Single vs 2 stage

Anything goes in the world of fiberglass and plastic



Settled In
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2023 8:33 pm

Country:
USA
PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 12:24 pm
Not going to do my own painting and confused. 02 Chevy roadtrek with fiberglass body. One shop wants to do 2 stage the other single stage. 2 stage shop $12-$15,000, single stage$8,000... For $12-$15K I will get a couple gallons of house paint and roll it. LOL

Start poking around the net and 2 stage is the clear choice. Single stage very hard to apply right, not as shiny, fades and chalks in a few years, only good for beaters and lawn tractors. Kinda sounds like Rusoleum oil paint?

Urethane clear coat is tough as nails, very pretty and easy to apply according to the net. Why is a urethane clear coat better than a urethane single stage?

20 years ago I had an RV painted, not sure of what kind of paint but definitely not 2 stage. 10 years later when I sold it, still looked good. The guy that bought it from me sold it 8 years later and said it still looked ok. This was sitting out in the weather mostly FL and California. What am I missing.?



Top Contributor
Posts: 6731
Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 7:10 pm
Location: OREGON COAST
PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 12:53 pm
heres what i think. first urathane S.S i no harder to apply than a clear coat over basecoat, its the same stuff. i wouldn't hesitate to use a S/S solid color, BUT i wouldn't use a S/S metalic. the S/S metallics just don't look or hold up as good as B/C. i have had S/S metallics go on real good and some that don't. as for application S/S metallics go on good you just have to know how its done. as for durability urathane S/S is just as good as a clear coat, agian its the same stuff. the one real deal maker with B/C is the repairability. its easy to repair a spot by blending the color and clearing the complete panel, not so easily done with S/S.
Jay D.
they say my name is Jay

User avatar

Board Moderator
Posts: 9878
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:40 pm
Location: ARIZONA
PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 1:05 pm
The quality of the paint is a big factor here as well as the color and condition of the truck.
Paint jobs are a lot more involved and labor intensive that most people think.

From what I have seen most Metallic paint colors are usually sprayed as base/clear so the clear can be cut and buffed without disturbing the Metallics.

For some people, single stage is the preferred choice for solid colors, as the say it adds depth and eliminates the need for clear coat. Plus the solid color single stage paint could be cut and buffed.

That being said, there are guys who had clear coat to single stage paint during the final coats. Then there are those who apply clear coat over the single stage when done.

Your truck's paint is over 20 years old at this point, so a complete stripping and repaint is the best option.

Jay beat me to it. :wink:
1968 Coronet R/T


ACTS 16:31

User avatar

Top Contributor
Posts: 1744
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2016 6:53 pm
Location: Denver, CO
Country:
USA
PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 2:02 pm
jjrbus1 wrote:Not going to do my own painting and confused. 02 Chevy roadtrek with fiberglass body. One shop wants to do 2 stage the other single stage. 2 stage shop $12-$15,000, single stage$8,000... For $12-$15K I will get a couple gallons of house paint and roll it. LOL

Start poking around the net and 2 stage is the clear choice. Single stage very hard to apply right, not as shiny, fades and chalks in a few years, only good for beaters and lawn tractors. Kinda sounds like Rusoleum oil paint?

Urethane clear coat is tough as nails, very pretty and easy to apply according to the net. Why is a urethane clear coat better than a urethane single stage?

20 years ago I had an RV painted, not sure of what kind of paint but definitely not 2 stage. 10 years later when I sold it, still looked good. The guy that bought it from me sold it 8 years later and said it still looked ok. This was sitting out in the weather mostly FL and California. What am I missing.?


Not sure where youre getting your info from but quality SS will last as long as most clears.
Experienced Trained Certified

SATA Spray Equipment Germany
Axalta ChromaBase Elite Standox Imron 5000 6000
PPG Delfeet Deltron Global Matthews
Sherwin Williams Ultra 7000 Genesis
Valspar DeBeer LIC
Akzo Nobel Sikkens Lesonal



Settled In
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2023 8:33 pm

Country:
USA
PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 2:41 pm
Thanks for the responses greatly appreciated. I typed single stage vs two stage car paint into search bar and little positive on single stage.

I will be doing a solid color.



Top Contributor
Posts: 6731
Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 7:10 pm
Location: OREGON COAST
PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 7:01 pm
There are terminology problems in this area. MOST of the time single stage refers to any paint that doesn't need a clear coat. two stage is base/clear .
Jay D.
they say my name is Jay



Top Contributor
Posts: 6731
Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 7:10 pm
Location: OREGON COAST
PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 7:04 pm
:goodpost:
'68 Coronet R/T wrote:The quality of the paint is a big factor here as well as the color and condition of the truck.
Paint jobs are a lot more involved and labor intensive that most people think.

From what I have seen most Metallic paint colors are usually sprayed as base/clear so the clear can be cut and buffed without disturbing the Metallics.

For some people, single stage is the preferred choice for solid colors, as the say it adds depth and eliminates the need for clear coat. Plus the solid color single stage paint could be cut and buffed.

That being said, there are guys who had clear coat to single stage paint during the final coats. Then there are those who apply clear coat over the single stage when done.

Your truck's paint is over 20 years old at this point, so a complete stripping and repaint is the best option.

Jay beat me to it. :wink:
:goodpost: QUALITY IS EVERTHING.
Jay D.
they say my name is Jay

User avatar

Top Contributor
Posts: 2762
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2012 4:46 am
Location: Canberra
Country:
Australia
PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 9:20 pm
badsix wrote:There are terminology problems in this area. MOST of the time single stage refers to any paint that doesn't need a clear coat. two stage is base/clear .


Yes. using these terminologies can only lead to confusion. What about a 3 layer pearl? Is that a two stage? Or a candy? 27 stage?

Correct terminology is "Direct Gloss" or "2K Direct Gloss" for a paint that has the colour in it and will be the top coat; anything else is basecoat/clearcoat or base and clear.

PainterDave wrote:quality SS will last as long as most clears.


Agreed. The key is "quality". Cheap paints are cheap for a reason - usually because they lack the more expensive components that make a quality paint good looking, easy to use, UV resistant and long lasting.
Chris



Top Contributor
Posts: 6731
Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 7:10 pm
Location: OREGON COAST
PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 11:17 pm
3 layers would be a tri coat.
Jay D.
they say my name is Jay



Settled In
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2023 8:33 pm

Country:
USA
PostPosted: Thu Feb 23, 2023 6:31 am
Now you have my curiosity up. Strip, I tried to strip something with a stripper last year and I could not find a stripper that would work. What are you using to strip paint? 2/3 of this van is fiberglass.
Next

Return to Fiberglass and Plastic

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 41 guests