Water Based Paint - Improving Durability??

[6C4GTS]

Its almost two years since my last front bumper respray and the numerous stone chips and general road rash mean it needs done again.

I'm pretty sure my usual bodyshop uses water based paint (does everyone?) which do not seem to be very durable to chips etc.

Is there an option for applying an extra lacquer coat for added durability or is the only option to either add a protectant film or keep getting resprayed when the chips get too bad?

TIA

[Anatol]

The paint (colour) layer makes very little difference to chip resistance. The paint will very likely be waterborne to comply with the law, but the clearcoat (which is what matters most as it's what the stones hit) and the primer (which can add some sponginess to the finish build and resist chipping) are both likely to be low-VOC 2k solvenborne.

Waterborne gets blamed for all sorts of things that it can't actually be responsible for.

Have a chat with your bodyshop about using a primer/clearcoat combo chosen to maximise chip resistance.

[6C4GTS]

Thanks - is there any value in asking for an additional (2nd) application of clear coat or is there an issue with this?

[Anatol]

Premium clears have a fair amount of R&D go into them, and have an intended film build that they perform at.

Thinking aloud, provided a first application of clear was allowed to cure sufficiently, an extra build could be applied. You'd be risking solvent trap if you rushed it. The gloss would be lovely and deep. But I'm not sure that the chip resistance of the clearcoat film is related to the film depth. Deep but fragile is still fragile. You might find that it chips just as badly, but comes off in larger, more unsightly chunks.

HTH :-)

[Squiggs]

As above really. The paint has nothing to do with it ... it's all to do with the toughness of the clear. Not all clears are the same and a cheap clear will more than likely chip easier than an expensive clear.

[TallPaul]

As above +1 Cheap lacquer can dry very brittle and will chip very easily.
More coats of paint will also be more likely to chip. The recommended film thickness of a decent lacquer applied over a well prepared substrate will give the best protection within reason.

[6C4GTS]

So the advice then is to invest in a good clear top coat - and then get a good sealant and wax on top - yes?

[Squiggs]

Yep .... but whilst some clears need to be flattened & polished within a day or so others have to be left at least a few weeks so check the data sheets or take advice from whoever does the spraying to ensure the lacquer has had time to vent off (breath) before applying anything extra yourself.

[ShieldandProtect]

You would of thought by now paint would be fit for purpose and protect the panels from normal use, we know stones are on the roads, car paint is really only going to fully protect your panels if you don't drive it anywhere, until this is cracked your only option is to keep respraying it every time chips get too much or use paint protection film which is designed to do what the paint can't.

[gi daddy]

i HAVE used water base when it first came out back in 1992 .It chipped easy then and it chips easy now..in the old days when i used solvent paint in 1979 ,paint did not chip so easy.As for applying more clear coat it will not make any difference.Two coats is the norm in body shops.You can get a flex agent that you can add to clear coat to make it ,lets say spongy ,we use to add it on the porsche bumpers to stop stone chip.My theory is.When solvent was sprayed on primer ,it would eat in the primer do to the thinner that is quite aggressive .With water base you are thinning it with dianised water.Thinning it so the paint will go through the paint gun.As the water evaporates ,all you have left is the paint actually sitting on top of the primer .I dont no if anyone of you have actually tried to rub water base paint with w/d ,but you will find it will roll of the primer very easy ,those no key.So you are wondering why does paint chip easily.