Air drying single pack and two-pack lacquers are used as the final coating for basecoats, not only to protect the basecoat but also to provide the glossy surface required. The advantages are a much higher gloss than is normally achieved with single layer metallics, better protection from weathering and pollution, and a harder wearing surface. Providing dust has not been a major problem in the underlying basecoat, it also presents a surface suitable for flatting and compounding to remove small surface defects and produce a mirror finish.
Single pack lacquers (1K) are (usually) supplied ready thinned, ready for use. Drying times are fast, like cellulose, which makes them ideal for smaller repairs. Application is by three to five normal wet coats with adequate flash-off times between each coat. A balance needs to be struck between enough applied lacquer to allow for polishing and protection, and not too many coats, which leads to cracking and crazing with these products. Check the suppliers data sheets for the recommended thickness.
Two-pack lacquers (2K) are much more resilient but have their own application problems due to a)slower drying times and b) poisonous fumes. Even so, they are the preferred material for most repair shops. When activated and thinned as directed, application is by two or three normal wet coats with recommended flash-off times between each coat. Most types will be touch dry within half and hour, and hard dry overnight (16hrs) at temperatures around 20c.
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