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  for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Crystal clear clearcoat

Who is the clearest of them all? I am looking for an organic "crystal-clear" coat, with some degree of scratch/wear resistance, and preferably some degree of corrosion protection, for decorative aluminum and chrome items that could be used outdoors. Items can be plastics or made of steel. I have tested some powder coats and liquids but these seem to reduce reflection and/or cloud/smoke the surface. Anyone knows who is the clearest of them all ?

Mandar Sunthankar
- Fort Collins, Colorado
2002

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Ed. note: As this is a technical forum, please confine responses to comparing overall technologies and types of coatings, folks. We'd rather not have salespeople start writing about how their secret proprietary coating is better than someone else's secret proprietary coating.

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I'm not too sure why whatever you have been using has smoked or clouded, unless there was an incompatibility with the surface preparation and the coating you used. Hazing could be due to some environmental factor, although Colorado is normally a dry climate, so I'd check into the prep before coating. An acrylic would be the "clearest", as most will go on water-white without any chalking or yellowing from the exterior environment.

Good luck finding something that will adhere to chrome well, you'll have to track somebody down with one of those those "secret" formulas ;)

Jake Koch
G. J. Nikolas &Co.,Inc.

Bellwood, Illinois

2002

Some 1 component moisture cure urethanes have shown good adhesion properties and are available in water white clear. These types of coatings also provide good weathering and corrosion properties. There are also some fair waterborne acrylics that may work.

Gordon Vidt
- Newark, ohio
2002