I painted all my emblems with rattle cans a while back. But they've been fading and chipped in a couple spots from small hail. Tired of looking at them so I bought some new ones and getting them done by a body shop with actual automotive paint and clear. Wanted them done in flat or matte black. Got them back from my brother(after waiting over a month) yesterday. They look great......but as much as i stressed FLAT or MATTE black, they are shiny. Don't know why but their painter just cannot do flat/matte black. Angers me but can't really complain I suppose as the work was being done free.

Anyhow, my question for you painters out their, is what if anything can I do to take some of the shine off? They haven't been cleared yet, but are already too shiny for the look I want.

Thanks,
Rob

 

Basecoat shouldn't have much gloss by itself and you have to clear it anyway or the uv rays will fade it fast. Most paint company's (I've used PPG & BASF) make a flattener agent that you add to clear to get a desired gloss level. Some bumpers, interior parts have a wide variance. I've had really good luck with flat black graphics (Matched the Roush Nitemare decals perfect) mixing 100% clear to 120% flattener, Then mixing clear as normal. (PPG) Example, say clear mix ratio is 4/1/1 clear/hardener/reducer it would be the clear/flattener combined as 4 then 1 part hardener 1 part reducer.

 

Yea, I was expecting them to look flatter with just the basecoat. They are rather shiny though. I'll be getting them cleared after I add decal to the lettering.

I'm aware of the paint mixture for the clear coat, but I'm not sure I can trust the painter at my brothers shop to do it right. So I don't really know what I'm going to do.

 

yellow stx, Are you a painter?