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Calling on the wisdom of Marq, Charger, or whomever...
On my test panel, I am using Rusto and am to the point that the formerly brown panel is now definitely red. My theory is that I still don't have enough layers of paint so either 1. I just need more thickness for it to gloss or 2. I am still seeing the matte finish from where I wetsanded the coat below it. What say those with more experience?



Ok... so I will make an assumption that you are using the Rustoleum with just pure Mineral Spirits.

It does sound somewhat odd to be getting a matte finish when each coat dries. My first thought is that you may need to use less mineral spirit and not cut the paint so thin. IF the paint is being overly thinned... it may be presenting the paint with a problem creating a sufficient surface tension of the paint to form a uniform and complete skin as it is curing.

So by using a higher percentage of paint and less mineral spirit it should allow the paint to get enough paint to form a smooth skin. And that would give it more of a glossy look to the surface of the paint coating.

The fact that you mention the paint looks glossier where it has run... or when slapped on with a brush tends to support the idea that more paint and less mineral spirits should get more of a gloss to each coating and eliminate the matte you are experiencing.

Thinking outside the box for a moment... I am not sure if the Rustoleum is available in a flat red. I believe the reds only come in a gloss. I know that they do sell a flat black. Hopefully the red Rustoleum you are using is a 'red'.

One experiment you might try... is to take some of the red straight from the can and roll it ( without any mineral spirits ) on to a test piece. Let it dry and see if that test patch has a gloss or shine to it when it dries.... What I would be testing for with this experiment is to ensure that the paint itself is working the way it is suppose to. For example... I don't know how the paint might turn out if it was a particular OLD can of paint... and the chemical composition had somehow changed over the long period of time it might have been sitting in the can. Or similarly.... I don't know what might happen to the can of paint IF it had been exposed to some extreme heat or cold prior to it arriving on the store shelf when you bought it. Or as yet another odd scenario... I don't know what might happen with how the paint performs if the contents in the can had separated while on the shelf. If the straight paint patch dried with a shine then you could just ignore these possible speculations for why the paint itself might be to blame...

In theory... the more layers of paint that you add... the more pigment and solids that will be laid down. The accumulation of the pigments and solids build up the uniform color and the possible glossiness of the outer skin of paint. So a little matte might be possible on the first, second or third coat... but most folks tend to see some hint of a shine or gloss right from the first coat...

Thats a few fast thoughts or why you might be getting a matte finish with your layers of paint.

Marq

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Last edited by Marq; 07/28/07 12:01 AM.