A talk with a painter at the supply house flipped my view on blending clearcoat

I was picking up some 2K clear and mentioned how I always try to avoid blending it on quarter panels. The painter, an older guy named Ray, said 'Kid, sometimes a perfect blend is better than a whole new panel, especially on these aluminum trucks.' He showed me his mix ratio and spray pattern on a scrap fender. Why do we push for full panel replacement so hard when a blend can save the customer money and keep factory welds?

3 comments

3 Comments

thomas.tyler1mo agoTop Commenter

What's the biggest risk with blending on aluminum, is it just the corrosion barrier?

hill.andrew1mo ago

I was reading a forum post last week where a guy said his biggest problem was actually the oxide layer... it messes with the bond. The corrosion barrier is a huge part of it for sure, @thomas.tyler, but if that surface prep isn't perfect the whole thing can just peel off later. It's not just about stopping corrosion, it's about getting the material to stick in the first place. That extra step to properly treat the aluminum seems to be where a lot of shops cut corners.

kelly.nora28d ago

That oxide layer issue is overblown... proper prep is just as easy on a full panel as a blend.