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Now here is a question that's had me thinking. It seems to me that when I roller a thicker layer of paint I'm going to get an orange peel effect. I am wondering what percentage of a coat of paint comprises this orange peel paint. I'm simple thinking that if a thick coat is applied and say 30% is removed then it might be better than removing 30% of a thinner coat. I know some guys don't get much of this orange peel, but being a rookie I'm just not sure I'll achieve such skill. If I've a decent thickness left I've the patience to polish and have a Porter-Cable and Farecla polishes. I think the rollering of paint is going to be my weak point, so I'm thinking how to achieve a decent job if I don't get the rollering quite right. Hope I've explained myself correctly here?



It would be better to lay multiple thin coats... then attempt to rush the job by laying on thick coats.

A thin coat dries more thoroughly and completely then a thick coat.

Orange peel 'usually' occurs when you rush your next coat of paint on to the previous layer of paint.

What happens with a thick layer is that the outer skin hardens first and traps the wetter layer between the body and the outerskin of the paint. So when you add the next coat of paint too early it tends to soften up the previous outer layer. It them moves around on the previous uncured middle layer creating the wrinkle or orange peel type effect.

If you put on a thin layer... it takes less time for that middle wet layer to evaporate and harden. So when you add the next coat of paint things don't come alive underneath the latest coat of paint.

I really think the key to orange peel avoidance it to provide adequate time for each layer of paint to evaporate and cure ( or harden ).

The problem with going with thicker layers, expecting peeling and then planning to sand back the wrinkles is that you don't get a uniform outer layer of paint. Instead the outer layer is composed of the last coat of paint plus peaks from various wrinkle layers below. Also... you are doing more agressive and lower grit size to cut back the peeling.

BUT IF you go with the thinner coats... and can do so with minimal peeling... in the end you will probably find yourself just doing some light 800, 1000 or 1500 grit wet sanding to do the final sanding. That to me is less work then trying to knock back orange peel and then having to wetsand the knocked back surface up to a level where it can take an acceptable polishing and waxing.

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