The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network - View Single Post - Single stage vs. Base Clear for Medium Blue

hemi43 · 02-28-2018, 07:10 PM

FWIW, I've been painting for over 30 years. Single stage is fine for solid colors only, but it's still better if it was cleared. Anything metallic must be cleared because the metallic particles are made from aluminum and you need that thick layer of clear to protect them from UV. Single stage paint is basically clear with the pigment mixed into it, and as it cures, some of the clear floats to the surface sealing in the pigment. The problem is that layer of clear is very thin and leaves very little protection from the elements, and that's why single stage paint will always fade much faster than base/clear.
If you do decide to go base/clear, don't buy cheap clear, and never use universal hardeners because most of the UV retarders are in the hardener.

02-28-2018, 07:10 PM	#4
hemi43 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 1,500	Re: Single stage vs. Base Clear for Medium Blue FWIW, I've been painting for over 30 years. Single stage is fine for solid colors only, but it's still better if it was cleared. Anything metallic must be cleared because the metallic particles are made from aluminum and you need that thick layer of clear to protect them from UV. Single stage paint is basically clear with the pigment mixed into it, and as it cures, some of the clear floats to the surface sealing in the pigment. The problem is that layer of clear is very thin and leaves very little protection from the elements, and that's why single stage paint will always fade much faster than base/clear. If you do decide to go base/clear, don't buy cheap clear, and never use universal hardeners because most of the UV retarders are in the hardener.