Rust oleum Clear coat

[bo dawg 516]

What causes this to blister up when I spray the clear coat? It was a smooth coat of paint I put on yesterday and put hot it today with the clear and it does this?

[kpinnc 12,017]

You have to clear coat immediately after base coat, or wait several days or longer until the base cures.

 

The clear reactivates the base and causes it to lift otherwise. Sometimes full curing takes weeks.

[SPINJIM 1,981]

I've had that happen even after leaving a couple of weeks between coats.   Rustoleum seems very slow to cure completely.   Even do a second coat within an hour, or wait until next year, like I do after some bad experience.

   Jim

[oliver2-44 9,745]

Are you painting with rattle can or spray gun?

If you are using a gun you can add a hardener such as the Majic brand hardener available at Tractor Supply and on line. (I don't recommend the Majic brand paint, jus the hardener.)

The hardener will allow you to add the clear top coat in a week vs a month or more.

[kpinnc 12,017]

1 hour ago, kpinnc said:

The clear reactivates the base and causes it to lift otherwise. Sometimes full curing takes weeks.

 

One more thing- even if the base has been on for a year. If you wet sand or lightly scuff the base coat, wait at least a couple days before ANY other overcoat. 

[bo dawg 516]

3 hours ago, oliver2-44 said:

Are you painting with rattle can or spray gun?

If you are using a gun you can add a hardener such as the Majic brand hardener available at Tractor Supply and on line. (I don't recommend the Majic brand paint, jus the hardener.)

The hardener will allow you to add the clear top coat in a week vs a month or more.

I just paint with rattle can. I wasn’t gona do clear coat but thought it might last longer on a deck. Oh well it’s a deck. 

[bo dawg 516]

3 hours ago, kpinnc said:

You have to clear coat immediately after base coat, or wait several days or longer until the base cures.

 

The clear reactivates the base and causes it to lift otherwise. Sometimes full curing takes weeks.

so you’re saying right after I spray the final coat of Red and sit the can down, immediately start spraying the clear? 

[953 nut 55,218]

29 minutes ago, bo dawg said:

so you’re saying right after I spray the final coat of Red and sit the can down, immediately start spraying the clear? 

That works for me, two light coats work better than one heavy coat.

[rmaynard 15,456]

The paint needs to cure completely or it will lift.

[davem1111 2,030]

I've seen this on some stuff I've bought - now I know why.

[Handy Don 12,217]

3 hours ago, bo dawg said:

so you’re saying right after I spray the final coat of Red and sit the can down, immediately start spraying the clear? 

I wait ten minutes between primer, primer, red, and red. I haven't been using clear coats. You DO have to be very careful to avoid sags.

 

As @953 nut noted, light coats are better. You can come back with another light coat if you feel some places need more but letting them set for 10 minutes (I actually set a timer) lets the paint "flatten" itself. Also, on larger pieces I paint in the same order over the part as the earlier coats so the actual paint-to-paint interval might be, say 12-14 minutes.

 

That said, I am not doing body-shop level prep or parade level painting! That is a very different kind of finishing.

[kpinnc 12,017]

7 hours ago, bo dawg said:

so you’re saying right after I spray the final coat of Red and sit the can down, immediately start spraying the clear? 

 

If memory serves, the Rust-Oleum clear directions on the can say to spray immediately (less than an hour) afterwards or not until the base coat is fully cured.

 

Personal experience is where my second post about any scuffing or sanding- clear coat no sooner than 24 hours later came from. Even light wet sanding cured paint reopens the "skin" layer and exposes uncured elements to whatever your clear applies to the paint. This often reactivates the paint and causes it to wrinkle or lift.

[Achto 27,570]

8 hours ago, Handy Don said:

I wait ten minutes between primer, primer, red, and red.

 

Not a bad rule of thumb but time between can change with the weather.

 

The most fool proof way to see if you are ready for another coat is to touch the paint. Pick a spot that will not be seen, lightly touch it with your finger. If paint transfers to your finger, then it is not ready for the next coat. If the paint feels tacky but no paint transfers to your finger, then it is ready for the next coat. This is fool proof for all paints.

[squonk 41,100]

I spray Regal Red and on the last coat of red I spray Rustoleum Chrystal Clear while the red is still wet. No issues

 

[bo dawg 516]

Thanks for the info

 

[kpinnc 12,017]

8 hours ago, Achto said:

This is fool proof for all paints.

 

Makes good sense. 

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,315]

Same thing happened to me on these wheel weights. Super annoying! 
  

 

[kpinnc 12,017]

6 minutes ago, Sparky said:

Same thing happened to me on these wheel weights. Super annoying! 

 

Not to worry Mike. I'll take those nasty ole weights so they don't offend you anymore. I'm nice like that... 

[squonk 41,100]

This 

 

 

Plus This

 

 

Spray the clear when the last coat of red is still wet. Like set the can of red down, grab the clear and spray.