There are many products on the market for repairing car bodies. We suggest you choose products from the U-POL brand, which has more than 60 years of experience in this field. Polyurethane raptor coating and consumables for it from U-POL are specially designed for application as a protective coating on the bodies of pickup trucks, SUVs and trucks.
Advantages and disadvantages of Raptor
When applied to a car body, raptor polyurethane coating forms a protective film, which has a number of advantages over conventional car paint, namely:
- high strength of the material;
- resistance to friction;
- resistance to most chemical elements;
- easy to clean;
- does not fade in the sun;
- reliable surface protection against corrosion.
Despite all the positive aspects of the coating, the raptor is not without its drawbacks. The following points can be highlighted from them:
- the coating cannot be varnished, so it will always be matte;
- the surface has the appearance of pebbled leather, which does not always look aesthetically pleasing;
- If the Raptor painting technology is not followed, it may chip.
Packaging and completeness of “Raptor”
Raptor goes on sale in a package containing four bottles of the base material, each 750 grams, and one liter container with a hardener. The kit also includes a special anti-gravel gun, calibrated to work optimally with the raptor.
Bottles with raptor coating are adapted for pistols. Consumers can order raptor sets, either black or cloudy whitish, which can be tinted in any desired color. The set contains instructions that contain technological recommendations and a safety data sheet.
Preparatory work before painting
Painting a car with raptor is not a complicated process and can be done by a car enthusiast, but it requires careful preliminary preparation. If painting will be done over the entire body of the car, then initially you need to remove all the attached parts from the body: bumpers, headlights, corners, mirrors, and so on.
Then traces of rust and peeling paint are removed from the body. It is recommended to prime areas of the body with exposed metal with ACID #8 primer. If necessary, the body is straightened and puttied in places of dents. The surface should be degreased with anti-silicone cleaner S2001.
At the next stage of preparing the body for painting, P80 sandpaper is used to remove the gloss. The surface to be painted with raptor should be matte. All parts of the car that remain on the body and will not be painted should be covered with protective material, using masking tape as fastening.
The instructions for using Raptor say that it has excellent adhesion to painted surfaces, so the painting procedure can be carried out even outdoors, without fear of the sun, wind and dust. However, it is better to carry out painting in a garage in the absence of dust, on a clean and grease-free body.
Raptor painting technology
After all the preparatory work, you can proceed to painting the body with raptor. The instructions for use recommend mixing the material with the hardener in a ratio of 3:1. In the can where the paint is located, there is a mark at which you should add the hardener - it will be exactly 250 grams.
High-strength protective coating U-POL RAPTOR
Close the jar and shake the contents for several minutes to mix the paint and hardener. The company offers hardeners for Raptor with different drying periods, which makes it possible to select the desired drying speed of the coating. And in order to reduce the texture of the applied coating, the company recommends adding 10% S2040 thinner to the bottle with the material and hardener.
We screw the gun onto the paint can, to which the hose from the compressor is connected. You can apply the first layer of raptor to the car body. Painting begins from the roof of the car using even movements. The gun should be kept 40 - 50 centimeters from the surface to be painted. You need to make sure that the layer goes on without overflowing.
The instructions say that thickening the layer leads to a violation of its mechanical strength. To dry the first layer, a temperature of +20 and 30-60 minutes are required. Then you can apply a second layer.
Upon completion of coating the car body with the second layer of raptor, the paint should polymerize within 5-7 days. The car can be used after 12 hours, however, without serious loads on the coating.
Adding pigment
If you don't like the black color of your car, you can use a pigment. It is better to purchase the pigment itself along with the paint. If difficulties arise with the selection, it is better to consult a colorist. Otherwise, you can get the wrong color or shade and simply ruin the car.
Please note that the paint for coloring (adding color) has a milky tint. This should be taken into account when choosing a pigment or when painting a vehicle.
Color pigments raptor U-POL
Painting a car in the desired color
In order to paint the body of a raptor car in the desired color, you need to purchase a kit from the U-POL company with a cloudy-whitish material, which is intended for tinting. You can also purchase ready-made color pigments from U-POL. To purchase, you should contact the company's representative office - they will give recommendations on how to mix the pigment and raptor and how it should be applied to the surface of the body.
Next, you need to mix raptor with the hardener in a 3:1 ratio and add up to 10% of the base pigment to the finished mixture. If you have difficulty selecting the right color, you can contact a colorist and use the selection system to determine the right component.
In the case when the color of the car is light, and the owner wants to preserve it, you need to take into account that the raptor itself is milky in color - this can give a peculiar shade.
Equipment
Raptor car paint can be found on sale only in the form of a set. As a rule, the kit includes 4 cans of the substance, one can of hardener and a special gun. You can purchase sets of black or colorless type (to add the desired pigment).
As for the hardener, it can be purchased separately for U Pol paint. The type of hardener you purchase will determine how quickly the protective coating for the body dries.
At some points of sale you can find paint in large tanks of up to 20 liters. But due to the fact that the paint is suitable for use only for 1 hour after stirring, this equipment is not particularly in demand.
RAPTOR U-POL protective coating set
As a rule, one such “Paul Raptor” kit is enough to paint a pickup truck. As for other vehicles, it is better to calculate everything in advance. It is not advisable to take the floor in reserve.
You should use the gun provided by the manufacturer in the kit. It is this that makes it possible to correctly spray “Paul Raptor” correctly over the surface of the car.
If you decide to paint your car a special color, you should immediately select the appropriate pigment. In this case, the choice is quite extensive. You can purchase almost any shade or achieve the desired color by mixing.
Safety precautions when working with raptor
Painting the body of a car with a raptor should take place while observing personal protective measures. The passport that comes with the product itself indicates the main types of danger the raptor poses to humans:
- the material is flammable;
- irritates eyes;
- open contact with the material leads to dry skin and causes it to crack;
- vapors may cause drowsiness and clouding of consciousness.
Therefore, you need to work with a raptor in protective clothing and gloves, goggles and a respirator. The room where the work will be performed must be equipped with exhaust ventilation and fire safety equipment.
Advantages of painting a car with raptor
- Painting as a process does not require special qualifications of the performer.
- The coating is not afraid of moisture, salt, extreme temperatures, and does not fade in the sun.
- Protects the coating from rust.
- Reduces noise and vibration levels.
- Has high adhesion to body metal.
- Does not require meticulous preparation of the surface for painting.
- It can be applied not only with a spray gun, but also with a regular roller or brush.
- Painting can be done outside the garage, even outside, at a temperature of +20. An awning is desirable - it can protect from rain.
- Preparing for painting does not take much time.
- The coating retains its protective properties for a long time.
- There is no need to coat the raptor with an additional layer of varnish.
How to apply correctly
You can paint your car yourself, for example, in a garage. You need to work with the Raptor composition wearing a respirator and with the doors open. You can entrust the painting of your car to a specialist. In this case, painting will cost more.
Required materials and tools
To perform staining you need the following tools and materials:
- primer (adhesion promoter) for plastic;
- two-component primer (acid, etching) for metal;
- putty;
- paint and hardener;
- pigment;
- spray gun;
- tassels;
- degreasing solvents;
- tools for polishing and abrasive processing (sandpaper P80-P280);
- rags, sponges.
Preparing for coloring
Before painting, the surface must be prepared, that is, cleaned of dirt and primed. After preparing the car, the composition is prepared. A hardener is added to the paint in a ratio of 3 to 1, that is, 250 ml of hardener is taken per 0.75 liters of paint.
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If necessary, pigment is added to the Raptor composition (5-10 percent of the total volume). To obtain a more liquid solution, add a solvent (15-20 percent of the total volume). Shake the mixture in the jar for 2-3 minutes.
Surface preparation consists of the following steps:
- remove dirt, dust, grease;
- clean rust spots;
- remove elements that cannot be painted (bumper, headlight covers, mirrors);
- remove cracked layers of varnish and paint;
- smooth out unevenness using putty;
- places of deformation are subjected to straightening;
- go over the entire surface with sandpaper (for better adhesion of the Raptor compound);
- treat the surface with a solvent, then with a primer;
- wait several hours until completely dry;
- cover areas not to be painted with tape and cover with film;
- put on a respirator and paint.
Painting technology
The car is painted as follows:
- prepare the composition (paint, hardener and, if necessary, pigment and solvent);
- shake the mixture thoroughly;
- remove the lid, attach a paint sprayer to the jar with the finished composition;
- regulate pressure (jet size);
- the finished mixture is used for 60 minutes;
- painting is carried out with a spray gun, roller or brush;
- if a sprayer is used, it is recommended to spray paint from a distance of 40-50 cm;
- they paint the interior parts of the body for testing to look at the texture (how the Raptor lays down);
- paint the entire surface in one layer and wait 60 minutes for the paint to dry;
- paint over all places, leaving no voids;
- after the first layer has dried, paint the surface one more time;
- the optimal number of layers is 2 (two).
How long does it take to dry?
After applying the first layer to the surface, wait 60 minutes for it to dry. Then the car is painted a second time. Application of 2 layers is done by spraying over the first. During drying, you need to ensure that water, dust and no objects are placed on the surface for 60 minutes. The disappearance of stickiness to the touch occurs in 1 hour at a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius.
It is not recommended to drive the car until the paint has dried. In the first 72 hours after painting, you need to ensure that the coating does not come into contact with water. Complete drying of the painted surface occurs within 5-7 days. Polymerization lasts 21 days. For the first month after painting, the car should be protected from moisture and dirt.
How to correctly calculate car paint consumption
The consumption of Raptor depends on the area of the surface to be painted. Before purchasing paint, you need to make a calculation. It is important to know the length, width and height of the body. Calculate the surface area of each side. To do this, the length is multiplied by the width (S=A*B). The areas to be painted on each side of the car are summed up.
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As a rule, 8 liters or 2 Raptor sets are enough for a Niva car. The longer and higher the car, the higher the consumption. For a Toyota car you need to buy 3 packages or 12 liters of paint. The same amount of Raptor products is needed for most cars. The maximum amount of paint is 16 liters or 4 packs.
Disadvantages of painting a car with raptor
- Relatively long time for complete polymerization of the coating (according to the instructions, up to 21 days).
- The coating has the appearance of an orange peel.
Those car owners who decide to cover the body of their car with raptor are not embarrassed by these shortcomings, but the advantages leave them in full confidence that their car is reliably protected for many years of operation in the harshest conditions.
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How much does Raptor paint cost?
Raptor paint is sold in ordinary plastic or metal containers. There are bottles on sale that can be immediately mounted on the spray gun.
The price for 1 liter, when compared with conventional car enamels, is approximately 50-70% higher. The cost of 1 liter of Raptor paint, depending on the color, form and class, is around 1500-2000 rubles.
Recently, Raptor paint in cans has been in demand. Despite the more convenient form of release, its cost is not much higher than in regular packaging.
Professional paint shops buy this paint in bulk in its simplest, unprepared form, and then prepare it themselves. Craftsmen who paint car bodies and other metal surfaces through practice develop the required consistency of the prepared paint and the technology for performing the work.
