How Many Coats?

[Monty1970]

Hi all,

As a newbie i was wondering how many coats of acrylic paint i should give my models to get a even finish? Also should i coat with a Matt or Gloss cote after the painting stage?

Many Thanks

Ian

[Ratch]

If you paint it properly you can get away with one coat. If that's not satisfactory, repeat as many times as necessary. You will need a coat of gloss as a foundation for any decals. The finishing varnish will depend on the subject.

[Monty1970]

Cheers Ratch much appreciated 

Ian

[Dad Paul B]

It will depend on how dense the pigment is (Fluorescent Fire Orange needs four or five coats) and the type - satin finishes can be a pain for leaving watermarks as the pigment and carrier medium separate while drying.

I would generally go for two coats and add more if needed.

[ironsides]

It will depend on how dense the pigment is (Fluorescent Fire Orange needs four or five coats) and the type - satin finishes can be a pain for leaving watermarks as the pigment and carrier medium separate while drying.

I would generally go for two coats and add more if needed.

Ditto usually two thin coats, with a broad flat brush of the best quality, followed by a thin coat of acryllic gloss varnish in areas where decals are to go, followed when dry by the decals applied with a decal solution... and finally a thin coat (or two) of Mattcote or any decent non yellowing matt varnish... .-)

[Kenneth ONeill]

Slight variation here - I use Johnson's Klear floor wax rather than model varnish as a preparation for decals.

[Ratch]

I often hear folks cry that their paint won't adhere to the plastic, that the paint is expelled by the plastic. That's exactly what appears to be happening here. I decided to use Humbrol Acrylic 160 German Camouflage Red Brown for the floorboards of an old Airfix Brake Van and had this happen

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24749108/413007336.jpg

Disregard the white and maroon, they're OK for what I intend, and DON'T PANIC! With quick drying acrylic paints it takes just a few coats to cover.

Second coat.

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24749108/413007337.jpg

Not quite right yet, but an improvement.

Third coat.

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24749108/413007338.jpg

Much better coverage, you can repeat as often as required. This took less than an hour, so you can see how quickly you can get a result.

[wcndave]

So, the suggestion here seems to be that you would do:

• Prime
• 2 coats acrylic (normally)
• Gloss where decals go (gloss what?)
• Decals with decal solution
• Mattcote on top

In the old days I just did two coats of enamel and applied the decals, job done.

Perhaps that's why most of my models weren't that great!

[Kenneth ONeill]

@wcndave

"Gloss" (varnish) overall before applying decals because they conform better over a glossy finish, "stick" better, and any transparent carrier film is less obvious.

[Yug]

Yeah, I've still got modelsI made when I was 13/14. A lot of them the decals have come off except the one's I coated with clear varnish. WELL I DIDN'T KNOW - THOUGHT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MATT. And there was no such thing as Decalfix in those days. 

[dabhand]

Yeah, I've still got modelsI made when I was 13/14. A lot of them the decals have come off except the one's I coated with clear varnish. WELL I DIDN'T KNOW - THOUGHT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MATT. And there was no such thing as Decalfix in those days. 

My friends and me used to paint gloss varnish under the 'transfers' (as decals were called then) to make them stick.  I remember using my first bottle of liquid cement to do the same job and remember how the transfers reacted - badly!