why not just get a tintable primer and primer it whatever color you wish.
as long as you dont sand the primer, it will be just fine,
its kinda like base coat, as long as you dont it will work

Because primer isn't UV tolerant or weather proof. After a month or two it turns chalky and it starts to rust under the primer.