How to Make Spray Can Clear Coat Look Glossy
by Jen Davis
If you have successfully completed primering, painting and clear coating your vehicle without any major flaws or runs in the paint, you are only a short step away from having a professional looking paint job. Many first time painters may not realize that spray-on clear coat does not come out of the can glossy until they look at their final product and discover the paint looks dull and flat. Fortunately, this is easy to remedy and with the right materials you should have your paint job looking glossy and shiny in no time.
Step 1
Read the directions for the clear coat product you used on the car. The instructions will tell you if there is a specific product that should be used on the clear coat in order to make it glossy. Virtually all spray-on clear coats require some sort of buffing, polishing or rubbing compound application. However some products are too harsh for certain clear coats, so you will need to make sure you use the right one. If the clear coat you used requires a specific product and procedure for buffing, you should follow the directions given by the company to avoid potential damage.
Step 2
Use a mechanical buffer. Hand buffing is time consuming and may lead to uneven buffing, though it can be done using specially designed, hard-grained buffing or polishing cloths. Make sure your buffing kit supplies different grains of solution and buffing pads for your buffer.
Step 3
Select the appropriate grit for your paint and begin buffing. The instructions that come with the buffing kit will help you select the correct grit to use on the paint and clear coat products you used on the car. Be very careful and do not attempt to rush the buffing project. The buffer should be set on low speed and used gently and carefully on clear coat to avoid damage.
Step 4
Locate any uneven or flawed areas in the clear coat. Hand buff these using sandpaper or a similar automotive product, then re-buff them until they blend in smoothly with the rest of the paint.
References
Things You'll Need
- Buffer
- Polisher
- Buffing kit
- Sandpaper
Writer Bio
Jen Davis has been writing since 2004. She has served as a newspaper reporter and her freelance articles have appeared in magazines such as "Horses Incorporated," "The Paisley Pony" and "Alabama Living." Davis earned her Bachelor of Arts in communication with a concentration in journalism from Berry College in Rome, Ga.
