About I-CAR - Current Events/News: e-newsletters: Advantage Online: July 15, 2002

July 15, 2002 -If there was a question before about what I-CAR’s position is on blending clearcoats, that position is clarified with the release of the I-CAR Refinishing Program 3. In the program, it states that when applying a clearcoat, application should be to the complete panel. If there is no panel edge, such as on a quarter panel which goes uninterrupted from the sail panel into the roof, the entire quarter panel, roof, A-pillar, and opposite quarter panel must be prepared for clearcoat application to prevent leaving an exposed clearcoat edge. This assures that the paint and vehicle makers’ warranties are maintained.

This position is consistent with paint and vehicle makers, some of which have also published statements. As part of research for Refinishing Program 3, all of the five major paint makers (Akzo Nobel, BASF, DuPont, PPG, and Sherwin-Williams) confirmed that applying the clearcoat to a panel break is the recommendation to maintain the paint warranty.

Figure 1–Two recommendations for applying clearcoat include applying the first coat only where basecoat was applied, then the full panel with the second coat, or applying both coats to the entire panel.

It is recommended by most paint and vehicle makers to apply both coats of clearcoat to the complete panel to prevent deterioration of a blend-edge. Some vehicle and paint makers recommend applying the first coat of clearcoat only to where the basecoat was applied, then applying the second coat to the complete panel (see Figure 1). For example, Akzo Nobel and Sherwin-Williams recommend this method of application.

Figure 2–This is an example of a visible edge where UV rays have deteriorated the clearcoat in the blend area.

It is recognized, by both paint makers and I-CAR, that some refinishing technicians may choose to blend the clearcoat on some applications. If the decision is made to blend the clearcoat, be aware that this blend edge will not provide the proper UV protection and will deteriorate (see Figure 2). The repair also may not be covered by the paint and vehicle maker’s warranty. If the decision is made to blend a clearcoat, the technician needs to follow the paint maker’s procedures and use any required blending solvents.