Paint Wrinkles on 2nd Coat

ok so paint question help!
Can someone please please tell me what I did wrong? Put on first coat a day ago and going to put second coat on but started to wrinkle up.
Sprayed with highly diluted spic and span and wiped and dried off the area before applying 2nd coat.
I tried to wipe wrinkles with tac cloth which well only made it worse but it was wrinkled anyway before.

I don't understand why it did this the first coat of spray paint looked great but the second is a disaster :/

 

https://www.paintfairs.com/why-does-spray-paint-wrinkle/

 

This. Most paints have a second coat time frame, either shoot it again when still wet or wait until well after the manufacturer recommend time and re-coat.

 

I've had high humidity cause that with can paint spray paint, I don't have any experience using automotive paint though.
Dry and recoat timing could be another factor.

 

If we get any paint experts here to chime in it may help to provide some more details (i.e. type of primer, paint, prep, shop/ambient conditions, spray times, etc.). The coating looks thick. Also, is this being painted outside or under a carport exposed to ambient temps/humidity?

 

That could be an issue.

 

I originally thought the same thing as well, but when I read OP's post in its entirety it wasn't completely clear to me when the wrinkles were noticed in the 2nd coat process (i.e. before or after applying the Spic and Span).

 

This is absolutely the issue.

 

Should not have used that cleaner to go over the first coat. Wax and grease remover is your best bet for something like that. Also, as others have said, it's best to paint multiple coats in the appropriate flash time, when the first coat is still wet. Waiting a whole day between coats complicates things to some degree. Contaminants can land on the paint, the paint may not be fully cured enough for a second coat, need to fine-grit sanding or scuffing if the paint is a single stage, a lot of variables at play.

 

Use minerals spirits or denatured alcohol to clean a paintable surface. Alcohol drys faster.

 

Its defiantly a chemical reaction and agree that the spic and span is the issue.

Heres a link to another message board on painting with some good information.

https://www.autobody101.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=3000

Hope this helps Painting can be tricky.

 

What kind of paint did you use for the first and second coats? Same manufacturer and type? I've seen that effect when the paints in different layers are incompatible. For instance, if the paint / thinner used on the second coat is significantly "hotter" than the one used in the first coat, it will actually dissolve the first coat. I've also seen it when the second coat was applied too heavily - which causes the solvents in the second coat to dissolve the paint in the first coat.

Sadly, no matter what the cause, you're going to have to go back to square one and start all over again. This is why painting at home - although it looks easy - generally isn't worth the time or effort.

 

Well first off this stupid Rustoleum paint was still tacty when I added 2nd coat even though it was next day before I added 2nd coat. Second after actually reading instructions it said sand the area lightly with 400 grit before applying a 2nd coat. Third even though I cleaned the surface before adding 2nd coat with water kitchen cleaner mix instead of mineral spirits or a de-greaser.
Also even though Rustoleum using is for metal it was not the automotive rustoleum enamel.

I guess my main question now is if you're spray painting truck. If you are adding another coat on top of factory coat do you need to sand it before painting it or can you just clean factory paint and then add the next coat (provided the factory clear coat and paint are still good).
I dont know why you could not just clean mineral spirits or de-greaser the factory paint then spray the aftermarket paint/ new coat on top of that, I am not a paint expert though.

 

Automotive painter here, hopefully I can help. The wrinkling is a reaction typically caused when the solvents on the top coat reactivate the solvents on earlier coats. Often happens when an additional coat is applied to heavily. If you post up the material you intend to apply, Im happy to review and offer tips. Also, it is really important to always read the tech sheet for any refinish material.

 

I applied spic and span to clean the first coat of rustoleum before applying the 2nd coat. Should have probably used degreaser instead or mineral spirits.

 

Im using spray paint that is rustoleum. I applied this to factory coat which was fine just faded with a few flaking spots of clear coat but I sanded the clear coat down before adding rustoleum paint.
From my research videos etc, I know if I am painting to sand it down like if its rusty or something.
However I am merely trying to change the color of vehicle, so if the factory paint is ok meaning the clear coat is ok theres no rough spots but the paint is faded. In this case cant I just clean the factory paint with degreaser or mineral spirits and then apply the rustoulem spray paint ?
Why would i need to sand it down if the factory paint is just faded but not rough or anything?

 

Paint manufacturers specify a surface condition or preparation to promote adhesion of their coating - for example, abrasive blast bare metal with 120 grit media. Or, lightly sand with 220 grit between coats. This is to give the surface some tooth for the next coat to properly bond.

Prep is 90-95% of a good paint job. The other 90-95% is coating thickness, time, clean dry air, humidity, temperature, etc. Think you shot yourself in the foot by applying a second coat with the wrong timing AND by wiping down the first coat for some reason. Best to follow manufacturer recommendations down to the letter in these cases, since paint usually has a "recoat within X hours or after Y hours." If you recoat after X but before Y the surface of the paint won't bond but is still curing beneath and the second coat prevents proper curing and doesn't adhere properly either.

 

Paint bonds to the substrate in one of two ways, chemical or mechanical adhesion. Chemical adhesion is when the molecules in the substrate bond with the molecules in the paint and lock together to create adhesion. This is typical with base coat over sealer, or clear over basecoat. What youre doing requires mechanical adhesion, aka sanding. An OEM finish being fully cured means that a new top coat will not adhere to the surface without sanding scratches which offer the paint something to "bite" into.

You mentioned that your clear is flaking in some spots and the paint is fading. It is well known that these trucks often experience a top coat break down due to UV exposure. A paint job is only as good as what is underneath it, so if your substrate is failing, your new paint wont last either. You will need to sand down and degloss any panel you intend on repainting, and you will need to "feather out" any areas where the clear is flaking. Flaking paint means its not sticking anymore, so your new paint wont stick to those areas either.

Painting a vehicle is easy in theory, but there are many details that must be accounted for during the process to achieve a successful, durable paint job. There are also many, many things that can go wrong along the way, and of you dont have a thorough understanding of the process and your material and equipment, it can be an exhaustive, frustrating, expensive endeavor.

I always appreciate the DIY spirit, but at the risk of sounding like a dick, there are some things that ought to be tackled by a professional. Your rustoleum will clean up with lacquer thinner, and youre going to need to start over with proper abrasion and prep. Happy to answer any other questions for you. Good luck my man!

 

Sanding helps prepare the surface for better adhesion. Paint will stick better to a roughed up surface better than a smooth surface. Of course this is a general concept. Sanding isn't ALWAYS necessary in every situation. Sometimes you sand before painting and/or between coats, sometimes not. Depends on what you're painting and what kinds of paints you're using.

Additionally, if you're dealing with a car with damaged paint already you may need to remove the top layer of damaged paint before applying new paint. Not saying you need to go down to metal but if you apply fresh paint over paint that is already compromised and deteriorating you're basically applying paint to an unstable surface that could cause a sub-par finish and poor adhesion as the unstable layer underneath continues to degrade.

 

So
[QUOTE="TacoTimbo, post: 27219043, member: 232763"
You mentioned that your clear is flaking in some spots and the paint is fading. It is well known that these trucks often experience a top coat break down due to UV exposure. A paint job is only as good as what is underneath it, so if your substrate is failing, your new paint wont last either. You will need to sand down and degloss any panel you intend on repainting, and you will need to "feather out" any areas where the clear is flaking. Flaking paint means its not sticking anymore, so your new paint wont stick to those areas either.}

Whatever clear coat parts that were flaking I sanded but I didn't sand the entire fender or roof if it did not have any flaky areas.
So hypothetically even if my factory paint was faded but the clear coat was not flaking then I would still need to fine sand it at least 300-400 otherwise the paint wont stick?
So basically any coat you add has to have some type of sanding done (via mechanical application) so a coat on top of factory paint will thereby never really bond correctly with a new coat you add?