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Can I clear coat over bare aluminum?

Q. I am kinda new to painting and have painted over aluminum when there is some color involved. prep and undercoats were not really an issue then. this customer wants the wheels to look like the bare aluminum but he wants them protected with a clear coat. what do I need to prep them with? please help me!

Lance Hall
collision painter - Kal, Montana, USA
April 12, 2008

A. Polished alloy wheels are probably the most expensive wheels you can purchase. Then comes the alloy wheel with a coat of aluminium powder and transparent clear powder. The polished wheel needs to be very clean, heated to remove the gas/air from the capillaries. Then coated whilst still quite warm.

Terry Hickling
Birmingham, United Kingdom

Sharkhide
sharkhide_protectant

on eBay or

Amazon

(affil links)

A. adv.
Hey there,
We have clear coated literally thousands of aluminum wheels over the years. Sharkhide is a wipe on coating that protects your wheels from salt spray and Mag-Chloride. It's also repairable as well as replaceable.
Hope this helps,

Clint Bland
O'Fallon, Illinois
May 1, 2008

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