Vintage Paint Terminology

1K: This is usually referred to as a product that contains no "hardener" or chemical additive which a 2K product does.  A 1K product is likely to be damaged if excess gasoline or other harsh chemicals are left on it.  You do not clear coat a 1K.

2K:  This is usually referred to as a product that requires a "hardener" or chemical additive to provide a more durable finish over 1k products.  Adding just a reducer does not make a product a 2k product.  A urethane is a 2k and I highly recommend using urethane over 1K.  You do not clear coat a 2k.

Polyurethane:  Some cases this is a term that is misleading and basically a 1k with hardener.  However, it can also be a great paint.  We do offer some polyurethane paints specifically targeted for abusive areas such as a trailer hitch.  You generally do not clear coat a polyurethane.

Basecoat:  Paint which MUST be clear coated.  I generally recommend basecoat when painting glamour colors with metallic and pearl content.

Clear Coat: A top coat applied which is clear over the color coat.  Generally applied over a basecoat product.  Some single stage products must be cured and sanded to enable the application of a clear coat.

Ani-Stat wipe: This is a wipe that contains isopropyl alcohol and denatured water mix which helps to eliminate static electricity.

Dorman:  Describes what a paint does when it goes below a certain termperature.  Usually 60 degrees.  At that temperature the paint will just lie there and not "cure" at all.  Most cases the paint will continue to cure once the temperature has risen above it' "dormant" temperature, but some paints will never cure if they go dormant.

Epoxy:  A term used to describe a family of paint products.  An epoxy is generally a slower drying product that is very durable and has good adhesion to most subrstrates.

Gel Coat:  A form of fiberglass resin that contains color.  This is the topcoat of most fiberglass products like boats and snowmobiles. 

Ground Coat:  Describes a uniform color designed to enable better coverage or to help obtain the desired color.  This can be obtained by using a sanded primer in the desired color, a primer sealer in the desired color, or by painting the desired color and then top coating with the finish topcoat.

Overlap:  Describes the amount of paint that is currently being sprayed which will overlap a previously sprayed pass with the paint gun.  IE a 75% overlap has 75% of the current coat "overlapping" the previous coat.

Sealer"  This describes a product that you spray on, let flash, and then continue to top coat without the need to sand.  This can also be called a "Primer Sealer".

Self Etch:  This is a family of products that are used to chemically etch bare steel.  This enables better adhesion and also gives a coating that will sacrifice itself if the coating is scratched and rust develops at the scratch.

Single Stage Topcoat"  This is a type of color coat that has built in UV and chemical resistance.  No clear coat is needed and applying a clear can cause paint issues.

Tack Rag:  Generally a cheese cloth or paper product with some adhesive or tack built into it.  It is used to remove any loose dirt prior to painting or between coats of paint.

Wax and grease remover:  This is a product that is designed for cleaning was/grease/tar and other contaminations from the painted surface.  These are generally a specific product designed for this purpose.  Using a plain solvent can leave a residue which may hurt the adhsion of your paint and cause paint defects.

White Blast:  This is a term used to describe the quality of a sand blast job.  A white blast will look almost white and have no rust left behind.  A white blast is the best prep of old steel.