Excited by the blog post below? Dive into the blog and get a hands on tutorial on how to get the best finish for a project like this using Sprayons Spray Paints!
Spray paints have been around a long time serving many purposes. Improvements in the quality over time have opened doors for many more uses and the best part is, it’s very easy to use.
For this project we decided that we would do something different and exciting that can show the true potential of Sprayons and in time maybe help you finish your project with the best possible finish. We started off with sourcing a tank from Pune’s famed automobile parts market, Nana Peth.
DESIGN
With no intentions of using the tank on a motorcycle, we cut it in half using a cutting wheel and started designing the tank graphics digitally. Before we start working on the final designs, all the original paint on the tank must go off! Follow the steps below for an ideal finish.
TIP – Planning your project to the finest detail will always keep you ahead of the curve.
PAINT STRIPPING
If you’re using a bare metal tank, then you can skip this step but our 20 year old tank still had the factory paint on it. Remove all old paint or else the new coats will not adhere properly and you won’t get a long lasting finish!
What you will need – 220-600 grit wet sanding paper, gloves, clean water and 2 clean cloths
- Wet the surface with some water and sand with 220/320 grit paper.
- Make sure you apply pressure evenly and avoid using your finger tips to apply excess pressure, this will leave the surface with scratches.
- Wash the surface everytime it dries up and wipe away the paint dust. Wet the surface again and repeat the sanding.
- If you spot any dents, make a note of it or mark it because once all the old paint is off, it might be difficul spot it again.
- Once ALL the paint is off you can move to the next stage.
TIP – A paint stripper can be used to strip off the paint faster if you are comfortable with it.
PUTTY FILLING
Once the paint is off, you will find little dents that can potentially ruin the look of the tank. Putty is a product designed for this very dent filling activity. Use putty to fill up the dents and get a smooth seamless finish!
What you will need: Polyester putty, 220-800 grit wet sandpaper, round edge putty knife, face mask, gloves
- Mix the putty and hardener and quickly apply to dents or any surface which needs a flat finish, the smoother it is when applied the easier it is to sand off for a perfect finish.
- Putty hardens really fast so don’t waste any time after mixing.
- Sand off any excess putty until the putty and surface feel seamless and all the bumps have gone. You can apply more putty to the same spot if required.
- Wet or dry works well for this step, how ever wet sanding is recommended to finish it off.
- Once the putty has dried and you’re satisfied with the surface finish, you can move on to the primer.
TIP – Putty fumes are unpleasant and can be an irritant, we strongly recommend using a face mask.
PRIMING
A primer is generally applied so that your first coat of paint adheres to the surface. Read the steps below to know how to apply a primer coat evenly and to ensure a smooth surface to paint on.
What you will need: Sprayons Grey primer, 600-1200 grit wet sanding paper, gloves, mask, clean water and clean cloth
- Prepare the surface by cleaning with water/soap water. Remove all moisture from the surface before spraying the primer. This can potentially save you from hours of repainting and sanding!
- Once the surface is dry and clean from any impurities, spray the primer lightly and evenly.
- Don’t be afraid if you miss a spot, a second coat will fix that.
- Avoid overspraying as this will cause drops to form and will set you back a few hours in sanding. Also avoid spraying the edges densely as the paint accumulates there and will not dry evenly.
- After your first spray, lightly wet sand using 600-1200 to smoothen the surface and then repeat this atleast 2-3 times to get a good even coat of primer.
- Give a minimum of 30-40 minutes between each coat for drying. This may vary depending on temperature. Take more time if you feel it hasn’t dried.
- After priming, lightly wet sand the surface with 800-1200 grit. This is important so that the next coat of paint can adhere to the primer well.
TIP – Primer makes sure your paint adheres to the surface, if it isn’t sprayed properly it can ruin your finish
WHITE BASE COAT
After priming the surface for a fresh coat of paint, we recommend using a white base coat. This white base coat will ensure your top coat pops and looks beautiful!
What you will need: 800-1200 grit wet sanding paper, Sprayons white glossy
- Same rules apply for applying the base coat, spray evenly and no overspraying.
- Wait 30-40mins between coats.
- Lightly wet sand with 800-1200 grit.
- Dry the surface and remove all moisture before applying new coat.
TIP – If you don’t have a paint booth, make sure you paint in the morning in warm conditions.
SECOND COAT AND STENCILLING
Once our base coat was ready, we used Sprayons Fluorescent Yellow and painted one half yellow! The other half was painted using Sprayons Honda Red and Sprayons Copper Rust to create a beautiful gradient between the two shades. The fun part thereafter was using vinyl sheets for stencilling to bring the tank to life! Easily customisable to any design you need and a very good option to use for stencilling!
What you will need: Sprayons Flourescent Yellow, Sprayons Honda Red, Sprayons Copper dust, Corel Draw digital file, vinyl sheet, clear transfer paper
- Spray Flourescent yellow/Honda Red & Copper Rust on the tank, exactly how we painted the base coat, with light wet sanding between coats.
- After the paint has dried and you have achieved the finish you require. Lift the cutouts from the vinyl sheet by sticking the clear paper over it and peeling it off.
- If during peeling the whole cutout hasn’t stuck on the transfer paper, put it back and give it another try after pressing hard on the transfer sheet.
- Stick the vinyl on the tank according to the design and peel off the transfer sheet carefully without pulling the vinyl out.
- After all the stencils have been stuck, clean the surface and prepare for your final coat.
TIP – Weaken the gum from the transfer paper by sticking the transfer paper on a pair of jeans/cloth and taking it off twice.
FINAL COAT
Its time to complete the project by applying the final coat. We’ve used black to make the graphics standout, especially on the fluorescent yellow tank!
What you will need: Sprayons Metallic Black, 800-1200 grit sandpaper
- Once again, same rules apply for spraying the final coat.
- Be extra careful when sanding, avoid sanding harshly near the edges of the stencil. You don’t want it to come off!
- After the the paint has dried, you can peel off the stencil and enjoy the design come to life!
- Peeling off the stencil is simple but at the same time if you’re not careful, can damage the paint. Use a pointed object to peel the vinyl off slowly without scratching the surface.
- After peeling off, the glue from the vinyl might remain behind, clean it off with some water and prepare the tank for the final stage.
TIP – Practice this step on a test piece if attempting for the first time.
Hope you enjoyed today’s blog on using Sprayons Spray paints to get a beautiful finish! Links to all the materials used above are below
- Sprayons Grey Primer
- Sprayons White Glossy
- Sprayons Honda Red
- Sprayons Copper Dust
- Face Mask
- Nitrile Gloves
- Sand Paper
- Putty – Not available online at the moment
