Paint Film Thickness: Recommended Products In the interest of full disclosure, I am in no way affiliated with, employed by, have any vested interest, or in any way receive compensation from the sale or distribution of the product lines reviewed or the company that manufactures or markets it. Results Obtained These articles are not intended to warrant or guarantee any results with any of the products mentioned. No endorsement of companies or their products mentioned is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar companies or their products not mentioned. The author does not provide, nor guarantee and is not responsible or liable for any third-party products or services. Brand, product and company names used throughout these articles are trademarks of their respective companies and are used for product identification purposes only. Proper Technique A sound understanding of the proper technique and the correct process will produce excellent results even with a mediocre product. A quality product used without the proper surface preparation or application technique will never obtain a satisfactory result. Using the proper methodology (surface preparation, using a quality product, along with the correct application technique) will ensure an excellent result. Skill Level / Experience Some methods described may be beyond the capabilities of the average detailer or enthusiast; in this case we strongly encourage the reader to consult a professional detailer or body shop concerning the matters discussed herein. Liability The writer assumes no responsibility, expressed or implied, due to misuse or misinterpretation of the information or methods used, or for any vehicle damage or injury that may occur due to the suggestions and information offered. Product Quality and Technique Proceed with this in mind; the products you use constitute a very small factor in the equation. Methodology and technique constitute 95%; the reasoning behind the choice of quality products is to eliminate any limiting factors, thus enabling you to place emphasis on technique used. There is no `one correct way' to apply a product; the way detailing products are customized are what each individual finds give them their desired results. Aesthetics The aesthetics- of a vehicles appearance is very subjective to say the least, the only best wax or sealant that really matters is what looks 'best' to you. In the final analysis it all come down to; 85% preparation, 5% product, 7% application methodology and the balance is in the ‘guy’ of the beholder Research Research others opinions and products, test them and then make an objective decision based upon factual information not marketing hype or brand loyalty. I have always thought that the more facts and information you have at hand the easier it is to judge what information you are being given. After all, how can you fully understand and properly use any product unless you have all the facts? Detailing Should work on the products real merits, not ‘smoke and mirrors'. Most importantly - choose carefully whose advice you listen to, and more importantly what advice you act upon, so I would strongly suggest that you verify any information that I or anyone else shares with you. Automotive paint systems Comprise of up to five different layers of paint. The system typically consists of: 1.A galvanized steel substrate with a thin crystalline tri-cation phosphate treatment to enhance adhesion and improve corrosion protection; 2.An E-coat is then added which is the first protective layer. This is electrodeposited and then cured 3.Lower panels have an anti chip layer, which is a thick layer designed to give protection against impact from stones 4.This is then followed by a primer (2.0 Mils) and a basecoat (1 – 2.0 Mils) layer, which is the colour layer 5.And finally polyurethane clear coats 2 – 3.0 Mils. The clear coat provides protection from a hostile environment and an excellent brilliance, but is easily scratched; once it is compromised repairs involve re-painting, as the base colour has no brilliance, shine or depth, start with the least abrasive product to accomplish desired results, and only if necessary move up to the next grade of abrasive. What is the "right" paint thickness for a vehicle? There is no "right" paint thickness for any vehicle. Automobile manufacturers paint thousands of vehicles each day with a wide variety of paint formulations; their specification has a range of thicknesses. For some models this can be as low as 3 Mil and, in the case of the rocker panels of Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs), as high as 17 Mils. If there is no "right thickness", what am I looking for? Paint thickness consistency; for example, when you are reading between 3.5 and 5.0 Mils and a reading shows a sudden reduction in thickness, you know there is a cause for concern in that particular area of the bodywork. Most factory paint jobs range from 3.5 to 5.5 mils (87 to 137 microns) (this will vary between manufacturers) for this reason, it’s also recommended that paint be measured when buffing since you can’t see how much paint is being removed during the buffing process. Paint Removed by Polishing Using a moderate to light polish; and utilizing a rotary polisher will remove approximately 0.000025 - inches (0.635 Microns) from the paint surface (they are many variables such as polish/compound and speed / pressure used and the number of ‘passes’ that may affect the paint removed) If you have reservations about the amount of paint surface removed or the amount of paint coating remaining the use of a paint thickness gauge (PTG) is arbitrary If an insufficient thickness of clear remains after polishing premature failures such as fading or delaminating may occur as the colour coat won't be protected from ultra violet (UV) radiation and a warranty issue may develop in the future. Such risks can be alleviated by monitoring and minimizing the amount of top coat removed, which is best done through quick and easy measurements with an electronic paint gauge, and maintaining a record on a paint thickness template. Measure your paint very cold weather (-1.oF<) then measure it when it is hot to the touch (>95.oF) there can be as much a 2 micron difference (1 Mil=1000th of an inch) German and Japanese cars: 4-5 Mils With the exception of: Lexus-White and Tan: 5-7 Mils, Lexus- Black and Silver: 4.5-6 Mils BMW: Silver: 6-7 Mils FORD: Approx. 5.5-7 Mils GM Cars and Trucks: Approx. 4.5-6.0 Mils, Jimmy’s and Blazers: approx 7 Mils Chrysler: Approx. 5.5-7 Mils (Note Sebring hoods are fibreglass) Dodge Cars: Similar to Chrysler Dodge Trucks and newer Ram Pick-ups: Cab approx. Mils and the boxes approx 9 Mils Jaguar: approx. 6-7.5 Mils (but they tend to vary) Jeep Grand Cherokee: These read approx. 6-8 Mils, Wranglers: approx. 4.5-5.5 Mils Note- the above are provided for guidance / information only Paint Thickness Gauge (PTG): An electronic paint thickness gauge can be an invaluable tool, before buffing it’s always a good idea to check the paint film thickness to see how much of the paint film thickness is available, check periodically during the process and on completion to see how much was removed. Take measurements with a paint and coating thickness gauge (Check-Line Model DEF-900) All the major car manufacturers specify that measurements should be taken before, during and after these steps. This is primarily because removal of too much clear coat can cause paint failure over time due to the fact that UVR absorption is the job of the clear coat. If an insufficient thickness of clear remains after polishing the colour coat won't be protected from UV radiation. For this reason, it’s also recommended that paint be measured when buffing since you can’t see how much paint is being removed during the buffing process. If too much clear is removed, either on the original OEM finish or the refinished areas (colour coat 0.3–0.5 and total paint 1.8MIL thickness min) a warranty issue may develop down the road it’s interesting to note that painters must now demonstrate proficiency with an electronic paint thickness gauge in order to become certified to perform refinish warranty work for General Motors Corp. (GM) vehicles. Information resource Automotive Detailing Inside & Out; a Knowledge Base for the Perfectionist– by Jon Miller © TOGWT ™ Ltd Copyright 2002-2008, all rights reserved Detailing Articles This is one of is one of a series of unbiased and informative, knowledge based, subject specific articles, which are dedicated to the automotive detailing enthusiast or professional detailer in search of development and further education Copyright Protection and intellectual property rights-© This work is registered with the UK Copyright Service that supports international copyright protection by securing independent evidence that will help prove originality and ownership in any future claims or disputes. All original material is copyright, unless otherwise state (1) it may be copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes only provided that you retain all copyright and other proprietary notices contained in the original material, (2) the information is copied in full with no changes unless prior written agreement is obtained from TOGWT, and a reference to © TOGWT ™ is included, any unauthorized use of these materials may violate copyrights and/or trademark. Be aware these files have been digitally watermarked and actually contain embedded copyright information; so they can be traced to any website on the internet if needed in a legal confrontation
