Polycrylic Over House Paint?

[LRDDude]

In preparation for painting my M101 trailer I painted my wife's off road - Jeep in Sherman Williams house paint as a test project last month. And I wanted to finally paint the Jeep in military style like my wife has wanted for years. We are happy with the result but I want the paint to be harder and more durable. I am considering a polycrylic matt clear coat over it. We put about 300 to 500 miles a year on this Jeep, so I don't need a hammer tough finish. Just something a little harder. Any suggestions about polycrylic?
I attached a pic of my wife's jeep.

 

[Jeepsinker]

Unless you want it to look like it has peeling sunburn in a year or two don't do it. Even the cheapest matte clear from an auto paint supply house will last longer.

 

[LRDDude]

Unless you want it to look like it has peeling sunburn in a year or two don't do it. Even the cheapest matte clear from an auto paint supply house will last longer.

Thank you. I wanted to stay away from the relatively toxic auto paint but I will look into auto grade matte clear coat.

 

[Jeepsinker]

Oh man, people make things out to be so much more toxic than they are. Honestly, yes you should wear a respirator to keep particulates out of your lungs, but the overspray isn't going to kill plants and destroy the atmosphere. Just use proper protective equipment for yourself. For what it's worth I normally only wear a respirator if I'm painting in an area where there isn't much airflow. Just trying to make a point here.

 

[LRDDude]

It's all good, I understand. I am not so concerned with labels as I am with my neighbors. I don't want them to smell paint particles coming from my property that will give them a reason to be alarmed.

 

[Jeepsinker]

Ahh the dreaded neighbors... I understand. Well, you can always go out of the city limits or a large parking lot in an industrial zone and use the air system on the truck to run a cheap HVLP spray gun. Of course you will want to use a small desiccant filter in line before the gun. I did a jeep in a truck stop parking lot once. Do you have an onboard air system on your jeep?

 

[ducer]

Jeepsinker,
Not good advise to give some one! In any state in the Union that will get you thrown in jail and very hefty fines and in the Peoples Republic of California maybe even the death penalty. Believe it or not automotive paints contain some very bad chemicals and compounds. Isocyanides, cobalt, solvents (central nervous system dammage) are just a few. LRDDude you are correct to be cautious and do not listen to foolish advise. Allways wear the proper protective equiptment. You could try to use a waterbased clear automotive paint, but I do not know how it would hold up over the house paint. Water based paints require some special equiptment but are much more health and enviromentaly friendly Had you not chose to use house paint but regular automotive paint the answers would be easy. Please do not listen to Jeepsinker and give our hobby a black eye.

Denny

 

[Jeepsinker]

Relax man. I've been painting vehicles both in paint booths professionally and outside for friends with and without respirators for years. Yes I agree a respirator is important to have, not telling him not to wear one. But I'm not a vegetable from not using a respirator sometimes either. Only telling him his options. He is an adult and can make his own decisions. Best thing really would be to take it to a paint shop and let them spray it, but I'm figuring that he wants to do it himself and save money. That limits his options to something like I suggested. Up to him.

 

[porkysplace]

Relax man. I've been painting vehicles both in paint booths professionally and outside for friends with and without respirators for years. Yes I agree a respirator is important to have, not telling him not to wear one. But I'm not a vegetable from not using a respirator sometimes either. Only telling him his options. He is an adult and can make his own decisions. Best thing really would be to take it to a paint shop and let them spray it, but I'm figuring that he wants to do it himself and save money. That limits his options to something like I suggested. Up to him.

Well since you say you paint profesionally , you should know the E.P.A. regulations on painting and they pretty much require a recovery system for the fumes . I doubt you will find a industrial property owner anywhere that will let you come on to their poperty and start painting a vehicle . This site and the majority of the members to promote a possitive image of the hobby not endorse illegal or questionable activity.

 

[Jeepsinker]

Yes I do know. Well I guess we just tell the O.P. that he can't paint his wife's jeep. Cool. There you go Lrddude, you have your options but we can't endorse them. You have to make your own decisions instead of being a sheep.

 

[ducer]

Jeepsinker he does have options as I mentioned earlier water based automotive paints are a very viable option. To be perfectly honest I'm not sure there is any clear that will work with a house paint base and not peel off over time. There is no need for name calling (sheep). The EPA makes the rules it's their game we can either play by their rules or not play at all. As for health issues just wait they will catch up with you if you continue doing things the way you are.

Denny

 

[Cleptomaniac]

Ducer,
If you want you can spray a whole car outside legally. The law just sez you have to use a 4oz or smaller cup. So theoretically if you wanted to do it 4oz at a time you would be ok. (Don't know anything about Cali) This rule is designed for touch up guys exc.

The clear coat is the roughest stuff to use. It's toxicity is prolly the worst. If you use a respirator you'll be fine. As far as it sticking to house paint I have no clue.

Good luck

 

[Jeepsinker]

Ducer, I'm sorry I got upset with you. Yes I'm certain that it would catch up with me if I continued to paint without a respirator. Fact of the matter is that I haven't done that in years and only did it a couple of times anyway. I am no longer a painter. Just one of the few jobs I've held. As far as the name calling goes, I just get tired of people doing what they are told mindlessly. Anyway, I'll not argue anymore as I think we both know what the laws and practices are, we just can't seem to get on the same page. Hope to have more civil conversations with you in the future.
- Garrett

 

[LRDDude]

I am just going to leave this alone other than to say that we are over-regulated to the point of being oppressed. I adhere to warning labels but have little trust in governmental testing. I grew up with lead based paint everywhere. And yet I survived into my 50's and have normal children and grand children. And the lead didn't effect my sperm count, and sometimes I wish it had.
I use a respirator and protect the locals as necessary. I follow the law but I don't have to like them.
I will leave the jeep as is. It's a rock crawler for crying out loud. Rock rash is easy to fix with house paint.
Thanks for everyone's input.