Base coat

[Ken Pridmore]

Why use Self Etch Primer if your Rust Seal or Top Coat can be painted over with a final top coat paint brand and color of my choosing ?

I'm restoring a large old vehicle (1941) that was originally primed with a zinc dichromate primer. For the most part there is little rust anywhere and will scuff these areas up and prime. For the areas there is rust, I will repair, use KBS Clean and KBS Rust Blast followed with a primer.

It will be approximately a year before applying a final top coat of paint brand and color of my choosing. 

I need a base coat that seals the bare metal until painting.

So, back to my question, Why use Self Etch Primer if your Rust Seal or Top Coat can be painted over with a final top coat paint brand and color of my choosing ?

Will any of them work as a base coat ?

Ken

[KBS Coatings]

The reason you can use Fusion Self-Etch Primer as an intercoat primer is for convenience or in hard to reach areas that can't be scuffed and you can't follow the time frame for re-coating. RustSeal cures to a very hard and durable coating that can be hard to coat over unless you follow the process described below.

There are three effective ways to topcoat RustSeal (with BlackTop, KBS Top Coater, KBS MAXX or other solid color top coat paints) effectively so that the coatings bond and fuse together. Please choose the one that works for your project.

1) Apply your top coat once the second or final coat of RustSeal is dry-to-the-touch and does not leave a fingerprint (usually 3-6 hours depending on temperature and humidity).

2) Let the second or final coat of RustSeal fully cure (at least 24 hours), scuff the RustSeal with 320 grit, then apply your top coat.

3) Let the second or final coat of RustSeal fully cure (at least 24 hours), dust the RustSeal with Fusion Self-Etching Primer, let the Fusion cure for 30 minutes, then apply your top coat.

Go ahead and use the RustSeal to seal up your bare metal. That will provide long lasting rust protection.

Please let us know if that helps and if you have any additional questions.

[Ken Pridmore]

So Fusion Primer cures to a very hard and durable coating ?

Can Fusion Primer be left as is without worry of rust forming a year from now  when I put the final top coat on ?

It can be used in hard to reach areas and top coated a year from now without scuffing and still have the same bonding ?

 

Here's my plan and maybe you can suggest the KBS product and process to use

1. I will be restoring small areas at a time. Maybe the wheel well area, maybe part of the frame, maybe the outside of a door.

2. As each section is repaired I'll clean it with KBS Clean and apply KBS Rust Blast.

3. Apply a coating of something (KBS Self Etch Primer, KBS Rust Seal or KBS Top Coat) to protect it for a year or so till I'm ready for the final top coat and color

4. A year or so from now I will top coat with final color. Some areas may or may be easily accessible for scuffing.

Suggestions

[KBS Coatings]

KBS Fusion Self-Etch Primer is a primer designed to aid in adhesion for other coatings. It is applied in dust coats.

RustSeal (different product) cures to a very hard and durable coating.

KBS Fusion Self-Etch Primer provides a minimal amount of rust protection (as this is not what it was formulated to do). If you are in a low humidity area, it could provide protection against rusting, but please keep in mind that KBS Fusion Self-Etch Primer is usually applied in dust coats. If you leave the KBS Fusion Self-Etch Primer for more than 7 days, we do recommend cleaning it with a water based cleaner like KBS Klean before applying another coating over it.

For doing the restoring you are describing, it would be best to clean with KBS Klean, etch with RustBlast and then seal with RustSeal (2 thin coats minimum). This will provide a durable coating that absolutely prevents rust. In a year, you can dust the areas coated with RustSeal with KBS Fusion Self-Etch Primer and then do your final coating.

Please let us know if that helps and if you have any additional questions.