Crescent City Color · Paint Store

Metal — Epoxy Approach

Painting bare metal, step by step.

Follow the numbers in order. Don’t skip the wait times — they’re what make the paint stick and last.

Bare Metal→Epoxy Primer→Urethane Primer→Sand→Paint→Clear

Use this sheet when: you’re starting from bare metal. Epoxy goes directly on the bare metal to seal it and stop rust. If the metal is already primed, use the Primed Metal sheet instead.

Prep the metal

Sand it, then wash it

① Sand the bare metal with 80–180 grit.

② Wash it with Wax & Grease Remover.

The metal must be clean and dry before any primer touches it.

Illustration of a gloved hand sanding a bare metal fender with a sanding block — Step 1 — Sand the bare metal smooth, then wash off all wax, grease, and dirt.

First primer — on the bare metal

Epoxy Primer

Spray 1–2 medium coats of epoxy primer.

✓ Wait 30 minutes → no sanding needed ⚠ Past 12 hours? You MUST sand before continuing

Epoxy is the rust barrier for this whole job. Get it on within the window above, or sand it first.

Illustration of a painter in a respirator spraying gray epoxy primer onto a metal panel — Step 2 — Epoxy primer goes straight onto the bare, clean metal.

Build primer — on top of the epoxy

Urethane Primer

Spray urethane primer over the epoxy.

⏱ 5–10 minutes between coats ⏱ Wait 2 hours before sanding

This is the layer you’ll sand smooth in the next step.

Sand the primer — pick one path

Are you sealing, or going straight to paint?

Path A — You are going to seal

Sand with 320

Spray 1 medium coat of sealer. Wait 30 minutes — and no more than 2 hours — then go straight to paint.

Path B — Straight to paint

Sand with 400–600

Sand finer, clean the surface, and go straight to paint in Step 5.

Color

Paint

Apply medium wet coats until coverage is achieved — usually 2–3 coats.

⏱ 5–10 minutes between coats ⏱ Wait 30 minutes – 12 hours after paint, before clear

Illustration of a painter spraying blue color paint onto a car door panel — Step 5 — Medium wet coats of color until the panel is fully covered.

Finish

Clear Coat

Spray your clear coats, then let it cure.

⏱ 5–10 minutes between coats of clear ⏱ Let sit 24–48 hours before buffing

Don’t buff early — give the clear the full 24–48 hours.

Illustration of a glossy finished panel being polished with a buffer after clear coat — Step 6 — After 24–48 hours, the clear is ready to buff to a shine.

🔫 Gun Setup

Pressure

Paint / Primer20–25 psi

Clear25–30 psi

Tip Size — We Recommend

Paint & Clear1.3 / 1.4 tip

Priming1.4–2.0 tip

Set this before you start spraying — not mid-coat.

⏱ Times at a Glance

Epoxy — recoat window, no sanding	30 min
Epoxy — past this, you must sand	12 hrs
Urethane — between coats	5–10 min
Urethane — before sanding	2 hrs
Sealer — wait, then paint (max 2 hrs)	30 min
Paint — between coats	5–10 min
Paint — before clear	30 min – 12 hrs
Clear — between coats	5–10 min
Clear — before buffing	24–48 hrs

Source: Crescent City Color “Metal Paint Procedures” — epoxy route for bare metal. Print this sheet and keep it in the booth.