Paint - Ceramic Coating - Question??

[5StarCustmSolutns]

Been thinking about this for a couple years now. I've called 4 ceramic coating companies and 2 body shops to ask their thoughts about it, and have received 3 "yes, that should work but start in a small inconspicuous area first" answers.....and 3 "I don't know" answers. So I thought I would put it out here and see if someone with a more advanced comprehension of automotive paints would possibly offer some clarity? -or- better yet some opaqueness?


Could a guy get a flat matte or satin-like finish by lightly wet sanding a gloss finish in a cross hatched pattern with 3000 or higher grit paper -or by- using a DA with light pressure and 5000 or higher grit paper....

-then-

thorough wash and rinse, proper dry

-then-

applying a matte finish ceramic coating to that no longer perfectly smooth and flat clearcoat??

 

[Coveman]

Yikes, I’d think that’d be a tremendous amount of work and cant imagine a consistent result. Is your clearcoat damaged?

Have you seen cars with the matte finish? The look great for about a second and then every fingerprint, smudge (people cant help themselves but to touch the finish, the cars at shows are roped off for this reason) and imperfection just jump out at you. I looked online at several manufactures of ceramic coating that claim you can coat a proper matte paint <but> results may not be what you’re hoping for. Also, the matte coatings put the durability at the bottom of the 1-7 year range which is no better than nu-finish.

I ceramic coated my burb and like the glossy result and protection, but the prep cleaning and claybaring these land yachts is no small feat, I cant imagine the work in hand sanding the beast to a matte finish.

 

[5StarCustmSolutns]

Yikes, I’d think that’d be a tremendous amount of work and cant imagine a consistent result. Is your clearcoat damaged?

Have you seen cars with the matte finish? The look great for about a second and then every fingerprint, smudge (people cant help themselves but to touch the finish, the cars at shows are roped off for this reason) and imperfection just jump out at you. I looked online at several manufactures of ceramic coating that claim you can coat a proper matte paint <but> results may not be what you’re hoping for. Also, the matte coatings put the durability at the bottom of the 1-7 year range which is no better than nu-finish.

I ceramic coated my burb and like the glossy result and protection, but the prep cleaning and claybaring these land yachts is no small feat, I cant imagine the work in hand sanding the beast to a matte finish.

Thanks for the input.. With exception of one anomaly, my clear is still amazingly pristine considering my Av has been a work truck since day 1, 134k miles ago (157 now). Early summer I was washing w/wife's little 16 or 1900 psi SunJoe electric pressure washer and out of nowhere blew paint off the nose of my hood the size of a two basketballs?? Pristine navy blueish sheet metal underneath. NO rust, no impact, no explanation? No explanation other than a karma slapback for making fun of it/her when she bought it lol

I have seen matte/satiny finish in person up close once. Showroom floor, on a Merc Benz. (that was a lot more comma's and zeroes than the one we were buying that day lol) White....incredible finish. It wasn't roped off lol, but I wouldn't touch out of respect.

You just gave me a great image search! matte automotive paint flaws. I used to hang out in a custom shop that cycled 2-3 insurance repairs a week and always had some kind of crazy cool custom work goin on... Mostly that means I sanded a lot, but I listened a lot too.

That durability lifepsan with ceramic coating?? I know how the matte clear is sprayed, understand the chemical process. Gloss under magnification is smooth & flat. Flat, Matte, Satin has peaks and valleys, it's jagged. With Flat being rougher than matte then satin.... But the ceramic finish "allegedly" absorbs into those peaks and valleys and makes them more durable, harder. Helps hold shape, which w/o magnification would be helps keep the finish..... "allegedly" lol

Although I've never seen an automotive matte paint flaw in the finish. I have a hard time wrapping my head around it accenting the flaws?? Flat matte is the undisputed champ of hiding surface flaws....under the paint surface, and gloss makes them pop off the surface and slap you lol... But a finish flaw? I guess I just need to see it

 

[5StarCustmSolutns]

@Coveman nice looking ride btw! Darn near twins. I went black door handles and mirrors... The bed on back of mine probably makes us cousins more than twins

 

[Coveman]

I cant imagine what it felt like to see your hood paint fly off like that, at least its a relatively easy panel to paint. Reminds me of the paint problems of the 80’s, if it didnt come off in chunks it just kinda dissolved on the horizontal surfaces.

You have a great looking rig, I like the plain white it looks cool without cooking you in the summertime. Whatever you wind up doing good luck!

 

[strutaeng]

I do hobby woodworking (have used epoxies, conversion varnish and even 2k clears) and know probably more than the "average guy" on finishes. Also deal sometimes with high performance architectural coatings such as epoxy and 2k polyurethanes. And I've done a tiny bit of automotive refinishing, LoL.

General question: Are those flat/satin/mat finishes made like that from the factory? Like with flattening agents like they do in architectural finishes? Or are they "made" to look like that with sanding regular clearcoats? I know Summit Racing does sells their colors in Satin, but I'd figure that's for the guys doing some rat rod project. And I'm pretty sure they are single stage? I don't know anything about ceramic though.

IDK about wet sanding the OEM finishes as they are very thin, or at least they were. Probably a good idea to do it by hand? A small repair area is okay, but I'd be weary of burning through the clear and into the basecoat if doing the entire vehicle. Start on the lower fender/rocker areas and maybe the roof, then move into the more visible areas as you get a hang for the technique.