We just shot some base coat, 4th dimension, by Sherwin Williams and went to color sand it before applying the clear coat. Tried sanding the base coat with 800 grit sand paper and the paint just gummed up. So we ended up stripping the whole car to start over.

Are we supposed to sand the base coat before applying the clear coat?

Do we sand each coat of base?

Do we sand each coat of clear?

Thanks

Miles

I think you should ask whoever you bought the paint from. Every paint is different. I didn't think you would sand the base coat or even between clear coats. I thought the only sanding needed was after the final clear coat and only then after the paint has thoroughly cured and settled out. I left my car in the sun for a couple of weeks before doing any sanding.

Mike

Thanks.

Did you put enough hardener in the paint?

We used PPG 2 stage on my Z , so I don't know if this is relevant , but we didn't sand at all after the final sanding of the primer . After that , epoxy primer in white went on to seal and make the surface all the same color , followed the next day with color and then the next day with a second double wet coat of color , then the coats of clear. There was a specific window of time that needed to be met between coats. If the paint was allowed to cure past that window then it needed to be scuffed off and re shot. As long as the time frame was met no sanding was necessary. But this was PPGs 2 stage . EScanlon shot my Z and I defer to him on any thing beyond this. I used to shoot enamel and Lacquer , the new stuff is '' GREEK '' to me . I just follow directions with this stuff. Gary

Mike is right on. Gary too. Check the directions on the paint or at the paint store-in most multi stage systems, clear has a window of application, some allow "color" sanding and some don't.

Paints that do can really be made unbelieveable when the stages are properly done.

Will

I'm using single stage because its my first paint job, and if you colorsand with 1000 it takes down the orangepeel, then you just buff it out.

Mike is correct, MOST base coat/clear coat systems dont require or recommend sanding of the base coat unless there is trash or a mistake is made. Your base coat may have reacted with whatever you had underneath the base.I just sprayed House of Kolor, 5 coats of base, 5 coats of Kandy and 3 coats of clear and only sanded the clearcoat. check with your supplier.