Acrylic car paint comes in several different types, including acrylic urethane, acrylic lacquer and acrylic enamel. Each of these has its own advantages and disadvantages, which is why you need to study each paint before deciding which will be best for your car.
The Types of Acrylic Paint Available
From the 1920s to the 1960s acrylic lacquer paint was favoured. For those who don’t have much experience of painting cars, this paint can be the easiest to use as it’s easy to apply and inexpensive. The finish achieved can also be high gloss, which can give a nice effect to the overall paint job.
Acrylic enamel paints dry to form a hard shell, which is why these types of paints can last longer. Professionals who apply this paint to a car bake it on in order to create the long-lasting finish. This can be in one or two stages, with the two-stage process requiring a clear topcoat too.
Acrylic urethane paints are the newest types of acrylic paints that are available, and combine the benefits of lacquer and enamel paints. They have the longevity of enamel and the ease of application of lacquer, and they can be used on their own or as part of a two-stage process, where the clear coat is applied after the paint.
Just like diamond cutting for alloy wheels in Peterborough, it’s highly recommended that this type of paint work is carried out by a professional (you can also find out more about What is diamond cutting for alloy wheels? here).
The Disadvantages of Acrylic Paints
There are some disadvantages to all of these paints. Some feel as though acrylic lacquer paints don’t last as long due to them being “soft” and when exposed to UV or chemicals, they can wear very easily. For those who are looking to paint their own car, enamel paints aren’t very easy to apply and require a lot of finishing, including the clear topcoat which many cars require.
Acrylic urethane paints’ disadvantage is that they’re a combination of the two other paints, needing the right consistency and professional tools as the paint dries very fast. Once the colour has been mixed, the paint needs using straight away and will need to be applied with the right protection as the paint is highly toxic.
