I'm looking to build a guitar from scratch, and want a solid colour finish. I have painted a guitar with spray cans before (Rust-Oleum) and I've gotten them to look pretty good. The problem I have is with the clear coat. I tried used spray can clear coat from Rust-Oleum, but it never yielded the results I was after. Always soft and not very protective. Is it possible to do a wipe-on polyurethane finish over top of a spray painted guitar? Maybe a tru-oil finish?
Rattle can Guitar Finish
- Thread starter A_Cold_1
- Start date
Dave Locher
New member
Re: Rattle can Guitar Finish
I have used spray lacquer from Lowe's on two guitars with very good results. One I let dry for a couple weeks before I wet sanded and buffed it. The other one came out smooth and shiny on the face so I never buffed it at all.
I tried clear enamel on the third one. That did not go well!
I have used spray lacquer from Lowe's on two guitars with very good results. One I let dry for a couple weeks before I wet sanded and buffed it. The other one came out smooth and shiny on the face so I never buffed it at all.
I tried clear enamel on the third one. That did not go well!
Masta' C
Well-known member
Re: Rattle can Guitar Finish
https://www.amazon.com/SprayMax-Glamour-Gloss-Aerosol-Clear/dp/B0082LJMC6/
https://www.amazon.com/SprayMax-Glamour-Gloss-Aerosol-Clear/dp/B0082LJMC6/
Re: Rattle can Guitar Finish
So getting a polyurethane finish isn’t possible with a spray can base colour?
So getting a polyurethane finish isn’t possible with a spray can base colour?
Nostalgic Distortion
New member
Re: Rattle can Guitar Finish
I’ve actually had really good luck with this stuff!!! It’s usually found in the arts & crafts section vs the paint/hardware though. It’s for sealing charcoal drawings, Etc. but it covers just about everything really well, drys very quickly, & drys into a extremely hard/durable surface.
I used this stuff (although a satin version) on my Cab Jr which only has two quite thin coats of lacquer on it besides the clear. No grain fillers or anything like that & it’s still held up exceptionally well! Almost a year later & after a lot of use the guitar basically looks exactly like it did the day of it’s first setup!
I’ve actually had really good luck with this stuff!!! It’s usually found in the arts & crafts section vs the paint/hardware though. It’s for sealing charcoal drawings, Etc. but it covers just about everything really well, drys very quickly, & drys into a extremely hard/durable surface.
I used this stuff (although a satin version) on my Cab Jr which only has two quite thin coats of lacquer on it besides the clear. No grain fillers or anything like that & it’s still held up exceptionally well! Almost a year later & after a lot of use the guitar basically looks exactly like it did the day of it’s first setup!
Re: Rattle can Guitar Finish
A couple comments...
Yes you can get a fast-drying polyurethane clear in a spray can that gives a pretty good durable finish. BUT, the color coat should be fairly thin and COMPLETELY hard or you could have the problem that you described. Lightly sand your color coat (at least 48 hours after spraying) and let it cure for a couple weeks. Then spray 2-3 coats of clear poly waiting no longer than 1-2 hours between coats (the previous coat of clear should still be slightly tacky). Let that cure for a couple weeks before final sanding/polishing.
Lacquer is a much easier way to go but ALL of your paint (color coats and clear coats) should be lacquer to get the best result. Lacquer "melts" into the previous coats giving you essentially one solid coat. Don't try to spray lacquer over enamel (unless you really know what you're doing). You can spray coats as little as a couple hours apart, but the longer the better.. Again, allow a couple weeks to cure before final sanding/polishing. On my custom guitar builds, I allow at least a month before final sanding/polishing.
A couple comments...
Yes you can get a fast-drying polyurethane clear in a spray can that gives a pretty good durable finish. BUT, the color coat should be fairly thin and COMPLETELY hard or you could have the problem that you described. Lightly sand your color coat (at least 48 hours after spraying) and let it cure for a couple weeks. Then spray 2-3 coats of clear poly waiting no longer than 1-2 hours between coats (the previous coat of clear should still be slightly tacky). Let that cure for a couple weeks before final sanding/polishing.
Lacquer is a much easier way to go but ALL of your paint (color coats and clear coats) should be lacquer to get the best result. Lacquer "melts" into the previous coats giving you essentially one solid coat. Don't try to spray lacquer over enamel (unless you really know what you're doing). You can spray coats as little as a couple hours apart, but the longer the better.. Again, allow a couple weeks to cure before final sanding/polishing. On my custom guitar builds, I allow at least a month before final sanding/polishing.
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Re: Rattle can Guitar Finish
Thanks for the response, I’m not a fan of the feel of lacquer, I much prefer a polyurethane finish. So I can just spray with some Rust-Oleum, wait a few days, sand, wait about a month or so to cure, spray polyurethane, then polish? (Also I do have access to spray on polyurethane but would a wipe on be possible?) Thanks for all the advice!
Thanks for the response, I’m not a fan of the feel of lacquer, I much prefer a polyurethane finish. So I can just spray with some Rust-Oleum, wait a few days, sand, wait about a month or so to cure, spray polyurethane, then polish? (Also I do have access to spray on polyurethane but would a wipe on be possible?) Thanks for all the advice!
devastone
New member
Re: Rattle can Guitar Finish
Isn't Rustoleum enamel? Enamel takes forever to cure, and never gets as hard as lacquer or poly finishes. Personally I would never use enamel on a guitar.
And most if not all of the suggestions you are getting won't work over enamel, unless it is fully cured which takes somewhere between a few months and eternity, they will crack from the outgassing of the enamel.
Isn't Rustoleum enamel? Enamel takes forever to cure, and never gets as hard as lacquer or poly finishes. Personally I would never use enamel on a guitar.
And most if not all of the suggestions you are getting won't work over enamel, unless it is fully cured which takes somewhere between a few months and eternity, they will crack from the outgassing of the enamel.
Dave Locher
New member
Re: Rattle can Guitar Finish
Oh, I am not advocating to spray lacquer OVER Rustoleum or any enamel, I am saying use lacquer INSTEAD OF enamel. Spray can enamel just does not work well for guitars. Too thick, too soft, too long to really dry.
2k will work great, however. It's basically like modern auto paint enamel with a hardener.
Oh, I am not advocating to spray lacquer OVER Rustoleum or any enamel, I am saying use lacquer INSTEAD OF enamel. Spray can enamel just does not work well for guitars. Too thick, too soft, too long to really dry.
2k will work great, however. It's basically like modern auto paint enamel with a hardener.
Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
Re: Rattle can Guitar Finish
Any of these products can get a good result, the key is patience. Prep the surface, clear all dust and waxes. Let the paint/clear cure before doing the next application. Wet sand out the imperfections before adding the clear coat, I would do a few passes of clear. Buff the clear coat when done.
Any of these products can get a good result, the key is patience. Prep the surface, clear all dust and waxes. Let the paint/clear cure before doing the next application. Wet sand out the imperfections before adding the clear coat, I would do a few passes of clear. Buff the clear coat when done.
devastone
New member
Re: Rattle can Guitar Finish
No, enamel would suck on a guitar.
No, you can't buff rattle can enamel.
And yes, I know I'm being a PITA.
No, enamel would suck on a guitar.
No, you can't buff rattle can enamel.
And yes, I know I'm being a PITA.
Taz Rules
New member
Re: Rattle can Guitar Finish
I use automotive clear, but that's because I'm an automotive painter by trade so I have access to it. I also use nitrocellulose lacquer on some of my guitars.
I think you can buff rattle can enamel, but you need to actually wet sand it, then buff. Given the choice, you can buy an almost bodyshop quality 2k clear in rattle cans. I would prefer that to enamel.
FYI my sanding routine after any paint job is
1000 grit wetsand
1500 grit trizact
3000 grit trizact wetsand
5000 grit trizact wetsand
3m white polish and buff pad
3m gray polish and buff pad
3m blue polish and buff pad (each color polish has its own foam pad... do not mix and match them)
I use automotive clear, but that's because I'm an automotive painter by trade so I have access to it. I also use nitrocellulose lacquer on some of my guitars.
I think you can buff rattle can enamel, but you need to actually wet sand it, then buff. Given the choice, you can buy an almost bodyshop quality 2k clear in rattle cans. I would prefer that to enamel.
FYI my sanding routine after any paint job is
1000 grit wetsand
1500 grit trizact
3000 grit trizact wetsand
5000 grit trizact wetsand
3m white polish and buff pad
3m gray polish and buff pad
3m blue polish and buff pad (each color polish has its own foam pad... do not mix and match them)
NoOnesFang13
New member
Re: Rattle can Guitar Finish
Correct me if I'm wrong but you can get nitro from reranch for $18 a can and they have all kinds of colors from Gibson and fender. I don't know how much normal spray paint is as I haven't bought any in a long while but that price doesn't seem bad to me.
Correct me if I'm wrong but you can get nitro from reranch for $18 a can and they have all kinds of colors from Gibson and fender. I don't know how much normal spray paint is as I haven't bought any in a long while but that price doesn't seem bad to me.
