Spraying Candy Paint Over Flakes, Sanding Tips, What Primer To Use, And More Autobody Q&A

Autobody professionals have many choices to make when painting a car. Which color, which finishes, and how to apply it are all important questions. In this blog post, we’ll discuss some tips for spraying candy over flakes, what primer to use, and more. We hope these tips help you achieve the perfect finish on your next project! Get Free Auto Body Training Guides and Videos here and don’t forget to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to my YT channel. Stay tuned for new videos coming out. 

QUESTION: Should you sand then apply your basecoat after cleaning up or with any primers, is it necessary to sand it before applying your base coat?

Absolutely, yes. You always want to sand any type of primer or 2k filler primer. Because when primers lay on, it’s not like a spray before sealer where it’s just you seal it and then you spray on spray right on top of it. 

But a primer is a very good foundation especially 2K filler primer is a good foundation for any type of topcoat whether you’re doing a single stage or base coat clear coat. And I highly suggest and recommend sanding with a 400 grit dry or wet sand because eventually that 400 grit is going to turn to a 500 grit. Anywhere from 400 to 600 in preparation before paint is the perfect grade tooth grade sand scratch grade for painting, so yes you should be blocking out and sanding high build 2k filler primer before painting.

For 90% of my paint jobs I finished with a 2K filler primer and then put my topcoat on top of it. Sometimes if I have areas that I sanded, prepping it and I got some body filler or metal showing, I would use a 1k sealer right before I paint. Just put some 1k sealer on these areas, you could do the whole panel if you want you could just do the bodywork section or the metal section if you want, and then spray your top coat on top of that. 

QUESTION: Do I have to sand the Inter coat with mini flakes before the candy? 

It depends and I actually have a step-by-step video coming out on the Honda Elite Moped Project where we did sand because I was using a larger flake. So if you’re using a larger flake, it’s gonna feel pretty bumpy and rough.

You could go ahead use some 800 grit or 1000 grit, scuff the high edges down a little bit before you put your candy on top of that, or your clear coat concentrate with candy inside of it. So yes, if you’re using a super fine micro sequins flake and your inner coat feels pretty smooth. You don’t have to sand it.

QUESTION: If I rub through high build primer is spot primer OK to spray before laying base down and how long should I wait before sanding?

If you sand through or rub through high build primer down to metal or body filler, you could use a spot primer. You could even use a 1k spot primer. But the problem with that is you have to be careful when using a wax and grease remover on your final cleaning step. It’s because if you’re using a 1k rattle can primer, your wax and grease remover, will melt it and you will have a problem with that.

So I suggest not even use a wax and grease remover around those areas. Just scuff it you can wet sand it, you could dry sand it, tack it, and you’ll be ready for paint. You could also just use a 1k sealer, like the nascent sealers that I use is just 1k you mix and you spray it dries and you could put your topcoat right on top of that. Hopefully, that helps.

QUESTION: Do I have to use a sealer on top of 2k primer for silver and candy?

No, you don’t. You could just use 2k filler primer. A 2k primer is a great foundation for basecoats or a single-stage. I do it all the time.

QUESTION:Can you use a 4:1 primer as a wet in wet, before base clear o you have to wet on wet thin with 10% then wait an hour to base/ clear.

You could try it either way. Thinning it out, you could try it but if you have a rough surface, definitely I would recommend sanding it before spraying base coat clear coat. Use a 400 grit to 500 grit.

Follow up question: Would it make much difference if finished high build with says 800 wet? 

800 hundred is good, but I would rather finish with a 600. Stick in the 400-600 if you’re going to be painting on top of that. 800 is good for flow coats. So if you’re doing a complete paint job or if you’re doing candy custom paints or whatever, you want to put more clear coat on it after a day or two. 

You could sand it down with 800 grit even up to 1000 grit to flow coat. If you’re going to be doing more coats of clear 800 to 1000 is good. I just did my moped project we went 800 then I finished off with 1000 and then put two more coats of clear on it thing came out amazing.

We got these videos coming out I got tons of footage. Tons of unseen footage they’re going to be coming out over the next few weeks and months, and we’re making more. I’m starting the van project next week just to bang all this stuff out for 2022. I have enough content to be released for the next 8 to 12 months. So it’s coming guys.

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