Orange peel paint job :-(

Hi everyone.

I need a bit of advice.

Can you sand a top coat down with super fine dry sand paper on an orbital sander and still polish it up? Maybe I could block it down with wet and dry 1200 grit after it has been sanded?

Is there a cheap hand held orbital sander designed for sanding down top coat / lacquer?

I have let a friend of a friend paint my vehicle and he's made a right hash of it. I was told it was finished so I went to collect it and it was shocking! I told him to block it down and polish it.

He has blocked it down slightly with wet and dry but it is still like an orange peel with runs in it. It looks as though he has painted and lacquered it in sub zero temperatures.

I've not paid him for any work and I have the van back. If I can get it to some sort of a decent job I'll pay him some of what he has asked for if not, I'm gonna have to do it myself again. :-(

Depends on what paint he has used, 2k paint would easily flat and polish but if it is synthetic forget it, Cellulose pain can also be flatted and polished but leave it to harden fully, approx 3 weeks this time of year.

Personally i would wet flat it with 800 and a block until you have nearly got rid then switch to 1200 wet flat. a block of soap will help to lubricate, just rub the soap with the wet and dry before applying to the paint.

Also i would then charge the guy who painted it for your time.

It is 2 pack paint. He has also lacquered it :-s

I was going to suggest leaving it in my garage for a few weeks till it has gone solid and then get to work.

I will 800 wet and dry it then with a flat rubber block then flat over that with 1200 grit. Hopefully it will work. I just thought dry sanding would be quicker.

It might be quicker but i wouldn't consider it! dry flatting could cause heat from friction especially using a sander.

2k paint should be solid within hours due to the hardener used.

Problem with using a sander to flatten paint it you loose a lot of control with it

Hand sanding is the best way really

As said wet flatten with 800 with soapy water, I also have a squirrel to lub as I go, then 1200 or 1500 then machine polish

Your only taking the peel out of the laquer not the paint underneath

8O 800?? Good luck with that! :?

I suppose 800 grit will take the ripple effect out of the top coat and the 1200 will take the scratches out. Although, the 3G cutting compound is awesome stuff!

I wouldn't hit it with 800 at all as you're sure to go through on an edge.

If its as bad as it sounds then use 800 and re paint it.

Yomp said

8O 800?? Good luck with that! :?

Yeah that would be far too harsh to be honest, and it really depends on how much clearcoat has been applied,
I have my own bodyshop in Deepcar Sheffield, so not too far from you, so if you get stuck or want me to have a look then by all means pop it over and i'll have a look for you

Dave 07800655903

Does he paint cars for a living this friend of yours??

You can get a spray that you spray over new paint jobs to "re-level" the pain, it's called "leveller". It is designed to remove overspray and to re-level orange peel effect. Never used it personally but that's what it has been designed to do. Large runs I would carefully sand down first until level then re-level the lot with the spray.

Sorry for not getting back to you all, been busy flatting paint haha.

I'd be interested to see that. I wonder what it's called and how it works.

Rust Removal & Treatment | Halfords UK

Never ever sand new paintwork with an orbital. You simply wont have enough control and are almost certain to go through the new paint.
Flat it by hand. Move on to 1500 as soon as you can then 2500.
Then use some 3M pads on a proper polisher and say 3 grades of compound.
Will come up perfect … hopefully.
If it is 2K then do it now. That stuff is like rock after awhile and it will take you forever to flatten it.

PS Just about to prep then spray mine

I went and bought a box of 1200 grit wet and dry pads which stick to a soft sponge velcrow pad for the orbital sander. I've used them and now it's been polished its come up well. It's like glass :-)

If truth be told, I've painted loads of mk1 golfs but this is my transporter van that has been messed up. I've flattened some panels back by hand but due to lack of time and now energy the wet and dry pads have helped a lot.

machine said

If truth be told, I've painted loads of mk1 golfs but this is my transporter van that has been messed up. I've flattened some panels back by hand but due to lack of time and now energy the wet and dry pads have helped a lot.

I f'ed up my bay which is the only reason I know anything now. Orange peel ain't the word. I'd never paint something that big again. It took forever to flat it.