Clear Coat Sucks

[lastplace29er]

What's up with clear coat? I paint several bike parts with Krylon's Premium Chrome paint, looked great but when they were handled the shine was reduced. Figure I need to clear coat, used Krylon's Crystal Clear. The parts turned gray, WTF?

Is it going to dry clear and shinny?

Do I have to polish?

Should I have used something else?

 

[jerrykr]

Dunno - Happened to me too. Went from Shiny to dull.

 

[lastplace29er]

I spoke to Krylon customer service. They said metallic finishes should not be clear coated. It appears rather then clear coat the painted parts should be cured for up to 5 day before handling. They also said since I'm unhappy with the results mail them the receipt and they will refund the purchase cost.

 

[ozzmonaut]

I have had clear turn a dull grayish, almost like privacy glass. I laid on a few more coats, waited about a week, then used rubbing compound aggressively and it came out nice. But it is a lot of work for only standard results.

 

[Mr. Kool]

Never use krylon but i think process is The same as other brands.
If you clear coat you will lost shine but... The key is not to wet to much to avoid clear to go into paint. Ideally use polyuréthane clear and coats must be very very light. Mist coats until you have full coverage then when It is dry you can go with a wet coat.

That's how i do It.

 

[B607]

I use Krylon a lot. Never the metallic though. Krylon in regular colors is an enamel paint. When enamel dries, it is very shiny and clear coat doesn't really help. You're wasting time and paint. Clear coat worked best for me on lacquer paint like Dupli-coat. The clear Krylon will cloud if the humidity is too high. Gary

 

[Ldog33]

^^^ What he said, I see so many people clear things that do not need it. Single stage paints work just fine, it's really only when you go two stage that you need clear. Plus, most clears that come out of a rattle can yellow after a few years.
Heck, I have a single stage paint job on one of my cars for 13 years and it still looks like new.

 

[patman73]

just buy high gloss paint & skip slear coat !