Fresh Paint

**kenny.bacon** · 10-08-2015, 11:32 AM

How long is it advised to let paint cure before adding Sealant? A client of mine just had his I believe to be pride and joy painted. Paint was done well, high quality, nice smooth paint. He wants me to do a sealant job to protect the new paint. How long do I need to let the paint cure before putting a DA to it? There is no scratches or anything. The paint really does look to be a good quality job. It has been sitting in the shop for about a week now. Thanks!

**Stokdgs** · 10-08-2015, 12:01 PM

Was the paint cured in a booth or just set outside after it dried ?

If you can still smell the paint when you put your nose up close to it, it is not all cured..

Why would you want to use a DA on it if its that perfect ? It should have been already buffed out to make it smooth, more clear, and glossy, right ?

If it were me, I would want to wait until its absolutely cured before putting anything on it..

Yes, you certainly can put whatever you want on it - Im just not so sure it will stay on it long if the paint is still curing and it cures from the bottom up and out..

New paintwork is pretty much self protecting without any help for a while..

Good luck with your project !
Dan F

**kenny.bacon** · 10-08-2015, 12:18 PM

It has been sitting on an alignment rack at a shop curing on it`s own there. Thanks for the input. I don`t mean putting a DA to it to smooth anything out that isn`t needed. Simply to apply the Sealant with an ultra fine applicator pad. I prefer to apply it that way as I can get it considerably more even and I don`t risk any scratches like with a towel. Perhaps I will advise the client to let it cure for another month or so in shop before I seal it. I did a thorough inspection of the condition of the vehicle. it is going to need a lot of other attention elsewhere. It is an old school land cruiser. I`ll end up spending considerably more time on all the other less thought of areas of this vehicle than the paint on this one I am sure. lol.

**Stokdgs** · 10-08-2015, 12:31 PM

Oh, ok, I get it about the DA - great idea to apply the Sealant that way..

Well, depending on how it was initially dried with heat or not, it will take awhile to really cure, hence the smell test..

When I worked in a Paint Shop, we always told the Clients to wait a month or so, before applying anything to the paint..

And certainly, the paint has changed over the decades and now it probably dries and cures much faster since there is less solvents in it if any..

Old School Land Cruiser - love those cars !!! Lots of - miles of Interior and - sheetmetal on some of them !

Dan F

**Paul@Autopia** · 10-08-2015, 12:39 PM

I recently had my car painted (single stage) and was told to wait a month - however I`ve been told that it can vary greatly depending on the type of paint and the hardenerthat they use in the painting process. I`ve heard of painters telling the customer that the car would be fully cured in in 2 weeks, while others have been advised to wait 2 months.
Keeping that in mind the only way to be sure is to call the body shop who painted and ask them - they`re going to be able to give you a more specific time frame on how long the paint they applied needs to cure based on materials and process that they used.

**Accumulator** · 10-08-2015, 12:42 PM

I`ve probably had some paintwork done every year since the mid-70s; if I miss one year, another where I have five cars done more than makes up for it

IME things haven`t changed all *that* much from the customer/owner`s perspective.

Postproduction Paintwork (as Ford calls it) can be compounded/polished/etc. once it`s dry. The painter might have already wetsanded/compounded/polished it before it even left the shop. The only thing to watch for is that *until it finishes curing* it might quite possibly be softer than it`ll end up being (once it finishes curing). I`ve had repaints that were stupid-soft for over a month but then hardened up just fine. Note that it quit outgassing (at least to the extent that I could smell it) a while *before* it finished curing in the sense of attaining its max hardness.

Yeah the heating/baking can help speed things along, but not always as much as one might think/like. My painters always bake their work but I still usually wait a while before correcting it unless it`s so marred up that I just can`t stand it.

I`ve come around to using OCW (approved by Ford for this, which is why I finally tried it for this application) after decades of using fresh-paint-safe glazes, but I don`t use sealants for at least 90 days. So IMO it`s simple- here`s a decent, user-friendly LSP that`s been rigorously tested and found to be OK for repaints; that`s what I now use and recommend.

**The Guz** · 10-08-2015, 03:34 PM

Meguiar`s came out with M305 which can be applied to fresh paint.

Originally Posted by Accumulator

I`ve probably had some paintwork done every year since the mid-70s; if I miss one year, another where I have five cars done more than makes up for it

IME things haven`t changed all *that* much from the customer/owner`s perspective.

Postproduction Paintwork (as Ford calls it) can be compounded/polished/etc. once it`s dry. The painter might have already wetsanded/compounded/polished it before it even left the shop. The only thing to watch for is that *until it finishes curing* it might quite possibly be softer than it`ll end up being (once it finishes curing). I`ve had repaints that were stupid-soft for over a month but then hardened up just fine. Note that it quit outgassing (at least to the extent that I could smell it) a while *before* it finished curing in the sense of attaining its max hardness.

Yeah the heating/baking can help speed things along, but not always as much as one might think/like. My painters always bake their work but I still usually wait a while before correcting it unless it`s so marred up that I just can`t stand it.

I`ve come around to using OCW (approved by Ford for this, which is why I finally tried it for this application) after decades of using fresh-paint-safe glazes, but I don`t use sealants for at least 90 days. So IMO it`s simple- here`s a decent, user-friendly LSP that`s been rigorously tested and found to be OK for repaints; that`s what I now use and recommend.

I agree with the 90 days. Mike Phillips has an article which states 30 days. I waited 90 until I pit anything on the aftermarket hood of my car.

**Accumulator** · 10-09-2015, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by The Guz

Meguiar`s came out with M305 which can be applied to fresh paint..

Ah, good to mention such developments! I`m just so out-of-date these days...

Mike and I usually agree on most things, but the vast majority of repaints I`ve had done kept hardening for a lot longer than 30 days so I think we`re on the right track even if we`re erring on the side of caution. But !oh, man! consider all the variables that are in play on this sort of thing.

**The Guz** · 10-09-2015, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by Accumulator

Ah, good to mention such developments! I`m just so out-of-date these days...

Mike and I usually agree on most things, but the vast majority of repaints I`ve had done kept hardening for a lot longer than 30 days so I think we`re on the right track even if we`re erring on the side of caution. But !oh, man! consider all the variables that are in play on this sort of thing.

I`m getting close to repainting my daily before the end of the year and I do have some M305. So I will be giving it a shot once I do.

**Accumulator** · 10-10-2015, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by The Guz

I`m getting close to repainting my daily before the end of the year and I do have some M305. So I will be giving it a shot once I do.

Ah, I`ll be interested to hear about how it goes.

**The Guz** · 10-13-2015, 01:58 AM

Posted a question on the Meguiar`s forum regarding M305 in another topic this is the respinse from Nick at Meguiar`s.

Originally Posted by Nicholas Winn

Meguiar`s M305 Ultra Durable Finishing Glaze can be used during the curing time on fresh paint. It will still allow the paint to out gas and cure, un-like a wax.