How to "flatten" gloss Rustoleum paint?

Up here in Canada Rustoleum is sold as Tremclad Rust Paint. I want to flatten their dark blue paint that only comes in gloss. Does anyone here know what flattening agent I should use. I sent an email to Tremclad regarding this (they do sell some "flat" paint, just not the colour I need) and they suggested I contact a body/paint shop. I have not checked with a body shop because I don't really want to clean up their puke when they hear that I want to paint a car with Tremclad/Rustoleum. I'm unemployed, the car needs paint NOW ... my thought is that I can always strip and have it done "right" down the road. Thanks for any help.

 

when i need flattner i go to Oreilys paint dept and get it. Any good paint supply outlet should have it

 

Rustoleum will flatten out all on its own after the sun beats on it long enough.

 

Is "flattener" paint specific? Meaning, is flattener just flattener, does one product work for any type of paint. I am not even sure if Tremclad is an enamel or what. Thanks for your reply by the way.

 

shoot it, then knock i down with red scotch brite pads and comet.
for spray you can cut it 10% with zylene. use 55lbs at the gun

 

Yeah, I do know that the sun flattens it pretty quickly. I painted a P-up "Fire Engine Red" and it faded. I do not want to take the time to "iron out the wrinkles" and Tremclad Dark Blue is almost exactly the same colour that my car is/was painted. I figured if I could flatten the paint, it would help hide the less than perfect body.

 

Scuff it with a scuff pad from a paint store. Don't go grab the old ladies scotch brite. Try a white ultra fine pad. If that doesn't dull it out enough for you then go with a red fine scuff pad.

 

The DuPont suppliers have a flattening agant and it tells you on the can what ratio to use to get what ever % of flat you need. Tell the guy it's for an acrylic enamal. I used the Nasson (Acrlic enamal) stuff a couple of years ago and made flat black out of gloss Rustoleum.

 

This is a bad idea, I rattle canned a rustoleum job on a car once, I spent 5x more in rattle cans than if I would have just bought a gallon of industrial paint and shot it, auto motive paints are expensive but you may be able to pick up some paint like residential commercial structural painters use for a lot less, maybe some stuff they paint commercial trucks with or buses, that way you could add a flattener and not pay for all that propellant, the job I did baked out in the sun and looked like pure poop in about 6 months.

 

When I had a retail paint business & paint store I sold sign paint,I carried flatning agent,,sign paint at that time was oil base enamels,,similar to Rustoleum,,only the One Shot had lead,,they don't anymore.

I would think most of the sign shops that cater to sign painters would have it in stock. HRP

 

My local paint supplier told me that flatner was liquid talc. So I used some talcum powder in my paint (acrylic enamel) and it dulled it. They also said it affects the hardness of the paint. Makes it softer and easier to scratch.

 

I am actually OK with the paint "lookin like poop" as long as the metal is protected. I fully intend to thin and spray through a gun, not do the whole thing in spray cans. I know this is a lame way to paint a car, no disputing that, and I also know there are better products out there. I just need to get the bare metal protected with something FAST (and cheap), and in a year or two I can strip it all off and have it done right (I'm thinking of getting it soda blasted when the time comes). I fully intend for this car to be back on the road by the end of August (this year) and drive it till it snows.


If I can remember to keep the camera charged I just might start a project post for this .


Thanks for all the replies, I really appreciate it.

 

you can get a gallon of epoxy primer from carquest in Canada for 60$
thin it and spray. comes in black and gray
easy to spray

 

Here's the secret. When I was a kid we didn't have much money. So, thinners and reducers were a luxury. So we use gasoline. I going to tell you something, the part we hated was that it would flatten out the shine. The more you use the quicker the results. Try it, it works.

 

Thanks Flathead ... my mom is originally from Baddeck. How does epoxy prime hold up on its own?

 

Hmmm, yeah but that would have been leaded gas back then might not work the same now.

 

Yep Gasoline! Good call!

 

It is cheap epoxy. thin it and put on a couple of coats. tough as nails only comes in grey and black. You can sand it later and do body work and paint.

 

Rustoleum can turn out great when sprayed correctly. It is also harder than hell when it drys, and it wears with time just like old laquer paint jobs perfectly. I don't know the mixtures or flatteners to use, but it sure did turn out good on these two of my buddies cars. Up close they are killer paint jobs, and you cant go wrong for the price either! Good luck man!

Logan's roadster:


Winter's roadster:

 

Mix up an over-reduced batch and shoot some test panels. See if you can get the flat effect you want that way.

 

Rustoleum with ford blue added until it got that 50 year old black paint look, thinned with gas. Girls painted it with brushes, perfect, repeat every 10 years.

 

There's several ways to do this.

You can mix a little flat black into the blue to get a darker blue that's flatter.

You can scotch brite with a grey or red pad but test it out on something first before you shoot the whole car.

Use a flattener.

Spray it with a cheap gun and use the hardener from Tractor Supply.

Don't rattle can it!!!!!

 

What? Naptha, laquer thinner & acetone aren't flammable? They'll burn your butt up just as fast as gas will...

 

Thanks for everybodys input. For a variety of reasons I have been looking to do a similar thing with their green.

 

Yes, thanks for all the input/info/opinions. I think what I will do is prime the car with red oxide (I did some testing and the dark blue looks mutch better over the red rather than the grey primer). Then I will thin the dark blue and spray it ... no flattener. I also did some testing earlier with a light wetsanding (something like 1000 grit) and a machine polish using polishing compound and then a wax. I did this to a fender and then left it outside all winter and was quite pleased with how it held up. Time will (rather quickly) take its toll on the paint and that should just add to the "old" look of the car. I think I just might start a new thread and post some pics of my "progress" ... I really need this finished by the end of August ... Autofest Car Show in Oshawa Ontario Canada ... draw prize of a brand new SBC both Sat and Sun ... Can't win if you don't go ... I just mailed in my registration today so now I "have to go" .... wish me luck and thanks again to everyone.

 

Hey 49STUDE ... Tremclad has a flat green available here in Canada. I understand that Tremclad is the same product as Rustoleum so you should be able to purchase a flat green instead of flattening a gloss green.

 

Thanks for the tip. I have spotted some satin green at the local home store after you mentioned it. I just have to find the right green of the three they have I think and will be in business.

 

I would think someone could just buy Rustoleum Flat White and have it tinted dark blue.

 

I use corn starch in the paint more you put the flatter it will be cheep and can get it at any grocery store

 

I sprayed my inner fenders, battery box etc.with Tractor Supply implement paint. Then went over it with clear rattle can paint. I misstakenly used flat clear and it dulled the black to a flat finish. Not what I wanted so will have to paint it black again.