Expert: Michael Kakuk - 9/9/2009

Question
I am trying to repair a small paint area on a door panel that has a clear coat.  I have sanded down the repair area and want to apply a new base coat.  Should I sand the surrounding clear coat with 1000 grit w/d paper and over spray the clear coat with the base coat and then over spray the whole area with a clear coat, or will the base coat not adhere to the clear coat.  What is the proper method?

Answer
John..... sounds like you want to repair a spot on the door and try to blend into the clear around the repaired area. If you have gone through the base on your repairs then I would not attempt to
blend around it.

Prepare the entire door with a scuff pad ie 1500 grit w/d and featheredge the repaired area.
Apply the base coat to cover repaired area and on the second coat do the entire door.

Clear entire panel

There are blending agents out there in the market but it takes alot of practice and some tricky
paper masking that is to involved to explain here.

By base coating the entire door there is now a good surface for the clear to adhere to.


Good Luck