Matte Colour Paint for signage

[david moore]

I'm ready to paint new unit and div signs on my jeep and truck using peelable stencils from Axholme Signs in the UK. I need matte red, yellow, blue. Anyone know where in Ontario I can get these as small sprays or small cans of liquid paint? I've looked at all our Cdn Tires, Home Depots etc and no luck. Would modeler's paint be OK for outdoor use?

[Jordan Baker]

I just used the regular Tremclad stuff. I mixed up a small amount and sprayed it on. It dried glossy but I then used a spray can of semi-clear. Just give it a few light coats and you should end up with a mattish finish. It also helps to take the vehicle for a bit of a drive in dusty conditions while the paint/clear is still ever soooo tacky.

[Stewart Loy]

David,

I had the same problem this past winter. I was attempting to 'freshen up' the Carrier and needed matte paint. I was able to get into TSC (selected stores) and get flat tremclad in brown, white, and black.

I could not find yellow in matte so I was standing at a Home Hardware when the paint guy tried to help me. He listened to my story and asked if the work was inside where I could get to it with a hair dryer. I must have given him the "... and what freakin' difference would that make" look as he explained that if you spary the semi gloss paint products then get the hair dryer on them before the stuff dries it makes them quite a bit less glossy. Maybe the gloss is related to the VOCs in the paint that the warm air flashes off...??

I tried it and it worked well enough for me - especially since I have only found flat yellow in the 1/10 oz. sizes at the plastic model shops.

Good luck.


Stewart

[cletrac (RIP)]

You can make any paint into a matte colour by mixing some talcum powder into it and spraying it on. The talcum breaks up the smooth finish.

[Keith Orpin]

David,
Over here in the UK, myself and others I know use the small tins of modellers paint. Humbrol do all of the colours you are looking for. I never spray the paint on when marking up a vehicle, the best way of applying it is to use a peice of sponge and stipple it on, when it is almost dry. This paint does stand the test of time
Regards
Keith

[chris vickery]

It's way simpler fellas.

If you use laquer thinner, toluene , naptha or plain old gasoline in your gloss paint you will lose the shine when it dries. The quicker the solvent flashes off from the paint the duller the finish. Trust me, this works and is far easier than trying to source flat enamel paints.

[Jeff Gordon]

Any decent paint shop should be able to supply you with a flattening agent you mix in with the paint and David I would apply it with a rag or spong just like they did during the war.
Jeff

[Gunner]

Hi David:

As both a modeller and restorer I would stongly advise against using modelling paints on your vehicle. They are usually colour matched to a lighter shade to take into account scale; they use incredibly fine pigments to meet scale needs and they are not robust... all this means that they will fade quickly and and disappoint you in a season or two... this is bitter experience speaking.

Jordan's solution is by far the simplist and has the added bonus of putting a protective coating on the markings. Use a matt clearcoat but make sure its compatable with the paint used for your markings.

The issue of flat or glossy paint for markings has never bothered us at the S&P as the painters circa '39-'45 used what they could get!

There is an interesting tale from the spring of '45 about acquiring paint in France or Belgium after the white-washing of winter '44... lacking paint plants that could make to spec, the camouflage lads in the RE/RCE simply mixed oil drums of gloss black and gloss yellow until it looked OD enough and then dumped in shovel fulls of talcum powder to matt it down... so much for spectrum colour matching!

Units were directed through the camo units and were repainted like a car wash... stay in yer truck mate, we'll paint right over the dirt and oil and then you drive away wet!



Mike

[Gunner]

Hi David:

As both a modeller and restorer I would stongly advise against using modelling paints on your vehicle. They are usually colour matched to a lighter shade to take into account scale; they use incredibly fine pigments to meet scale needs and they are not robust... all this means that they will fade quickly and and disappoint you in a season or two... this is bitter experience speaking.

Jordan's solution is by far the simplist and has the added bonus of putting a protective coating on the markings. Use a matt clearcoat but make sure its compatable with the paint used for your markings. Stu's trick works as well.

The issue of flat or glossy paint for markings has never bothered us at the S&P as the painters circa '39-'45 used what they could get!

There is an interesting tale from the spring of '45 about acquiring paint in France or Belgium after the white-washing of winter '44... lacking paint plants that could make to spec, the camouflage lads in the RE/RCE simply mixed oil drums of gloss black and gloss yellow until it looked OD enough and then dumped in shovel fulls of talcum powder to matt it down... so much for spectrum colour matching!

Units were directed through the camo units and were repainted like a car wash... stay in yer truck mate, we'll paint right over the dirt and oil and then you drive away wet!



Mike