No, this isn’t paint for cars. Boysen Automotive Lacquer is sought-after for its distinctively glossy appearance that emulates the finish of cars—hence the name “automotive.” If you want that high-gloss Duco finish for your kitchen cabinets, for example, this is the paint to go for.
If you’re only hearing about Boysen Automotive Lacquer now, you can learn more about it here. If you’re already familiar with this paint product, there may still be some things you didn’t know about it. The Boysen Technical Department has these tips and advice to share.
Apply with a Spray Gun
Regarding application, Boysen experts stress that Automotive Lacquer should be applied with a spray gun. Using a brush or roller is not recommended as it would cause visible brush streaks or roller marks on the paint film. And, since the point of a Duco finish is that smooth, almost-reflective finish, marks on your paint film are not something you’d want.
Moreover, because it can be more of a challenge to apply correctly, it’s not paint that should be DIYed. Best to seek help from an experienced painter.
As is common for paints that need to be applied with a spray gun, Automotive Lacquer will need to be thinned out before use. Thin with Boysen Lacquer Thinner at a maximum ratio of 1:1. Remember to follow all precautions when painting with a spray gun including covering all the spaces you don’t want to get paint on.
On Moisture Blushing
When lacquer-painted surfaces are exposed to moisture, white spots can sometimes appear. This is called moisture blushing. In this instance, Boysen Lacquer Flo can act as a moisture retardant and prevent moisture blushing, says Boysen experts.
So, after you mix your Automotive Lacquer with Lacquer thinner, you’ll also need to add Lacquer Flo. Add Lacquer Flo at just 10% of the volume of your lacquer paint and lacquer thinner mixture.
Here’s an example. Say you have 1 liter of Automotive Lacquer for use. First, you’ll need to mix in 1 liter of Lacquer Thinner (which is a 1:1 ratio). With this, your resulting mixture has a volume of 2 liters. Now, to this add in 0.2 liters or 200 mL—which is 10% of 2 liters—of Lacquer Flo. Now, the final mixture is ready to spray.
Avoid Exposure to Sunlight
Boysen Automotive Lacquer is intended for interior use as exposing it to sunlight can damage the paint film. In particular, exposure of the paint to UV rays, which mainly come from the sun, may cause the binder, one of the paint’s components, to degrade. This leads to paint problems like flaking.
Plus, painting Automotive Lacquer on exterior surfaces can expose it to rain which, as mentioned above, then leads to moisture blushing.
Achieving More Colors
Black and white are the readily available colors for Boysen Automotive Lacquer. To achieve other colors, you can tint with Boysen Automotive Lacquer Tinting Colors at a maximum 1:16 tinting color to lacquer paint ratio.
The tints come in 6 colors. Mixing in more than one tinting color creates even more shades to choose from. See an example of how you can get a color wheel of paint colors with just 3 tints below.
For questions and inquiries about Boysen Products, feel free to reach out to the Boysen Technical Department at ask@myboysen.com. You can also call (02) 8363-9738 local 413 to 418 during office hours for a one-on-one consultation.
