What is acrylic enamel?
Acrylic enamel is a plastic-based paint that dries to a hard, glossy finish. It was prevalent in the automotive industry for several decades due to its ease of application, high glossiness and UV resistance. It has since been replaced by urethane-based paints.HistoryAcrylic enamel was introduced to the auto industry in the early 1960s. It’s superiority to lacquers in UV resistance and ease of application made it an extremely popular for the next several decades. In the early 1990s, however, basecoat/clearcoat finishes–a basecoat of flat acrylic paint and a clearcoat of urethane–effectively replaced them and became the dominant finish in the marketplace.ApplicationAcrylic enamel is well known for its ease of application. It requires only one or two passes to cover the surface, dries fast and needs no hardener or Clear-Coat.AdvantagesA high-gloss finish can be achieved without many passes. It doesn’t have to be buffed and UV resistance is high.DisadvantagesAcrylic enamel isn’t nearly a
