Choosing an aerosol varnish for a car: types and popular brands

Let's imagine the situation - the painting of the car is finished, the surface is completely dry and ready for varnishing. In this case, the question is quite natural - what car varnish to use? Masters have different opinions - some prefer an expensive product from a famous manufacturer, others choose budget products. And everyone is right in their own way. Consider some of the intricacies of storage, selection, use of aerosol varnishes and several popular brands.

How to store?

Price is not always the determining factor in the choice of materials for painting work. Moreover, branded and expensive enamel or aerosol, carefully selected for your favorite car, can actually be a fake. Especially often with this you can meet if the spray is bought in the first stall of the car market. At the same time, it is not always possible to blame the seller, since a fake aerosol could come from a supplier, and it could also be simply damaged by improper storage.

The shelf life of the vast majority of materials for painting work used in working with cars is in the range of 2-4 years. However, this is true only if the storage conditions are observed. The packaging of almost any automotive varnish or paint contains a description of the conditions under which the indicated expiration date is relevant.

One of the main parameters is the allowable temperature difference at which the material must be stored. This information will help you make the right decision about whether it is wise to buy this remedy.

Let's take the typical car market as an example. Almost all goods are stored here at ambient temperature, which in winter is sometimes minus 20–25 °C. For car cosmetics and paint materials, this often becomes the reason that after 2–3 weeks the highest quality varnish may be damaged. The characteristics that the aerosol originally possessed can be irretrievably lost. If, however, such material is still used to paint a car, then the consequences in the form of clouding of the surface or peeling off the coating can spoil the mood for a long time, as well as cause financial losses.

Some materials are no better affected by high temperatures. In the summer heat, when the air temperature reaches 28–30 °C, the hardener, for example, thickens. A similar state within a few months transforms the composition into an absolutely useless "porridge". This also applies to many material options such as paints, primers or varnishes. As a result, it may turn out to be more important not what company and price range the aerosol is used, but whether it was stored in suitable conditions and for how long. It is clear that a budget product can give the best result if it is fresh and, in terms of its properties, is well suited for car varnishing.

Varieties of varnish and application features

For painting work on cars, soft and hard types of varnish are used, they are marked all over the world with the HS or MS marking. Both options have their own subtleties in application, advantages and disadvantages.

The varnish dries relatively quickly, however, during the application of the aerosol, as well as immediately after it, the surface must be protected from dust and other types of pollution.

Therefore, for painting and varnishing, it is advisable to choose a closed and specially prepared room, a box. Only in this case, the varnish on the surface of the body parts of the car will be perfectly smooth and shine brightly.

HS varnish is applied in two different layers. The initial layer is light, almost airy, while the main layer is more solid, about 40–50 microns thick. This type (HS) is quite thick, its fluidity is low. Accordingly, the formation of smudges is a relatively rare occurrence if HS spray varnish is used.

Type MS has a more fluid structure. A minimum of 2-3 coats are required to obtain a quality surface. In this case, it is necessary to clearly monitor their thickness in order to exclude traces of leakage. The period between the application of different layers is usually 10-15 minutes, depending on the temperature as well as the additives used. As it dries, the surface becomes shiny and smooth.

If HS varnish is applied, the addition of solvent to the aerosol is minimal, and sometimes nil. This is a serious advantage, because painting a car is made environmentally less harmful. Materials with a low content of solvents, water-based, are used more and more often and enjoy well-deserved popularity.

Popular auto varnishes in the form of a spray

There are many brands of automotive varnishes in aerosol cans, we suggest that you get acquainted with some of them.

Mobihel 1K

This varnish has excellent viscosity, the car lays down clearly on the treated surface, which makes it possible to form a dense layer without traces of leakage. It has excellent adhesive properties with respect to Mobihel metallic base coat. This spray is transparent, intended for the final coating on the base paint. Two layers of applied aerosol give a total thickness of about 50-60 microns, which is a decent parameter for the consumer.

At standard 20 °C, drying time is 5 minutes. (from dust), 12–15 min. (on tack), complete drying lasts 60-90 minutes. The torch is unregulated, 7–8 cm in size. The main advantages are short drying time, excellent gloss for this type of product.

Brulex

Transparent, acrylic spray is designed to form a protective layer, as well as create a decorative shiny coating on the surface of metal, plastic and other materials. The product is one-component, for various types of work, air-drying. Brulex, released in the form of an aerosol, protects the base paint, does not turn yellow over time, is resistant to abrasion, damage, weathering.

Holex

HAS-2559 Automotive Acrylic Spray is a 1K high quality product that dries quickly when exposed to air. This composition is used to organize a transparent protection layer as part of a two-layer "base-varnish" paintwork. The advantages of the Holex composition are durability, strength, glossiness. Can be applied to a variety of surfaces properly prepared. It dries quickly, does not become cloudy over time, is used for indoor and outdoor use.

Carfit

The varnish is used to form the finishing layer in the repair painting of a car together with metallic paints. Aerosol can with a volume of 520 ml. The coating is shiny, well-adhered to the surface, resistant to external influences, including mechanical damage. Before use, the spray should be shaken vigorously for 1-2 minutes. The spray varnish is applied on a completely dry base paint, while it is permissible to apply it on an old coating, previously matted with a suitable abrasive.

body clear coat

Superior material, acrylic spray. Often used for emergency painting due to the fact that it dries very quickly. It is used exclusively for local repairs, fills minor surface imperfections, scratches and pores. Fast drying and curing saves time and consumables.