I'm having some clear coat failure on my Impreza. The base color is fine and the clear coat has not peeled.......yet. I'm told it can be "color sanded" and reshot with clear, without having to paint the color again. Some say they just do the roof hood and trunk top surfaces, (those that typically fail). Is this true?

 

Has any one done or, heard of that? (Sure would be nice to keep the original paint)!

 

Todd

I'm having some clear coat failure on my Impreza. The base color is fine and the clear coat has not peeled.......yet. I'm told it can be "color sanded" and reshot with clear, without having to paint the color again.[...]Is this true?[...]

Depends on the type of failure. Not peeling is good, but are we talking cracks/crazing/"spidering", chips, or just some hazing? How extensive (how large an area is affected)?

What year Imp?

I'm having some clear coat failure on my Impreza. The base color is fine and the clear coat has not peeled.......yet. I'm told it can be "color sanded" and reshot with clear, without having to paint the color again. Some say they just do the roof hood and trunk top surfaces, (those that typically fail). Is this true?

 

Has any one done or, heard of that? (Sure would be nice to keep the original paint)!

 

Todd

 

It's possible to sand it and re-clear it. I've even sanded the peeling clear coat with 2000 grit wet paper and buffed it and it doesn't look too bad.

It's really more hazing, (Whiteish). No peel. It's a 1995. It on the corners of the roof, near the windshield. I'm thinking that the whole roof should be re cleared.

 

I guess I will look into this more.

 

Thanks!

 

Todd

Like Subaru360 said it can be wet sanded and reshot with clear coat. I've done it a few times work fine. Base coat clear coat is wonderful stuff. The base goes on so "dry" you have to try and make it run. The clear will run if your not careful, but after it dries wet sand the spot and reshoot with the clear. It's the anybody can paint their car paint!

It's really more hazing, (Whiteish). No peel. It's a 1995. It on the corners of the roof, near the windshield. I'm thinking that the whole roof should be re cleared.

As long as there's no delamination, it might be possible to just compound the clear coat in those areas, and from then on keep a good coat of wax on it to minimize further damage. A light sanding and recoating would of course be an option.

 

 

I guess I will look into this more.

Since on clear-coated finishes the color coat usually isn't very thick, sanding (and sometimes even using clear-coat compound) has to be done with finesse. If you're not sure what's left of the finish in the bad areas, try to find a shop with a paint thickness gauge, which should help determine the best course of action. (Even some professional detailers have a gauge.)

(/QUOTE)Since on clear-coated finishes the color coat usually isn't very thick, sanding (and sometimes even using clear-coat compound) has to be done with finesse. If you're not sure what's left of the finish in the bad areas, try to find a shop with a paint thickness gauge, which should help determine the best course of action. (Even some professional detailers have a gauge.)

 

 

In my experience this is not nesscary. The clear coat is thicker than the base coat if done correctly. The base is thin requring only one coat, the clear is usually 3 coats though more is allowed. Use 600 grit wet sand the area and shoot it with clear.

In my experience this is not nesscary. The clear coat is thicker than the base coat if done correctly. The base is thin requring only one coat, the clear is usually 3 coats though more is allowed. Use 600 grit wet sand the area and shoot it with clear.

My point was that care has to be taken when sanding the clear coat, since if you accidentally go through it, there's only the thin color ("base") coat beneath it. I've seen the result of sanding while assuming the clear coat had full factory thickness when it didn't, and it wasn't pretty. If you're the original owner, and know that no top coat has ever been removed with polishing compound, etc., then there's less of a concern.

 

By the way, it shouldn't require 600 to remove haze. For the reasons I already mentioned, I'd use a finer grit.

My point was that care has to be taken when sanding the clear coat, since if you accidentally go through it, there's only the thin color ("base") coat beneath it. I've seen the result of sanding while assuming the clear coat had full factory thickness when it didn't, and it wasn't pretty. If you're the original owner, and know that no top coat has ever been removed with polishing compound, etc., then there's less of a concern.

 

By the way, it shouldn't require 600 to remove haze. For the reasons I already mentioned, I'd use a finer grit.

 

I agree with your point on this. If you don't know the history of the vehicle, it is always best to assume the worst. I'd treat it like it has been mostly buffed off. I've done this to a few older rigs where the clearcoat had started getting hazy. You can even pull it off on paint jobs where the clear coat is peeling. It's more difficult, but it is doable.

 

I would find someone who knows what they are doing, and has experience doing something like this before. Even if you have to remove the clear, you can lightly sand the color coat, and shoot from there. It sounds like you are just going to scuff the clear, get the haze out of it, then re-shoot a new clear over it. It should work just fine. I'd go no coarser than 1200 grit for a job like that though. Any more, and it will show through like a turd in a punchbowl.

 

Be sure to find out what the stock paint system is for that particular vehicle. I have never messed with painting Subs, so I have no idea what to tell you there. Just be sure to be very careful with what paint system you use to refinish it. Not all clearcoat systems are compatible, and even though your paint has had years to cure; incompatibility could cause a chemical reaction, and ruin any work you have done. This is where an expert is a must.

 

Good luck!

I think this might be a good topic to save for reference. I think alot of us will be dealing with this in the future!

 

Thanks for the good information all!

 

Todd