The first thing to do is determine whether the problem is caused by the air cap or fluid tip. Give the air cap a half turn. If the heavier spot in the pattern moves in sync with your turn, your air cap needs to be cleaned or replaced. If the pattern does not change, your fluid tip needs cleaning and should be checked for wear and/or replaced.

There is a misconception that spray guns cause orange peel. In reality, a few key factors cause 95% of orange peel problems:

• Wrong reducer for shop temperature: Too fast a reducer won't allow the paint to stay wet long enough to flow and lay out properly.
• Under-reducing: Even with the correct reducer, under-reducing causes the paint to dry too fast without proper flow.
• Gun technique: Moving too slow or too fast, too much distance from the panel, or not enough fluid can all cause texture.

HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) increases transfer efficiency and reduces overspray. HVLP guns have a transfer rate of 65–70%, meaning only about 30% of the material is lost. They exit at 4–10 PSI at the air cap, allowing you to spray closer to the surface and with more control. Gun passes are slower, but coverage is achieved faster due to the high transfer efficiency.

Conventional guns take in 30–50 PSI and have nearly as much force at exit. Their transfer rate is only 25–40%, meaning 60–75% of paint material is lost to overspray. The higher transfer efficiency of HVLP translates directly into material and cost savings.

CFM (cubic feet per minute) is the most important factor when selecting a spray gun or compressor to ensure they work together properly. PSI (pounds per square inch) measures air pressure.

For a gun to spray and maintain proper airflow, you need the appropriate CFM while maintaining adequate PSI. All guns have a CFM requirement that must be met by the compressor. If your compressor provides less CFM than required, you'll be able to spray fine briefly before running out of air — resulting in poor atomization, spitting, and streaming.

The most common cause is found in the air valve. Air valves are composed of seals and packings that, with use and solvent exposure, can wear down and fail to open and close air distribution properly. The best fix is replacing the entire air valve kit when one is available for your gun model.

The most common cause is the needle not seating properly when the trigger is released. This can be caused by a small particle in the fluid tip or a small build-up of material on the needle tip that prevents it from sitting fully into the fluid tip. Also check whether your fluid tip is worn and needs replacing — this happens over time as the needle repeatedly contacts the fluid tip during normal operation.

HVLP guns require slower passes, but because transfer efficiency is so high you are actually achieving coverage much faster overall. You can also spray closer to the surface than with a conventional gun, giving better control.

If you increase the distance between gun and surface, you'll need to go slower and may need to increase fluid flow. If you're closer, move quicker and set fluid accordingly to avoid runs and sags from too much concentration of fluid in one spot.

No. Soaking gives the appearance of a clean gun on the outside but slowly creates problems inside. It exposes all seals and packings to solvent and allows contaminated solvent to settle into areas not visible to the eye, where it dries and eventually affects your application.

Gun washers are the optimal cleaning system — they allow solvent to flow through fluid passages without exposing sensitive parts. If a gun washer is not available, disassembling the gun and cleaning with an airbrush cleaning kit is a much better alternative than soaking.

A turbine is a great alternative to compressed air when mobility is a major factor. Instead of a compressor, a turbine redirects air through its electric motor and through a hose to the gun — just plug it into an electrical outlet. This is perfect for painters who do a lot of interior work in different locations: cabinets, doors, home interiors, industrial applications, and mobile auto touch-up and bumper repair.

A big advantage of turbines is that they can run continuously for long periods of time without the worry of running out of air.

Yes. Turbines are actually the preferred choice for automotive touch-up and bumper repair technicians. The key thing to remember is that turbine air is moisture-free and warmer than compressed air — and gets warmer the longer the motor runs. This slightly warmer air will make paint flash a little quicker, so a few quick adjustments in reducer selection will solve that. In all applications, keep the turbine away from overspray to avoid dirtying the filters and restricting airflow.

Today's standard is urethane basecoat/clearcoat or single-stage urethane systems, which are far superior to older systems like lacquer and acrylic enamels. Modern urethanes are much more durable and hold their color longer. Since most cars manufactured after the 1990s use base/clear systems, you'll also get a better match for repair and blending applications when using the same system.

These terms refer to the temperature of your painting environment and which reducer speed to select:

• Fast: 55°F – 70°F
• Medium: 70°F – 85°F
• Slow: 85°F – 95°F

Anything over 95°F, you should use a retarder.

Epoxy primers are the best choice for bare metal applications — they are the closest product available to factory E-coats, providing excellent corrosion protection on properly prepared and cleaned metals. From there, you can apply a high-build primer if you plan to block sand.

No, that is never recommended. You can do your own testing to see if it works, but it is not recommended by paint manufacturers. Mixing brands of additives with incompatible paints or clears can lead to unpredictable results.

You can if the paint is sealed, but it is not recommended. As a rule of thumb, lacquer should only be sprayed over lacquer.

It is possible, but not recommended. If you're not familiar with acrylic enamels, the clear can wrinkle on you. It is better to use a urethane base/clear system if you choose to clear coat your paint job.

Yes — we have one of the most extensive auto color libraries around. When we produce original colors, we do not use offsets (colors that appear similar but lack the proper appearance in sunlight). We have a complete lab stocked with the correct toners and metallics to make the colors of yesterday come alive today. Colors are reproduced using original formulas and standards authentic to the era, and each color is certified by our lab to be correct to the OEM standard.

A three stage paint system is typically a candy or pearl paint job. It is the same as a two-stage base/clear system but with an extra layer. A three-stage system consists of a base color, a "mid coat" (your candy or pearl coat), and then a clear coat.

Flash time is the waiting period between coats that allows solvents to escape the paint film. This is necessary to prevent problems such as solvent popping or pinholes in the finish.

Yes, as long as the paint is in decent condition. Sand the existing finish with 220–320 grit sandpaper and spray a sealer over the old paint before top-coating. This helps prevent any negative reaction with the old paint, prevents bleed-through, and gives you a solid ground coat on which to build your color.

• Color coats: Usually 2 to 3 coats depending on the color.
• Clear coat: 3 to 4 coats; 4 to 5 coats if you are planning on color sanding and buffing.

Different markets require different packaging and — more importantly — different formulas matched to their specific needs. We are one of a few companies that provide a comprehensive range of products to optimally satisfy every surface care need, covering all types of current automotive paints and finishes from the past. Surface care challenges vary greatly depending on paint type and condition, environmental and storage conditions, appearance goals, and time available for maintenance.

Your car is constantly bombarded by contaminants every day that take a toll on the paint if the finish is not frequently washed and waxed. If you neglect your car's finish long enough, a quality repaint can easily cost $3,000 — and selling without a new paint job can cost you $500 to $5,000 in lost trade-in value.

There is no single standard for how often you should wax — many variables influence wax life, including:

• Type and condition of paint
• Local environment and extraordinary weather events
• Number of hours exposed to outside conditions
• Quality and type of wax applied
• Quality of wash solution used

The most important thing is to begin a regular cycle of car care and stick to it.

You can use traditional hand application or a variety of machines. Today's modern catalyzed base/clear paint systems are much harder than traditional paints and generally require machine buffing to remove defects effectively.

Reasons professionals prefer machines include:

• Machines are nearly twice as fast as hand application.
• Much less fatigue on hands, arms, and back.
• Dual-action and orbital buffers apply a thinner, more uniform coat that is easier to wipe off.
• Machines do a better job removing surface defects, oxidation, and swirls.
• Machines force more polishing oils into the surface for deeper gloss.
• Machines are more effective at removing serious defects.

Dual-action polishers and orbital buffers oscillate in an eccentric circular motion. This makes them very safe — it's virtually impossible to apply too much concentrated pressure in one spot. They will not instill buffer swirls or holograms into your finish as long as you use appropriate chemicals and pads. However, they are not aggressive enough to remove major scratches or any scratch deep enough to catch your fingernail.

Rotary buffers use a direct drive, resulting in a powerful rotating motion. Because of this, a rotary can remove paint and defects very quickly — but in unskilled hands, it can easily burn through the clear coat or paint, requiring a repaint. The same risk applies to buffing pads attached to an electric drill.

After washing and drying your car, run your clean hand across the top surfaces. The roughness you feel is harmful environmental contaminants — overspray, fallout, brake dust, tree sap mist, and more — that have bonded to the paint finish. These cannot be removed by washing alone.

"Claying" removes these bonded contaminants prior to polishing and waxing. It can be done on an entire vehicle in about 30 minutes, leaving the paint smooth as glass and ensuring the wax you apply will function properly.

Match the type of wheel cleaner to the type of wheel you're cleaning — using the wrong cleaner can cause discoloring, dulling, and permanent staining. When in doubt, contact the wheel manufacturer for their recommendations.

For extremely dirty wheels with heavy build-up, boost the power of your cleaner with a soft wheel brush or quality paint brush rather than reaching for an extra-strength chemical cleaner, which can be too harsh and damage your wheels. Also avoid common household cleaners not intended for wheel surfaces.

Both are protective coatings applied to paint to guard against oxidation and harmful elements, but they differ in composition and performance:

Carnauba car wax is nature's hardest, purest, and most transparent wax. It produces a deeper, darker, richer "three-dimensional" shine preferred by many enthusiasts and show car owners, especially on black, red, and other dark colors. On the downside, carnauba waxes are not as durable as synthetics and may last only a few days to a few weeks depending on climate.

Synthetic waxes (paint sealants) are made from modern polymers or acrylic resins. They offer excellent durability (6 months or longer), ease of application, and typically wipe on and off very easily with no buffing required. They offer more brilliance, sparkle, and lasting protection.

Yes. Modern "brushless" washes use foam pads that collect dirt from every car that passes through — and then those dirty pads rub against your finish. After your vehicle exits, someone at the other end typically uses a dirty rag to dry what the wash missed, inducing swirls and scratches in the process. Avoid these places or use them only as an absolute last resort.

Acid rain spots look similar to water spots but are actually remnants of environmental pollution. When rain or snow falls it captures sulfuric and nitric acids from factory, automobile, and truck exhaust. When the sun heats and evaporates the water, it leaves behind concentrated acid that etches the clear coat, creating jagged-edged spots that in most cases cannot be removed — a high-speed buff may help in some situations, but prevention is the real solution.

Keep a good coat of wax on your finish and wash the car after every rain or snowstorm.

The best protection is keeping the finish out of the elements by storing your vehicle in a garage or under an overhang. A quality car cover is another popular option — it preserves re-sale value, deters theft and vandalism, keeps the vehicle cooler in sunny climates, and prevents water spots, acid rain damage, bird droppings, UV fading, and paint dulling from blowing sand.

Use a base coat or single-stage automotive paint, without binders or reducers, to tint the bed liner resin. Do not use lacquer or water-based paints to tint.

Yes — our flakes and pearls are universal and can be used with any carrying binder (intercoat clear) or clear coat system.

Filler may be thinned with plastic honey to alter its consistency. No more than 10% resin by weight should be added. Body filler can also be thinned with fiberglass resin and blending and spot putties.

The best prevention is thoroughly cleaning the surface to be painted with detergent and hot water, followed by the recommended solvent cleaner, then wiping dry with a clean rag.

Additionally: use a fisheye eliminator specifically recommended by your material supplier for your topcoat, and install an air filtering system that removes oil and moisture contamination from your air supply.

Yes, once Zolatone 20 Series is air dried for 24 hours or force dried for 60 minutes.

Yes! TCP Global serves customers worldwide. We ship via UPS, DHL, and USPS, with most orders delivered in 7–10 days or less. Shipping rates vary by country. Pricing is in US Dollars and does not include duties and taxes as levied by your country.

Due to an increase in fraud, we no longer accept checks or money orders as a form of payment.

We accept all website payment options, and for call-in orders we accept credit card, wire transfer, or a verified PayPal account.