Your opinion on fresh auto paint

[Flame]

Alright, so I have a customer who is getting body repair on his vehicle. Body is getting a fresh coat of paint and then wants to get graphics done afterwards. So I say no problem, get going with the job getting ready and then stop and think.... wait, autumotive paint with automotive clear... how long should I wait before applying graphics?

I don't deal with freshly painted vehicle much (or really hardly at all) so curious what some of you guys who have more experience in this area... how long would you wait before applying the graphics? Wait... a day, a week, 2 weeks... throw something out from personal experience, what you find best. It's a intense 4 color vinyl job with some airbrush thrown in so I'd really rather not do it too early... but on the other hand he's chomping at the bit. lol.

 

[Sticky Signs]

Find out what the manufacturer recommends. I work in film and I've actually put graphics on vehicles the same day they've been painted. That's the movies though. Real world stuff is a totally different ball game. Automotive paint is weird cause when it's fresh, it will feel dry to the touch but it's still soft underneath. The last thing you want is to pull a big chunk of fresh paint off while removing your premask or what ever. Graphics on fresh paint will also most likely peel the paint when it's time to remove. In fact, I find that anything other than factory paint tends to be problematic.
good luck!

 

[ABPGraphics]

Here in Utah we actually work in a body shop/graphics shop all in one where they paint vehicles all the time such as Police Vehicles that get in an accident and we replace the damaged graphics which is pretty convenient. They clear the vehicle and then 24 hours later we put the graphics on and have never had a problem at all.

 

[lil Details]

def check with the manufacture of the paint. It will also depend on if they are baking the paint or air drying. Every paint will be different......

I would not want to put it on early as the solvents would still be coming out of the paint and will likely cause many problems with the vinyl.

 

[ridewraps]

Most shops use a paint booth that works like an oven to make sure the clear is cured. We have had no problem with vehicles that have a base coat clear coat, although 1 time a fire truck company we used to apply decals for used a quick enamel type paint (single stage) that stuff pimpled up like crazy!!!!

 

[SignosaurusRex]

Paint brands can make a big difference. BASF paint takes longer out-gas to a point that vinyls can be applied without issues especially if reflectives are used. One thing to consider is if the customer expects to remove the vinyls at a later time somewhere down the road. If the vinyls are to be be removed later on, a much longer time is required for paint curing before installing grahics otherwise the vynils can actually be absorbed to some degree and essentually become permanent to the paint. As a general rule if the vinyls are not ever going to be removed, we like to give the paint 72 hours at 72 degrees. If reflectives are to be used, we wait much longer depending on type of paint, temperatures etc. unless the customer insists on not waiting and in that case they sign off that we are not responsible if an issue should arise later.

 

[Billct2]

Like everyone said, lot of variables.
Have the Body Shop tell the customer when it's OK.

 

[ProWraps]

known aftermarket paint voids our warranty and requires a signed disclaimer. if you tell me its aftermarket, or i can see that it is, bingo.

dont care how long it has been since it was painted. aftermarket paint, no warranty, and a signed disclaimer.

if you want me to put it on 2 minutes after its painted, ill happily oblige.

 

[scarface]

I apply graphics WEEKLY to freshly painted vehicles for a body shop. You must wait 24 hours for the paint to cure and out-gas. If not, you will see the paint out-gasing through the graphics creating bubbles.

I know this because i did mustang stripes and had this problem....

 

[letterman7]

Yep, 24 hours minimum if the car has been in a bake booth, otherwise at least a week if the customer doesn't want to see any shadow images should the vinyl need to be taken back off.

 

[signmeup]

Prowraps has it right. I had to replace a stripe on my van which had been repainted months before I lettered it. All the clearcoat came off with the stripe. Glad it wasn't a customers vehicle.

 

[Dave Drane]

At the very least... a week.

 

[kustomguy]

One thing to discuss with your customer is that if these graphics are ever to be removed for any reason, they will leave and imprint in the clear... unless you wait about 30 days. It takes acrylic urethanes 30 to 60 days to cure 100% depending on the part of the country even if they are oven cured. You will get a successful install after 24 hours (although I would wait 48), but these graphics will leave their mark if removed. I have 15 years in the vehicle graphic and paint business. Good luck.

 

[Jillbeans]

Minimum two weeks no matter what anyone says.
You know you are the one whose butt will be on the line if there is a problem.
Love....Jill

 

[dwt]

We wait 30 days. If I think they shot it with something cheap I'll wet the transfer tape to remove it to make sure the paint doesn't come with it. Also we try not to snap up the vinyl if it's going on dry.

 

[tanneji]

We were told it had to be a full month.

 

[Gino]

If you can talk the customer in to 30 days that would be ideal. Just about anything will be basically cured til then.

The key thing into how long to wait is the paint method the shop used. Usually 3 or 4 days will suffice using most of today's paints. However, if the shop doing the work doesn't prep well or does shoddy work, then you could very easily pull paint right off after 30 or 60 days with mere application tape, let alone repositioning vinyl.

We just did a Police vehicle which was painted by one of the areas leading shops.... I've never seen so much grit and pimples in a paint job as this one. All the door edges and handle areas were so rough.... we could cut our fingers on it, just sliding them across the joint. Our vinyl had so many bubbles where their grit was the chief said.... why so many bubbles ?? I showed him how all of the welds were, the piss poor quality and how much grit was all over the entire surface... sides and flat surfaces and they took it back and complained. Seems they took possession of it and brought it directly to us and no one of authority ever saw the condition. The truck is still in the paint shop as we speak. We're getting it back Wednesday to complete the job...... again.

 

[scarface]

in 5 years i have only waited 24 hrs, Now i'm working with the quote unquote "best" body shop in the area who wins small business of the year alot so they must be doing something right haha. I have had zero issues. I guess it really depends on the way the shop preps and what materials they use. The shop i do work for weekly uses only the best materials and has a huge booth.

The area i'm applying the graphics to is always prepped free of any knicks or dirt in the paint, that's something i told them that has to be done since i started.

 

[Flame]

Well doing work for a body shop and this vehicle really has to go out the door ASAP, so we're going for 24 hours and I let him know I'm not 100% comfortable with that, let him know the risks, and I'm not liable. He seems to understand and said that he has done a lot of vinyl repairs on vehicles, and always just waits 24 hours and never had an issue.

I always figured 2 weeks personally...

So.... fingers crossed, I'm off to do the install.

 

[intense_design]

Hi Flame,
I can help! My hubby does autobody as well as my dad.. Find out if they bake the vehicle or not.. if they don't.. 36 hours you should wait.. if they bake the vehicle.. you can letter 2 hours later! Hope this helps!