Water Based Car Paint Problems

In waterborne paint only the color pigment coat is water based the rest of the system such as the sealer and clear is still solvent based.

Water based car paint problems. It received an undeserved bad reputation because of infamous problems that plagued a number of gm cars in the late. Also known as edge mapping this paint problem results from solvents in topcoats penetrating through areas of the undercoats. To avoid this make certain to use a primer surfacer that is water based two component or another sealer to create a good barrier layer. Most of today s new cars are sprayed with waterborne paint at the factory too.

The change from lead based paints to water based car paint is due to the non toxic nature of water based paints. Even so waterborne does require a stainless gun to. Take care to follow application instructions and build the material to a sufficient film thickness. While this is a bit of a hardship on many paint shop operations there are a number of advantages the new coatings offering that should help small businesses justify the cost of making the transition.

If the area in question is relatively small remove flaking and peeling paint and then reapply paint material as you would during a spot repair. It looks like a wrinkling around an area that has been repaired. Because they are water based waterborne paints go on in much thinner layers than traditional solvent based paint leaving a smooth bright and even finish. Traditionally the majority of car paints was lead based but today paint is water based which increases the risk of chipping.

Sometimes solvent based paints will develop bubbles as the gases in the paint are released well after the paint job. Water based car paints are now relatively common in professional bodyshops having been used several years earlier by most manufacturers. With new rules regulating the use of volatile organic compounds vocs in spray paint now in effect auto body shop operators are under pressure to quickly convert from traditional solvent based paints to newer water based ones.