Raptor paint for cars: advantages and disadvantages

Operating a car inevitably leads to the appearance of defects in the paintwork (paintwork), which provoke pockets of corrosion. Unnoticeable damage to the paint opens up access to bare metal, which corrodes under the influence of moisture; the lesion quickly expands, which leads to the appearance of through holes. To prevent the destruction of the car, you have to monitor the condition of the paintwork. An alternative option is Raptor paint, which is designed to protect the body from corrosion.

What is Raptor for cars?

Due to confusion in terms of what “Raptor” is, we note that this is a proprietary composition of the manufacturer U-pol. The product contains polyurethane, which covers the body with a durable layer of protection. Raptor car paint has properties closer to anti-gravel coatings, but the rubber from the classic composition is replaced with polyurethane, which is more durable and hard.

Raptor from Upol is a product with a secret composition, only the main component is generally known, everything else is a trade secret. Taking into account the chemical properties of polyurethane, we can conclude that there are a number of advantages of the material:

increased resistance to abrasive damage;
tensile strength;

Raptor paint from Upol

resistance to chopping blows;
ability to protect the coating from high vibration loads.

There are other advantages of Raptor paint; they boil down to its high protective properties. The composition is applied using a sprayer.

Raptor paint from U-POL

Raptor paint is a two-component paint and varnish material that is capable of creating a protective layer of increased strength on the surface of the car. This property makes the Raptor protective coating superior to other coloring compounds.

Raptor paint is a two-component paint and varnish material that is capable of creating a protective layer of increased strength on the surface of the car.

Technical characteristics, what is included in the composition

This product is a two-component polyurethane substance; thanks to the urethane form, the surface dries quickly, and after painting Raptor creates reliable protection against ultraviolet radiation. It can be used on any type of metal surface.

The manufacturer does not disclose the exact composition of the coloring agent. The manufacturer disclosed only the main component - modernized polyurethane (a type of plastic); what else gives the product such good protective properties remains unknown.

This product is a two-component polyurethane substance.

Advantages and disadvantages of paint

Raptor stands out among other paints and varnishes for its positive qualities, but it also has several negative aspects. Its advantages and disadvantages will be discussed in more detail below.

The advantages include:

Possessing increased strength, the product is resistant to mechanical and chemical influences;
Elasticity, which allows the coating not to crack;
The film layer will not lose its brightness or darken over time;
Body parts do not require polishing after painting;
It’s easy to paint a car; you can use a brush, roller, or spray gun;
Carrying out painting work is permissible outdoors;
The cost is reasonable;
Further cleaning and washing of the car will be easy;
Noise insulation increases after work with Raptor;
Has anti-corrosion properties.

The product is resistant to mechanical and chemical influences.

The disadvantages are:

You cannot apply varnish to a painted surface, so the coating will have a dull finish, which may not be to everyone’s liking;
Applying the product with a roller or brush requires a lot of consumption, and it is more difficult to obtain an even coating without visible boundaries of strokes;
If the painting is done incorrectly, chips may appear;

Toxicity during painting work; protection of the body from harmful fumes is necessary.

Applying the product with a roller or brush requires a lot of consumption.

In what cases is a car painted with Raptor?

The proprietary product is highly resistant to impacts from sand and stones and prevents noise from penetrating into the interior. Taking into account the characteristics of the substance, Raptor paint is used for:

processing the lower parts of doors;
bumper and fender coatings;
threshold protection;
applied to pillars and tops of doors where damage from branches and keys is observed.

The increased rigidity of the coating ensures the resistance of the metal body to contact with aggressive environments: moisture, saline solutions, chemicals. It is especially effective to use paint for cars operated in difficult conditions - SUVs, trucks, small vehicles that often cross dirt and sandy roads.

Raptor paint for cars

Raptor paint for cars is a thick composition that applies in a relatively thick layer. The coating plays a protective role, and also absorbs vibration, noise and increases the strength of the body.

It is worth considering that Raptor car paint increases the weight of the car, so covering the entire body with the product is not the best solution. Due to a shift in the center of gravity, the vehicle loses some of its dynamic properties. Another feature of the layer is the creation of a shagreen texture, which is prone to the accumulation of dirt, but is easily washed and creates a specific appearance. When painting a car with Raptor, problems may arise with color selection; it is better to contact a professional colorist.

Let's sum it up

If you are planning to paint an off-road vehicle, consider different options for protecting the body from various troubles. This could include galvanizing the metal or applying expensive primer mixtures. But urethane paint will remain one of the most effective methods of protecting your car. This will make the car virtually insensitive to various troubles and damages, which can be an important aspect of your vehicle ownership and maintaining its residual value.

It is much more pleasant to operate a vehicle with high-quality paintwork and beautiful car body characteristics. Therefore, Raptor will be an excellent solution for many owners of vehicles with high off-road capabilities. However, for Russia, such protection will not be superfluous for any car, especially in the most problem-prone places.

Advantages and disadvantages of paint

The Raptor protective coating has many advantages:

increased resistance to abrasive damage;
the material can withstand high tensile loads;
protects the body from cutting blows;
scratch resistance, and additionally prevents the spread of cuts;
wide range of hardness from 30 Shore A to 80 Shore D;
does not respond to atmospheric influences - ozone, oxygen, water, ultraviolet radiation and heat;

Protective coating "Raptor" withstands high tensile loads

most types of mechanical processing are allowed;
not prone to sticking of sand and other bulk substances;
ease of cleaning;
reliable protection against corrosion.

The Raptor coating has several disadvantages:

It is not allowed to apply varnish on top of the protective layer, this will neutralize the effect of the “Raptor”, the coating will remain matte;
car paint has a look similar to shagreen leather, the aesthetic appearance is slightly deteriorated;
If you violate the painting technology, there is a risk of chipping.

Why use Raptor as an SUV paint job?

Off-road vehicles often fall victim to difficult road conditions. You need to understand that in most cases this is a fairly important factor in the destruction of the car body. If you read reviews from service station employees, you will find out that every second vehicle with high cross-country ability has a damaged body after three years of active use. Therefore, using an excellent paint job, for example, with the help of Raptor, is not only a change of color and image, but also obtaining important advantages:

after such protection, the car can be used in a variety of conditions, using the most interesting features without restrictions on body damage;

friction with the ground and sand, the ejection of gravel from under the wheels, encounters with various small objects at high speed - polymer paint does not care about all this;

urethane coating fights corrosion on the car body, but only if the car was properly prepared before repainting and all rust was removed;

Raptor can also be used partially for painting sills, wheel arches and other parts that are most susceptible to the mechanical influences of various factors.

It is worth noting that many owners of expensive SUVs previously had to sacrifice high-quality visual characteristics in order to receive complete body protection from corrosion and destruction. Today, you can forget about chips, scratches, and other minor problems with superior performance urethane paint.

How much does Raptor paint cost?

The coloring agent from U-Pol is sold in sets:

4 cans of 1 liter each, the neck is designed for installation on a gun;
a can of hardener, it must be added to the working solution;
sprayer (optional).

Raptor coloring agent from U-Paul

The cost of the basic kit is 6,000 rubles, and when adding a sprayer, the price increases to 8,000 rubles. To paint the entire car you will need about 10-15 liters of liquid. How much “Raptor” is needed in an individual case is calculated taking into account the number of elements to be processed and the car model. Hollow parts can be machined on both sides to increase strength.

Painting technology

According to the official instructions, it is necessary to mix the composition with a hardener. The description indicates the proportion of 3 parts of the main product and 1 part of the hardener. There is a mark on each jar, it indicates the amount to which the container is filled, which is approximately 250 g of the second component.

After adding the product, close the jar and shake for 2-3 minutes to completely mix the mixture. The company offers a range of hardeners that differ in the drying time of the coating. For the warm season, they prefer options with longer polymerization, and in winter the process is accelerated. To reduce the severity of the texture, thinner S2040 is added to the composition; its concentration should not exceed 10%.

The jar with the prepared solution is connected to a gun, to which the hose of the compressor unit is already connected. If the car coating is prepared, the composition is applied to the body. It is recommended to start the process from the roof; the master’s movements should be uniform and smooth. The gun is held at a distance of 40-50 cm from the surface to be treated. During the entire application process, ensure that the layer is laid without overflow.

Car painting "Raptor"

The manufacturer does not recommend applying a thicker layer, otherwise the coating will become less durable and resistant to mechanical damage. Hardening of the initial layer takes from half an hour to an hour at a temperature of 20°C. Only after acquiring strength is the second layer applied.

After finishing the body treatment with “Raptor” in two layers, be sure to wait for the coating to polymerize. It will take about 1 week until it hardens completely, but the car is suitable for use after 12 hours; stress on the paint is still contraindicated.

Surface preparation

The first stage of application is the preparation of the body element; this is especially important for painting large surfaces. The procedure is performed in several stages:

Freeing from extraneous parts. All interfering elements should be removed: sidelights, headlights, fender liners, bumpers, rear-view mirrors, etc.
Careful inspection of the surface. The master’s task comes down to identifying areas with defects;
Elimination of damaged areas. Grinding is carried out only in areas with corrosion or in the presence of slag from the welding installation. If the coating is swollen or does not adhere securely, it must be cleaned;
Straightening. If during the work an area with a deep dent or putty is discovered, the body element is pulled out or tapped;
Surface cleaning. The base is cleaned with a degreaser (standard White Spirit solvent or a special composition). Primer is applied to the prepared body; this is not necessary, but it improves the quality of the final layer;

Preparing the car for painting

Removing gloss. The entire body is processed with coarse sandpaper, the resulting scratches improve the adhesion of the coating;
Protection of adjacent elements. All parts of the body that should not be treated are covered with film, masking tape and newspapers.

Working with Raptor paint is allowed both outdoors and in a box, but to improve the result it is better to be in a clean room.

It is important to equip the garage with an exhaust system and use personal protective measures.

We paint a car using Raptor

Please note that after all the work is completed, your car will look unusual. The Raptor material lays down in a non-standard manner, has a point structure and makes the appearance of the car more similar to a prepared SUV. Reviews also say that the ideal glossy color that you are promised on the packaging of the material is only available when the vehicle is perfectly repainted in a chamber with professional equipment. At home, we paint with Raptor as follows:

after all stages of preparation, the car should be driven into a prepared box or garage with normal lighting and without any unnecessary objects, dried and dust removed from the room;

Next, you should start working with the Raptor material, read the instructions and mix all the necessary components to obtain a ready-made mixture for painting;

first you should paint the internal cavities of the car body, which will not be visible after all the work is completed, this will help you understand how the paint is applied correctly;

After this, you can paint the whole car, you need to immediately think about what color combinations you will use and how you will repaint the car;

judging by the reviews, after completing all the processes, one hour is enough for the Raptor to dry and be invulnerable to dust and other minor irritants.

When an hour, or better yet several hours, has passed after applying the material, you can assemble all the car parts in place and begin operation. First, you will have to drive for several hours in urban conditions so as not to test the fresh coating. This way you can completely dry the coating in one day. In 12-14 days, the Raptor acquires ideal qualities; you can begin to operate the SUV in difficult conditions and test it with a variety of stimuli.

Preparation of materials and tools

Now the car is ready for painting, all that remains is to prepare the tools and materials required during the work process. The paint hardens quickly; the craftsman will not have time to go get tools. Rollers, brushes and rags are placed nearby. It is better to apply Raptor with a pistol. The sprayer creates a uniform and reliable layer. In the absence of a compressor, a roller will do, but the final result will be slightly worse. Rollers and brushes create strokes that will remain visible after the composition has hardened.

The gun is convenient for adjusting the pressure and force of the jet. After adjustment, the number of air bubbles will decrease significantly.

Before the procedure, it is important to purchase a sufficient amount of paint; the volume of liquid is calculated according to the formula (the consumption of the composition, the area of the surface to be treated and the number of layers are taken into account). If math is difficult, seek advice from a professional.

Pistol under Raptor

Paint preparation is carried out in several steps:

The base substance and hardener are added to the container in a ratio of 3 to 1.
Add paint of a suitable color, no more than 20%.
Solvent S-2040 is added to the composition, no more than 10%, to reduce the noticeability of the texture.
The container is tightly closed and shaken vigorously for 2-3 minutes.

Coating

After preparing the composition and the machine, the can is fixed to the gun. The sprayer is connected to the compressor via a hose. Painting is done in a simple way, but there are tips to improve the quality of the result:

painting starts from the roof;
painting is carried out with smooth movements without sharp strokes; as application progresses, the uniformity of the layer is controlled;
location of the sprayer from the treated coating at a distance of 40-50 cm;
the duration of hardening of “Raptor” is from 30 minutes at a temperature of 20°C;
after painting is completed, the layer remains vulnerable for 1 week.

Operation of the vehicle is permitted after 12 hours with caution.

Painting the body with Raptor protective compound

Safety precautions during operation

All auto chemicals under certain conditions can cause harm to human health. To protect yourself from Raptor complications, you should consider that:

the composition is highly flammable;
with prolonged exposure to vapors or liquid contact with mucous membranes, irritation occurs;
after contact with the skin, the paint provokes dryness and burning;
inhalation of vapors leads to dizziness.

To protect yourself from the negative consequences of Raptor, you need to:

ensure high-quality ventilation of the room. It is advisable to have a built-in ventilation system; an alternative option is to open the gate. During the painting process, it is recommended to frequently interrupt work for rest and a short walk in the fresh air. During work, a respirator and goggles must be used;
avoid smoking over the new coating, the composition should be kept away from the source of fire;
store all tools and materials that came into contact with the paint (rags, roller, brush) in a special container with water to prevent complete hardening and the possibility of reuse;
protect against paint spills. During work, you should wear special clothing;
store components in a separate dark place, out of reach of children and other people. The substance can withstand high temperatures; during storage they should not exceed 80°C. The container must be sealed tightly.

Recommendations

In the end, we note some useful tips for motorists:

It is relatively expensive to buy a spray gun for a one-time treatment; the alternative is a manual spray gun;
When selling a car, if the buyer insists on measuring the thickness of the paintwork, it is important to consider the surface texture. Due to the non-uniform coating, the results of using a thickness gauge will not allow you to draw a correct conclusion. The device for checking the thickness of the paint coating should be used repeatedly and only in an area without the Raptor. The result is the arithmetic mean;
Liquid rubber for cars can serve as a replacement for Raptor paint; it has its advantages and disadvantages;
if you are tired of the look of pebbled leather typical of the Raptor, painting with Xeralik will improve the appearance of the car;
painting can be done either manually or in a specialized center; in any case, the price will be considerable, but the work amounts to a significant amount. It is worth considering the cost of a complete car painting, taking into account materials and labor;
The matte effect of the body goes well with tinted windows. We recommend taking a closer look at LLumar athermal film and tinting.

Reviews about Titanium coating

After using a coated car, users give both positive and negative feedback. Motorists who are satisfied note the following:

Unusual, eye-catching appearance of the car. The shagreen coating gives even inexpensive cars an exclusive look, and even looks luxurious on large SUVs.
Surface protection. The paint really saves the car from scratches and other defects during frequent off-road driving, bushes, and tall grass. Even sandblasting or deliberate scratching with nails causes only slight damage to the coating.
Ability to remove scratches. If there are defects, you can always get rid of them. Small scratches disappear after regular washing with water under pressure; more serious ones can be removed by heating the area with a hair dryer.
Reduced preparation costs. If there is a complete layer of old paint on the car, it is not necessary to remove it before painting it with Titan. It is enough to perform a high-quality matting, cleaning and priming, and the paint will lay down in an even layer.

Among the negative reviews is local peeling of the coating, which is associated with ignoring the matting or skipping areas during its implementation. It is from this area that the paint can begin to peel off in layers. In addition to an untidy appearance, such defects also have more serious consequences. Water and air penetrate under them, and the Titan’s ability to protect against rust is seriously reduced.

Corrosion processes can develop hidden, unnoticed by the car owner, and some areas can rot quite badly. In this case, you will have to completely remove the coating and carry out serious repairs to the car.

According to the majority of car owners who have tried this paint, it is excellent for frequent use of equipment on rough terrain. “Titan” resists mechanical, physical, and chemical influences much better than conventional paints. In urban conditions, it is easier to use traditional paints and varnishes, since a thick relief coating will not make any sense.