Thread: bc\cc under trunk and hood advice?

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Several... unless you are just trying to make it a shiney color with minimum work.

I am not a chemist, but here are my observations anyway.

Basecoat does not have to produce a gloss, so it does not have the 20-25% clear mixed in. As a result, it isn't as transparent, so it covers better.

You also don't need time for it to flow out to produce a gloss, and it is more porous and breathes better, so it drys faster.

If you are stacking coats to produce graphics, the edge is thinner.

As I was told years ago by a very experienced painter..."Basecoat always sticks to basecoat", so as you add basecoats or interim clear, you don't have to worry about the "time window", like you do on catalyzed paint. A lot of guys feel the need to sand basecoat after a long period, but I have never had one adhesion problem from this. (....and I use a very sticky masking tape!) I don't know if it's true for other brands, but I mix 3 brands of basecoat paint without any problems. (R-M, X-Otic, and HOK)

The topcoat clear has the job of offering the protection, so you don't have the expense of adding hardener to every coat... or being exposed to polyisocyanates on every coat.

Topcoat clear seems to sand and buff better, since it doesn't clog the paper up with pigment, and polishes up to a little higher gloss.

There may be more ....but if all you are doing is adding shiney color to jams or frames....